International Driving Permit: when you need one and how to apply

What you need to do

If you are going to drive within the European Union or the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), you do not need to do anything: your Spanish licence is valid as long as it is in force. If you are going to drive outside that area, the DGT says you need to obtain and carry the international permit, and recommends carrying it even when the destination country has an agreement with Spain.

In practice, before a trip outside Europe:

• Check that your Spanish licence will be valid for the whole trip.
• Apply to the DGT for the international permit.
• Always carry it with your passport and Spanish licence.
• If the destination country has not signed the convention, ask its consulate or tourist office.

What the international permit is

According to the DGT, the international permit is a supplementary document: it has no validity on its own. It is accepted in practically every country in the world and allows you to drive in the countries that have signed the Geneva international convention on transport and communications.

Physically, it consists of a grey card cover folded into three and 16 pages. These show, in several languages (Spanish, German, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Russian), the holder’s personal details and the licence categories they hold. That translation is precisely what makes checks easier in countries where Spanish is not read.

When you need it

Within the EU and the EEA: never

For short stays, trips or holidays in any country of the European Union or the European Economic Area, the DGT states that your Spanish licence is valid as long as it is in force and that you do not need to complete any paperwork.

Outside the EU and the EEA: as a general rule, yes

The DGT says that if you are going to drive outside the European Union or the European Economic Area, you need to obtain and carry the international permit. The page on licence categories repeats the same point.

Countries with a bilateral agreement: the Spanish licence may be enough

The DGT itself qualifies the rule above: there are countries outside the EU with which Spain has bilateral agreements on mutual recognition and exchange of licences, where you could drive temporarily on your Spanish licence. Even so, it advises always travelling with the international permit to avoid problems, because these agreements can change.

Countries where you do not need it

According to the DGT page updated on 1 July 2026, you can drive on your Spanish licence without getting the international permit in:

• All countries of the European Union.
• The countries of the European Economic Area: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
• Countries with bilateral agreements with Spain: Andorra, Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Japan, Morocco, Nicaragua, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, El Salvador, the Philippines, Guatemala, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Tunisia, Ukraine and Macedonia.

Japan: the exception within the exception

Although Japan appears on the list of countries with a bilateral treaty, the DGT warns that the Japanese authorities require the Spanish driving licence to be accompanied by the international permit.

Countries with no agreement with Spain

If you are going to drive in a country that has neither signed the international permit convention nor has an agreement with Spain, the DGT recommends asking that country’s consulate or tourist office directly what you need to do. It gives the same advice before any trip outside the EU and the EEA if you are unsure whether an agreement exists.

How to apply

Obtaining the international permit is listed among the DGT’s driving licence services. According to the DGT, the available channels depend on each procedure, and those enabled include:

• Online, through the DGT’s Sede Electrónica (e-office).
• With the miDGT app, available for iPhone and Android.

Before you start, check on the Sede Electrónica which channel is available for this particular procedure. Bear in mind that an appointment is compulsory for other procedures, such as exchanging licences from countries with an agreement, so do not assume you can simply turn up at an office.

If your licence is from another EU country

If you live in Spain with a licence issued in another European Union country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, you can apply for the international permit here. The condition, according to the DGT, is that you first register your licence with Tráfico.

How much it costs

The DGT classifies this procedure under fee type 4.5, but its page on the international permit does not show the amount: the field is blank. Check the current amount of that fee on the DGT’s Sede Electrónica before paying.

How long it lasts

The international permit is valid for 1 year and cannot be extended. When the year is up, if you still need one, you have to get a new one. It is not renewed: you apply again.

There is a second limit. The DGT says it is only valid while your Spanish licence is. If your Spanish licence expires before the year is up, the international permit stops being valid at that same moment.

It is also a temporary document designed for travel. If you are moving your residence to another country, the DGT explains that you will need to find out there what to do and, if possible, exchange or register your licence under the new country’s rules.

Checks: what to carry with you

At a check outside the EU, the international permit is not enough. The DGT says that whenever you use it, you must also carry:

• Your passport.
• Your valid Spanish driving licence.

Here the DGT pages do not use quite the same tone. The page on the international permit says it must always be accompanied by a valid Spanish licence, while the licence categories page says it is advisable for it to be accompanied. The sensible course is to follow the stricter version: always carry all three documents.

The DGT pages do not detail fines for driving without the international permit in other countries. Penalties depend on the law of each destination country, so it is worth checking with its consulate.

Exceptions and special cases

Expired Spanish licence

You cannot drive on the international permit if your Spanish licence has expired. The DGT is categorical: both the international permit and the Spanish licence must be valid.

If your Spanish licence expires while you are outside the EU

According to the DGT, you can apply to renew your Spanish licence at the nearest Spanish consulate.

Foreign drivers coming to Spain

For visitors to Spain with a licence from another country, the DGT sets out these rules:

• Licences issued in the European Union and the European Economic Area are fully valid for driving in Spain as long as they are in force.
• If you take up normal residence in Spain, those licences remain valid for a maximum of 6 months from when you become resident, provided they are in force and the holder meets the age required in Spain for an equivalent licence. After that period, you must exchange it for a Spanish one or, if there is no agreement with the country of origin, obtain a new Spanish licence.
• If your licence is from a country outside the EU and the EEA, the DGT advises obtaining the international permit in your own country before travelling.
• Licences written in Spanish or accompanied by an official translation are also valid, as are those issued in line with Annex 9 of the Geneva Convention or Annex 6 of the Vienna Convention.

This DGT page was last updated on 13 November 2020, earlier than the page on driving abroad.

Environmental sticker for foreign cars

If you come to Spain in a car registered in Germany, Austria, Denmark or France, the DGT considers that you hold the Spanish environmental sticker equivalent to your country’s. Spain does not issue stickers to foreign registered vehicles, but there is no need: you drive with your own country’s sticker.

Pre-trip checklist

• Is your destination in the EU or the EEA? Then a valid Spanish licence is enough.
• Is it outside? Apply to the DGT for the international permit, even if the country has an agreement with Spain.
• Travelling to Japan? The international permit is essential alongside the Spanish licence.
• Check the expiry date of your Spanish licence: the international permit is not valid beyond it.
• Make sure the international permit will remain valid: it lasts 1 year and cannot be extended.
• If your licence is from another EU country, register it with Tráfico first.
• If the country has not signed the convention, ask its consulate or tourist office.
• Keep your passport, Spanish licence and international permit together throughout the trip.