Driving in Girona

Getting a Spanish driver's license

The Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) is the authority responsible for issuing driving licences in Spain.

If you already have an EU driving licence

If you already have a valid EU/EEA driving licence, there is no need to get a Spanish licence. Your EU/EEA licence will remain valid in Spain until it expires.

When it expires, you must exchange it for a Spanish licence. Exchanging means the Spanish driving authorities will replace your EU licence with an equivalent Spanish one. The process is much simpler than applying for a new licence: your original is withdrawn, you receive a provisional Spanish licence, and your definitive one arrives by post in about 6 weeks.

There are exceptions. You must exchange your licence if you have been resident in Spain for two years and your licence either:

• Has no expiry date, or is valid:
  • More than 15 years for Group 1 (AM, A1, A2, A, B, BE)
  • More than 5 years for Group 2 (C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE)

Even if you are not required to exchange your licence, you may do so voluntarily.

If you don't have an EU driving licence

If you don't have an EU/EEA driving licence, Spain may still have an exchange agreement with your country. The countries Spain has an agreement with are:

• United Kingdom (you can drive for 6 months in Spain with a British licence but then you have to change your licence)
• Andorra
• Korea
• Japan
• Switzerland
• Monaco

If your licence is not from one of these countries (United States, for example), you may not exchange your licence. If you want to continue driving in Spain, you must obtain a new licence.

Getting a new Spanish driver's license

You might think getting a driver's license in Spain is simple: get a friend to give you lessons, take the test, and you're done? Think again. And get a bunch of money ready, because the total cost averages around €1,000.

Here are the steps to get a new Spanish driver's license.

Step 1. Get your digital signature

A digital signature (firma digital) allows you to access government services, submit official documents, and sign contracts online. It is essential for many procedures in Spain, including registering for your driving license exam.

Types of digital signatures:

• Cl@ve PIN
• Cl@ve Permanente
• IdCat / IdCatMòbil
• FNMT certificate

How to get a digital signature in Girona??

Step 2. Study for the exam

The theory exam can be scheduled as soon as 4 weeks after document submission, so it is best to begin studying early.

How to prepare:

• Use online practice exams and study tools.
• PracticaTest.com offers realistic mock exams.

Step 3. Download forms from the DGT

Go to www.dgt.es and access the Sede Electrónica. Download the following:

• Application form (Solicitud examen teórico por libre)
• Tax form for payment (Modelo 791)

Step 4. Obtain a medical certificate (psicotécnico)

Visit an authorized centro de reconocimiento de conductores for a short medical exam. They will check your vision, hearing, reflexes, basic physical health, and basic mental health. The average cost of the medical exam is €50. You receive a certificate after passing.

Step 5. Pay the administrative tax (tasa)

Use the Modelo 791 tax form to pay the processing fee. As of May 2025, the cost is €94.05.

Payment options:

• Online via DGT portal (with digital signature)
• In person at participating banks
• At a DGT office
• Through your bank’s mobile app

Keep proof of payment.

Step 6. Submit your documents

Once you have all documents prepared, submit them online via the DGT Sede Electrónica using your digital access.

Documents required:

• Completed application form (scanned)
• Proof of tax payment (scanned)
• Medical certificate (scanned)
• ID/residency document (NIE, TIE, or DNI)

After submission, you will receive confirmation and shortly after, your theory exam date.

Step 7. Pass the theory exam

The theory exam is a multiple-choice test taken on a computer at the DGT exam centre. It consists of 30 questions. You must answer at least 27 correctly to pass.

Languages: Spanish, Catalan, English, and sometimes other languages.

• If you pass, you can then begin driving lessons.
• If you fail, you can rebook (two attempts are included in your paid tasa).

Step 8. Take driving lessons

To prepare for the practical test, you must take lessons with a licensed driving school (autoescuela). Lessons are usually required before booking the practical test. The driving school provides a dual-control car and an instructor. The number of lessons varies depending on your experience. Some people only need ten lessons, but new drivers often need 20–30 lessons.

Step 9. Book the practical exam

You cannot take the practical exam without doing driving lessons first. The practical exam can only be arranged through your driving school. The school registers you for the test with the DGT. You will use the school’s car for the exam.

Step 10. Pass the practical exam

The exam is conducted on public roads with a DGT examiner. The duration is around 25 minutes. You must show safe and correct driving skills, following traffic rules.

Spanish driving licences are valid for ten years.

Intensive driving schools

San Cristóbal Driving School, also known as “The Celebrity Driving School”, is 6 hours drive from Girona, and offer an intensive course where you can finish both theory and practical exams in about two weeks. Total cost is around €1,350. C. Ercávica, 7, 16001 Cuenca

Useful groups

• Ladies Driving in Spain is a helpful and supportive Facebook group for women taking the theory and driving test. A great place for women to share tips, stories, and support. There is also a Men Driving in Spain Facebook group, but this is not active.

Car rentals

A company called Som Mobilitat has six electric car-sharing vehicles in Girona. See Som Mobilitat (electric rental cars).

Parking in Girona

There is no free parking in the city centre, but if you don't mind walking 5-10 minutes, there are plenty of free car parks around the edge of Girona.

🆓 Free parking:

• There is free parking along Carrer de Pau Vila i Dinarès, next to Parc del Migdia.
• OCine parking (Google Maps)
• Parking outside Mercadona, beside OCine (Google Maps)
• Parking plaça Vicens Vives, by La Devesa
• Free car park at Avinguda de França, pg. Devesa (by the the roundabout near La Devesa). (Google Maps)
• Under the train tracks
• Espai Gironés (shopping mall in Salt)
• Blue zones (espai blava) are free on Sundays and public holidays.
• More free car parks

💰 Paid parking:

• Green zones (espai verda) is street parking for Girona residents
• Blue zones (espai blava) is street parking for everyone. You can pay using the parking meters installed on the streets, or with MOT: Aparcar app.
• Car parks in Girona are typically underground, since a law passed in the 1970s requiring developers to add an underground car park whenever they built an apartment building. Some of them are owned by a company called SABA, google "SABA parking Girona".

Be careful of parking in places you shouldn't (like on the pavement, or in spaces reserved for motorbikes). If you are in tight situation you can probably get away with parking there for a few minutes, but if the police catch you, they will probably fine you. The police in Girona have many failings but they are weirdly efficient at spotting cars parked illegally.

Speeding fines

If a speed camera catches you speeding in Catalonia (which is quite likely, since the government has unhelpfully neglected to place speed-limit signs on many roads), you’ll receive a letter in the mail from the Servei Català de Trànsit telling you to pay a fine. If you pay within 20 days, you get a fine reduction of 50%. The easiest way to pay is to download the Trànsit app and using it to scan the QR code on the letter.

See https://speedingeurope.com/spain for more information on speeding fines in Spain.

Girona's low emission zone

Girona has had a low emission zone (zone de baixes emissions or ZBE) since 15 September 2025, to reduce car emissions in the city centre. Only electric cars or hybrid cars are allowed in the low emission zone (an exception is made for people who live in the zone).

Ratings:

• Etiqueta 0 (Blue) — 100% electric vehicles. Cleanest and most efficient. Have practically zero emissions. In Girona, you pay little or nothing for parking.
• Etiqueta ECO — Low emissions. Includes most hybrids (HEV). These card are cleaner than petrol/diesel, but not fully electric.
• Etiqueta C (Green) — Cars with modern combustion engines. They meet recent Euro emission norms. Petrol cars from 2006+, diesel cars from 2015+, petrol/diesel vans 2014+, motorbikes 2007+. These cards are not allowed to enter Girona's low emission zone, except if you are a resident.
• Etiqueta B (Yellow) — Cars with older combustion engines. Meet older Euro norms, more pollution. Petrol cars 2001–2005, diesel cars 2006–2014, motorbikes 2003+
• Sense distintiu — No label (most polluting). Petrol before 2001, diesel before 2006, motorbikes before 2003. Considered high-polluting

You can make sure you car is registered with the ZBE/DGT with the right environmental rating at https://zbe.cat/vehicles-check

You may need to display a sticker on your car saying what environmental rating your car is. You can get the sticker for €5 at any post office. The people at the post office will put your licence plate into the DGT site to check your car's rating, check your papers, and sell you a sticker. The cameras around Girona don't register the sticker however, they register your car's number plates.

More info about Girona's low emission zone: https://web.girona.cat/zbe

Other tips

People drive on the right-hand side of the road in Spain.

Speed signs are in kilometres.

Driving tests in Girona are in Spanish and Catalan. If you don't speak either of these languages, then you can ask the driving instructor if you can have a friend sitting in the back of the car who can translate for you.

If you don't drive regularly (like if you only need a car on weekends), it might be worthwhile not buying a car and using Som Mobilitat instead. Som Mobilitat is a electric car rental company that has six electric car-sharing vehicles in Girona. See Som Mobilitat (electric rental cars).

Other info

• Euroweekly article on licence changes
• For ride-sharing, try https://www.blablacar.es or asking on the Girona Costa Brava Expats International Facebook group.