New laws that require all expatriates living in Spain to undergo a medical examination will formally came into practice last week.
The new regulations, which were passed under Directive 2006/126/EC, commenced on January 19 and requires all expatriate drivers in Spain who are under the age of 65 to undergo a full medical test every ten years, while those over the age of 65 will need to take the test every five years.
The medical will consist of an eye, hearing and co-ordination tests that are designed to test the driver’s abilities to drive safely on Spanish roads. Expatriates who undergo the medical examination will be required to complete a computer-based driving simulation at specific centers known as centros de reconocimiento. Failure to comply may result in a €200 fine and could also invalidate your car insurance.
Expatriates who drive in Spain on a regular basis will be required to complete the test, regardless of whether they hold a Spanish, European, British or alternative driving license. However, conversion to a Spanish license can be completed at the time of the medical examination should expat drivers wish to do so.
Read the full article: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32006L0126:EN:HTML
