Exchanging Irish Drivers License for Spanish one

@Conor55

EU licences are valid in Spain and can also be surrendered in exchange for a Spanish licence

@Conor55

From a quick glance it might  be that only nationals of the country where the license was issued can exchange it.  But maybe i am wrong

Take look here:-

https://administracion.gob.es/pag_Home/ … iento.html

Thanks for the replies.  I will need to be ordinarily resident in Spain to exchange my Irish license for a Spanish license. I don't know how thoroughly they check residency during the exchange process.

I've been a US resident for 20 years and was able to renew my Irish  license twice using my sisters address in Dublin.

    Thanks for the replies.  I will need to be ordinarily resident in Spain to exchange my Irish license for a Spanish license. I don't know how thoroughly they check residency during the exchange process.
I've been a US resident for 20 years and was able to renew my Irish  license twice using my sisters address in Dublin.
   

    -@Conor55

Why do want to exchange it? You don't need to.

I don't plan to maintain a residence or address in Ireland, so there would be no where to mail it. Also, after age 70 or 75, I will probably need a vision test etc. annually to keep my license, I don't want to have travel to Dublin to take the test. I think it makes sense to switch to a Spanish license as my home and car will be in Spain.

    I don't plan to maintain a residence or address in Ireland, so there would be no where to mail it. Also, after age 70 or 75, I will probably need a vision test etc. annually to keep my license, I don't want to have travel to Dublin to take the test. I think it makes sense to switch to a Spanish license as my home and car will be in Spain.
   

    -@Conor55

Then, it will be just a straight swap.

@Conor55

I don't think "ordinarily resident" is a Spanish thing. I think you will need to be an actual legal Spanish resident in order to be eligible for a Spanish license. (And you should be a legal resident if you want to spend more than 3 months there.)

As an Irish citizen, you simply do the EU Citizen Registration. Appointments booked online, and you typically need proof of funds, proof of health insurance, and proof of (Spanish) address.

This process should allow you to register for social security contributions and the public health system. I would personally be more concerned about this issue than my driving license, especially as I (like you) already have an EU license elsewhere.

@Conor55 from what you say i think you were  not permitted to renew your DL.  I know one can only renew a uk licence  if you are normally resident in uk.  So you cannot just 'use a uk address.'

Extract  from:-https://www.ndls.ie/images/Documents/DrivingLicence/IrishCitizensAbroadApplyingForLicenses.pdf

Licensing laws across the EU require that, to be entitled to a licence, you must be ‘normally resident' in the country granting the licence. This rule has not changed in recent times. Applying that rule on the ground, the term ‘normally resident' is generally considered as the place where a person usually lives, for at least 185 days in each calendar year, because of personal and work ties, or, in the case of a person with no work ties, because of personal ties which show close links between that person and the place where he or she is living.

@Conor55

Spanish driving licences have to be renewed every 10 years, or every 5years if you are over 65 or have health issues. You will be required to have a medical test each time you have to renew (dexterity, eyesight, hearing, blood pressure and general health)