What documentation is required to drive in Spain ?

You must be 18 year old:
To drive in Spain you must be aged 18 or over. To rent a vehicle you must be 21 or over. Many companies also require you to have held your driver’s license for a minimum of one or two years. Remember that you will also require a credit card to rent a vehicle.

A valid driver’s license:
If you are the citizen of an EU member state, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, or of one of the countries that has adopted the standard license as agreed in the Geneva or Vienna conventions: you only require your valid driver’s license. If you are from another country you will require an International Driver’s License.

Given that conditions may vary, we suggest that you contact the Spanish Embassy or Consulate to verify these requirements before you start your trip.

Are you planning to travel to Spain in your own car ?

Tourists travelling in their own vehicles should be aware that the following documentation is required:

Driver’s license: see previous section on “What documentation is required to drive in Spain?”

Motor insurance:
If you are a citizen of an EU member state, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra or Croatia, you only need to carry your insurance policy along with a payment receipt showing validity of the policy.

If you come from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Byelorussia, Israel, Iran, Morocco, Moldavia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Tunisia, Turkey or the Ukraine, you will need to get a Green Card - the International Motor Insurance Certificate.

If you are from a country not mentioned above, you should take out a Frontier Insurance policy (a temporary, obligatory, third party policy for motor vehicles).

Given that conditions may vary, we suggest that you contact the Spanish Embassy or Consulate to verify these requirements before you start your trip.

What you need to know to drive Spain ?

Road safety regulations:

There are a series of road safety regulations you must be aware of when driving in Spain. They are as follows:

- Talking on a mobile phone is prohibited while driving, unless you use a hands-free system.
- Car radios and mobile phones must be switched off while re-fuelling.
- Children under 3 years must be strapped into a suitable seat for their weight and height.
- A reflective jacket must be used when getting out of the car on the road or the hard shoulder.
- Warning triangles must be deployed if the vehicle has stopped on the road or hard shoulder.

Furthermore:
- Established speed limits must be obeyed: 120 km/h on motorways, 100 km/h on main roads, 90 km/h on other roads and 50 km/h in urban areas.
- Alcohol levels must not exceed 0.5 g/l in the bloodstream (0.25 mg/l in exhaled air).
- Seatbelts must be worn by driver and all passengers, in front and back seats.
- Helmets must be worn on motorbikes, mopeds and bicycles.
- There are two types of fuel available at petrol stations: diesel and unleaded petrol (95 and 98 octane).

Do you need vaccinations to travel to Spain ?

You do not need any vaccinations against illness to travel to Spain. As in any part of the world, it is advisable to have your anti-tetanus vaccination up to date if you are going to be in contact with nature and the countryside, as well as any other official vaccination programme.

Under exceptional circumstances, the Spanish authorities can ask travellers to undergo a medical examination to ensure that they are not suffering from any of the illnesses requiring quarantine listed in International Health Regulations.

Which products can be brought into Spain ?

According to European Commission regulations, travellers may not bring foodstuffs of animal origin into Spain as part of their baggage (meats, meat products, milk and dairy products). The only exceptions to this are powdered milk for children in commercial packaging, and special foodstuffs required for medical conditions. Other foodstuffs can be brought into Spain up to a maximum weight of one kilogram.

Travellers are permitted to bring personal baggage into Spain, including items for personal or family use, or to be given as presents. These will not be considered as commercial goods regardless of the quantity or type of goods. This appraisal will be carried out by the customs services on arrival.

Sums of money in excess of 6,010.12 Euro must be declared. Currently, over 18s are authorised to carry 200 cigarettes, or 100 cheroots, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of rolling tobacco. As far as alcohol is concerned, you are allowed to bring in one litre of drink (over 22% alc. by volume), or two litres (under 22% alc. by volume). Perfumes are also limited to 50 grams of perfume and 0.25 litres of eau de toilette.

Are you travelling with a pet ?

You should bear in mind current regulations, similar to those in other European countries. All pets should be in possession of the correct veterinary certificate or passport, according to the species of animal. Owners should certify, in writing (must include version in Spanish), that they have been in possession of the animal(s) for a minimum of 3 months, or since the first days after their birth if they are less than 3 months old. They must also state that they will not sell the animal(s) and that they accept any checks that Spanish health services may deem appropriate, in accordance with current sanitary regulations.

If your pet is a dog, a cat or a ferret
Before coming into Spain, your pet should meet a series of sanitary and identification requirements, which may vary according to the country of origin. In most cases, the pet should be vaccinated against rabies, as well as having identification using a microchip or tattoo. You should also be aware that if the animal is less than three months old, then there may be restrictions for entry to Spain. If the animal does not have a rabies vaccination certificate or sanitary card showing said vaccination, then entry to Spain will be refused.

Due to avian flu, the import of birds and their derivatives into Spain from affected countries is now prohibited, regardless of whether these countries are EU member states or not. To this end, controls have been increased on birds coming from southeast Asia and there are reinforced controls by sanitary authorities in place at Frontier Inspection Points. Bringing any type of ornamental bird into the EU is also prohibited.

If your pet is an endangered species
Then you will not be able to travel with your pet – Spain has international agreements regarding protection of endangered species.

You may find useful…
Get a telephone number for emergency veterinary services in the place you are to visit with your pet.

Apart from meeting requirements for entry, bear in mind that:
• Muzzles are obligatory in some Spanish Regions. • The animal must be identified by microchip or tattoo. • The animal should travel with you in a suitable container. • Not all accommodation admits animals. • The majority of restaurants do not admit pets. • The maximum number of animals that can be transported without being considered a commercial consignment varies according to species.

Before you start your trip, we recommend you check with accommodation and transport companies, as well as conditions for travelling with pets.

What documentation is required to sail in Spain ?

In Spain you need a sailing license to pilot a pleasure craft (more than 5 metres long for sailing boats and more than 4 metres long for motorised vessels in excess of 10 kilowatts).

If you are sailing your own vessel, when you enter a port you should show your documentation which, according to the country of registration and flag flown, must demonstrate ownership of the boat, as well as the obligatory insurance, which should cover a minimum of 150,000 Euro for third party damages. If the authorities establish that there are elements on board the vessel affecting maritime safety or the environment, they can prohibit anchoring, exit or entrance to the port.

To rent a boat, if your sailing license was obtained outside Spain, you must present a permit from the corresponding Maritime Authority, indicating that the functions conceded are the same as those authorised on the overseas license. You can request this authorisation in person or through the boat hire company. It is usually a quick procedure – the maritime authorities have a list of equivalence between licenses. The documentation of the vessel will be provided by the hire company.

Dynamic lift or high-speed vessels are subject to special controls: they must communicate their navigation plans, display the EAV (high speed vessel) mark, clearly visible from the air, and moor in specific locations.

Given that conditions may vary, we suggest that you contact the Spanish Embassy or Consulate to verify these requirements before you start your trip.