Foreign driving licences in Spain: who needs an International Driving Permit to rent
EU licences work as they are. US, UK, Gulf, Australian and other visitors: what Spanish rental companies and the DGT require, and how to avoid being refused the car at handover.
· 4 min read
Key facts
- EU and EEA licences: valid in Spain as they are, for any length of stay as a visitor.
- UK licences: valid for visitors; the photocard is enough, an IDP is recommended, not required.
- US, Canada, Australia, Gulf states, most of Asia and Latin America: bring an International Driving Permit with the original licence.
- The IDP must be obtained in your home country before travel. It cannot be issued in Spain.
- Every rental company also applies its own minimum age and years of licence, which are stricter for supercars.
What the DGT says
Spain's traffic authority, the DGT, accepts licences from EU and EEA countries without conditions. For other countries it accepts a licence that follows the Vienna or Geneva convention format, or a national licence accompanied by an International Driving Permit. In practice, rental companies ask every non-EU driver for the IDP, because it is the document a police officer at a roadside check recognises immediately.
Country by country
| Licence from | What to bring |
|---|---|
| EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein | The licence |
| United Kingdom | The photocard licence; an IDP (1949 type) is a sensible extra |
| United States, Canada | Licence plus IDP from AAA or CAA |
| Australia, New Zealand | Licence plus IDP from the state motoring association |
| UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait | Licence plus IDP; some emirates issue it online in minutes |
| Mexico, Brazil, Argentina | Licence plus IDP |
| Japan, South Korea, Singapore | Licence plus IDP |
An IDP is valid for one year and is a translation booklet, not a licence on its own. Carry both.
Why supercar handovers are stricter
Insurance for a 700-horsepower car is written around the driver as much as the car. The insurer sets a minimum age, usually 25 to 30, and a minimum number of years on the licence, usually three to five. These are policy conditions, not preferences: a rental company that waives them is uninsured. Supercars Barcelona requires 28 years and five years of licence, for every named driver, with no exceptions.
Spanish law also requires the rental company to register every driver, with the licence number, in a police register within 24 hours. That is why the licence is photographed at handover and why a second driver has to be declared, not simply handed the key.
Documents to have ready
- Original driving licence, plastic card, not a photo of it.
- International Driving Permit if your licence is from outside the EU or EEA.
- Passport or EU identity card.
- A credit card in the driver's own name for the deposit.
Send copies of the first three when you book. The checks are done before you arrive, and the handover at your hotel takes minutes instead of half an hour in a lobby.
Frequently asked
My licence is in English. Do I still need the IDP? If it is from outside the EU, yes. The IDP is about format and recognition, not language.
Can I get an IDP once I am in Barcelona? No. It is issued only by your home country's authority or motoring association.
Does a provisional or digital-only licence work? No. Rental insurers require a full, physical licence.
