According to the Spanish Traffic Department (DGT), you don’t have to wait for your license to expire before you can renew it, but you can apply for a renewal 3 months before it expires. There are basically two ways to renew your license.
One. You have to make an appointment in person at the traffic office to apply for a replacement, the required documents.
-Official application form. Click here to download.
-Valid ID or residence card.
-Original driver’s license.
-Motor vehicle driving ability medical assessment report (“Informe de aptitud psicofísica” in Spanish). Usually there are clinic centers “Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores” near the local traffic office where this can be done. To put it bluntly, it’s a matter of paying a few euros to have a doctor evaluate you and certify that you are fit to drive .
-To pay the administrative fee (tasa). You can pay at the traffic office with a credit or debit card.
Two. Clinic centers “Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores” can also helps people to apply for driver’s licenses, which can be very convenient.
The documents required are the same as above, they will photocopy and register all of them (no need to leave the original), they will also take a good photo for you, and then the center will issue a temporary license certificate, in case the license expires, you can continue to drive with this certificate. The cost is between 60€ and 80€ (usually the cost is included in the Tasa that you have to pay at the traffic office), but the cost may vary from place to place. Most people choose to entrust them to save the hassle of waiting in line for an appointment at the traffic office.
The license will be sent to your home in about 30 days after it is processed.
