New Road Signs Are Coming in 2025 – Here’s What’s Changing

New Road Signs Are Coming in 2025

If you drive in Spain—whether you’re a resident or just visiting—there’s an important update coming that could affect your time behind the wheel. From July 1, 2025, Spain is rolling out a new version of the General Traffic Regulations. One of the biggest changes is a complete update of the country’s road signs.

So, what’s changing, and what should you look out for? Let’s break it down in simple terms.

Why the Change?

The main goal is to modernise Spain’s road signs to match today’s traffic needs, technologies, and international standards. Roads and the way we move are changing fast—with more bikes, electric scooters, and new fuel types—and the signs need to keep up.

What’s Actually Changing?

Here are the key updates:

  • New Signs: Spain is introducing signs for new modes of transport, like personal mobility vehicles (think electric scooters). Some signs will show updated icons for things like railways, bicycles, and parking.
  • Clearer Wording & Symbols: Many signs will get a visual makeover to be easier to understand and see—whether you’re on foot, on a bike, or in a car.
  • No More Gender Bias: Some older signs had outdated or gendered imagery. The new designs aim to be more inclusive and reflect modern values.
  • Sign Sizes: The authorities are reviewing sign sizes to be more sustainable and cost-effective.
  • Service Stations & Fuel: New signs will give better information at petrol stations, including new fuel types now available on the market.
  • Urban-Friendly Signs: Local councils working on “humanising” their streets—making them safer and more pedestrian-friendly—will benefit from new signage options to match their city layouts.

What About Existing Signs?

Don’t worry—you won’t wake up to a completely new set of signs on July 1. The changes will be introduced gradually as old signs are replaced or updated. This approach helps local authorities save money and avoid unnecessary confusion.

Also, any signs that are being removed (because they’re outdated) must be taken down within one year of the new rules coming into force.

How Will This Affect Driving Tests?

If you’re studying for a Spanish driving licence, here’s some good news: the new signs won’t appear on theory exams right away. There’s a three-month buffer after the new rules take effect, giving time to update manuals and materials. So you’ll have time to learn the new system.

Who’s In Charge of These Changes?

The update is being handled jointly by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. They’ll also have the power to add or remove signs from the official catalogue in future. Expect more tweaks down the road as mobility trends continue to evolve.

Final Thoughts

If you’re driving, cycling, or even just crossing the road in Spain, keep an eye out for these new signs in 2025. The changes are all about making roads safer, clearer, and more modern for everyone.

Source: www.dgt.es

DGT Launches Online Service to Exchange Foreign Driver’s Licences

DGT Launches Online Service to Exchange Foreign Driver’s Licences

Updated: May 20, 2025

What’s New?

Spain has launched a new digital-only system for exchanging foreign driver’s licenses, but only for countries that have a special agreement with Spain (called a bilateral agreement).
You can see the full list of eligible countries here: List of countries with an exchange agreement

This new system:

  • Speeds up the process.
  • Frees up more in-person appointments for other services.
  • 100% online, except for handing in your original foreign license and picking up a temporary Spanish driving permit.

What You Need to Use the Online System

You must:

How It Works

  1. You apply online through the DGT’s Electronic Office. (You can change the language on the right hand side clicking the down arrow where you see the word “Bienvenido”.
  2. If you’re from one of these countries:
    Argentina, Andorra, UK, Peru, Ukraine, Uruguay, Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, Monaco,
    no prior verification is needed, and you can go straight to the application.
  3. If you’re from one of the following countries:
    Algeria, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Philippines, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, Macedonia, Morocco, Moldova, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Serbia, Tunisia, or Turkey,
    your license must be verified first by your home country.
    • Once your country confirms the license is valid, you’ll receive an email with instructions and a code to continue.
    • If they reject it, the DGT will inform you that the exchange cannot proceed.
  4. Regardless of your country, you’ll need to specify which license categories you want to exchange.
    • For heavy vehicle licenses (like trucks and buses), you may need to take additional tests, depending on your country of origin.

What Documents Are Required?

You must submit the following:

  • Valid ID: Passport, national ID (DNI), or foreign residency card.
  • Proof of residence in Spain: This could be your DNI, residence card, EU citizen registration certificate, or other documents requested.
    • You can also authorize the DGT to check your address online, but if this fails, you’ll need to provide proof manually.
  • Proof you didn’t live in Spain when your license was issued:
    • If you have a Spanish DNI and obtained Spanish nationality in your home country before moving to Spain, you must request a Certificate of Consular Registration and Deregistration from the Spanish Embassy that issued your license.
    • Otherwise, you must provide:
      • Foreigner ID, residency card, or student card.
      • Or certificate of registration in the foreigner registry.
  • Original driver’s license: It must be valid and current.
  • Medical fitness report: Issued by an authorized Driver Recognition Center, based on the type of license you’re exchanging.
  • Payment of the fee: This depends on whether you need extra tests (Fee 2.1 or Fee 2.3).

Final Steps

Once your application is complete, the Traffic Office will review it.

  • If something is missing or unclear, you’ll get an email to fix it—or your request may be denied, with reasons provided.
  • If everything is in order, they will approve your request and tell you when to visit the office:
    • Submit your valid foreign license.
    • Receive your temporary driving permit.

Later, they send your permanent Spanish license to your home by mail.

Car criminals captured

The Civil Guard has recovered 40 vehicles stolen from various European Union countries, which were later brought to Spain, registered, and sold on the second-hand market. So far, eight people have been arrested for offences including falsification of public documents, receiving stolen goods, and fraud.

Thanks to a documentary analysis carried out by the Central Traffic Investigation Group of the Civil Guard, based on information received from various provincial traffic headquarters and ITV stations, investigators were able to uncover the fraudulent registration of vehicles that had been reported stolen.

This criminal network stole vehicles across multiple EU countries. Once in Spain, the criminals altered the identifying elements of the cars before registering and selling them.

The group also acquired vehicles through rental agreements in different countries. To do this, they exploited individuals in financial difficulty who, in exchange for payment, provided their personal documentation. The criminals then transported the vehicles to Spain, where they were registered using falsified documents, avoiding payment of the agreed rental instalments.

Once registered in Spain, the criminals falsely reported the vehicles as stolen, informing the lessees in order to evade further payments. The vehicles were then legalised in Spain through the ITV, where they obtained a technical inspection card. They were subsequently registered at various provincial headquarters, allowing them to receive a new national registration.

This process made it difficult to trace the vehicles, as they effectively acquired a new identity, enabling stolen cars to enter the second-hand market. During the registration process at various traffic headquarters, falsified purchase and sale contracts were submitted, allowing the criminals to bypass established controls.

The operation, known as “Sescar”, was conducted by the General Subdirectorate of Information and Communications Systems for Security of the State Secretariat for Security, in coordination with the Traffic Group. It began in October 2024 following an in-depth review of multiple registration files submitted to different provincial traffic headquarters and ITV stations across Spain.

Source: Guardia Civil

Information on electric charging points now available

Information on electric charging points is now available

Information regarding electric charging points for vehicles is now accessible via the National Access Point, as of the 9th of February 2024. Drivers will receive this information through their web browsers and mobility applications, providing them with comprehensive details for their use.

From today onwards, complete details about electric charging points for vehicles are available at the National Access Point. Navigation tools and various mobility applications will be able to offer users real-time access to this information.

Information on electric charging points is now available

This obligation stems from a European Union’s Commission Delegated Regulation, which laid down specifications ensuring accessibility, exchange, reuse, and updating of road and traffic data across the EU for real-time traffic information services.

Each Member State is to establish a National Access Point, serving as a single point of access for users to road and traffic data. In Spain, this is managed by the General Directorate of Traffic.

The government will provide information on electric charging points to the public through the National Access Point managed by the Central Traffic Headquarters. Electric charging service providers must, in advance, furnish all necessary information to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge regarding the location, characteristics, and availability of these facilities.

Publication of electric vehicle charging points will adhere to an agreed format, facilitating integration into third-party applications.

Drivers will have access to information about each facility’s location, opening hours, available services (e.g., hotel, restaurant, cafeteria, supermarket), accessibility measures, supported payment methods, number of charging points and connectors available. Additionally, details about connector type, format, charging mode, power, and voltage characteristics will be provided to users.

DGT Environmental badge

dgt environment badge
dgt environmental badge

Contents

    What is the DGT Environmental badge?

    The Environmental badge is a system designed to classify vehicles based on emissions and efficiency.

    There are four categories:

    0 emissions badge

    This category includes electric vehicles and some hybrids. It is the least polluting group of vehicles.

    Eco badge

    In this category, you will come across mainly gas and many hybrid vehicles. A plug-in hybrid, HEVs LNG and CNG vehicle types.

    C Badge

    This green badge is for vehicles that will include passenger vehicles, and vans registered after January 2006 and are fuelled on petrol. Also in this group are those vehicles running on diesel registered after September 2015. These vehicles will meet the latest Euro emissions standards.

    B Badge

    In this category are vehicles that do not meet the latest Euro emissions standards.

    Do I need the DGT environmental Badge?

    This depends on whether you want to drive your vehicle in a restricted zone. There are several emission zones already in place. Madrid and Barcelona have had them in place for several years. They are being rolled out throughout Spain so it will become more likely that you will encounter a zone in the future. If you do not have the correct DGT environmental badge displayed in your vehicle, then you are prohibited from driving in certain zones.

    How do I know what DGT Environmental badge I need?

    This is fairly straightforward. You can use a free online tool. Enter your registration number and the tool displays the category that corresponds to that vehicle.

    What environmental badge does my vehicle need?

    Where do I get an environment badge?

    You obtain the DGT environmental badge from the post office (Correos). It costs five euros. However, if your post office is like mine and you don’t want to spend half the morning queuing up then you can buy the DGT environmental badge online at the official post office website to buy the disc online. 

    Another alternative I found posted on a Facebook group website seemed to be more competitive at 6.50 euros. It was marked as the official DGT site in the post but I am not sure that is correct. https://www.pegatinas-dgt.com/en . The website states it is an authorised dealer for the stickers and it is run by a company called ANSIB NET SOLUTIONS, S.L.

    I ordered mine from Pegatinas-dgt.com on 18 January at 6.20pm and received confirmation of the order immediately. I paid 3,95 euros extra to receive a tracking code for delivery which was confirmed to me the following day. The DGT environmental sticker arrived by registered post 20 January.

    You can also buy the sticker at garages which are members of the Spanish Confederation of Repair Workshops. (Red de talleres de la Confederación Española de talleres (CETRAA)) and Administrative Gestorias.

    dgt environmental badge letter

    How much does an environmental badge cost?

    The standard cost is 5 euros. They can be obtained from the post office (Correos). The Correos is also offering them online but at a cost of 20 euros. You can obtain them from Administrative Gestorias and a network of garage workshops including those workshops that are members of CETRAA.

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    20 cent fuel discount to end 31 December for many road users

    The Spanish coalition government of the PSOE and Podemos will end the 20 centimos per litre discount on fuel prices on 31st December 2022 for the general public. However, road haulage, farmers and fisherman as some examples will continue to benefit.

    The decision was taken on Tuesday at the Council of Ministers meeting. The removal of the discount is based on the fact that the price of petrol and diesel has fallen in recent months.

    The measure was introduced at the beginning of April 2022. During the period it has been in force the measure has stopped petrol prices from breaking the two euro a litre mark over seven consecutive weeks in the summer months.

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    Historic vehicle regulations in Spain 2023

    Historic vehicles regulation in Spain 2023
    Historic vehicles regulation in Spain 2023

    It was 1995 that the current regulation for historical vehicles in Spain came into force. The Spanish authorities now want to update these regulations. The idea is to make them less cumbersome and more affordable. The idea is the new historic vehicle regulations in Spain 2023 receive approval in the summer. The goal is to then implement them in the autumn.

    The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) in agreement with the Ministry of Industry, the Autonomous Communities and the Spanish Federation of Antique Vehicles (FEVA) have prepared new regulations. Historical registration plate Criteria

    To request classification of your vehicle as historical the current regulations stipulate it must meet one of several criteria including:

    i) be at least 30 years since it was manufactured or first registration and in its original condition

    ii) It is also possible to request if the vehicle is listed in the Inventario General de Bienes Muebles de Patrimonio Histórico Español

    iii) declared an asset of cultural heritage

    i) a vehicle deemed collectible due to its scarcity or uniqueness.

    The number of potential new registrations for historical plates is unknown.  Some estimates put it at 2 million vehicles, whereas at the moment the number is some 47,000.

    The new process will do away with the need to catalogue the vehicle in the Autonomous Communities. This should save over 130 euros. There will also be other savings in both time and cost. In some cases, the costs involved exceed the value of the vehicle. Especially in the case of old motorcycles.

    There will be two categories of vehicles under the new regulations.

    Group A will consist of vehicles more than thirty years old. These vehicles will already be circulating legally on Spanish roads. Additionally, they must not have had any reforms that will have compromised their originality.

    To achieve the classification of ‘historic’, their owners must only present a responsible declaration that they meet the established requirements. On top they must have the ITV and insurance in force.

    The anticipation is that the cost of this process is around twenty euros.

    Group B consists of vehicles not classified in Group A. For example, imported vehicles or those that are not currently circulating on Spanish roads. Under the new regulations, it is necessary to obtain a report from Servicios Técnicos de Vehículos Históricos to register these vehicles as historic. This report should declare the vehicle fit to circulate on Spanish roads. The report may include restrictions about circulating at night if the vehicle does not have lights or where the vehicle’s maximum speed would make it dangerous to circulate on certain roads.

    No Inspections

    Using several other European countries regulations as a reference the new procedures will see any vehicle registered before 1950 exempt from the need to undertake a technical inspection. This includes all historical motorbikes and mopeds.

    However, the standard also regulates the mechanical and structural modifications allowed to the vehicle, to guarantee its originality. The ITV will admit those reforms that they were common during the vehicle’s production period and in the fifteen years that followed. It also allows car parts that no longer exist or that cannot be bought in the market are replaced by reproductions or similar.

    Vehicles newer than 1950 and regardless of their historical status, must have the ITV in force to be able to circulate. Depending on the age of the vehicle, the period between ITV revisions is up to 4 years. Mechanical or security elements that are currently mandatory, for example, the seat belt. will not be required, if they were not equipped with them from the factory. They are exempt from complying with European regulations on polluting emissions.

    Low Emission City Centres

    The circulation of historic vehicles in urban areas is another of the important issues contemplated by the new regulations, although the final decision remains in the hands of each city council. For this reason, the new standard urges these entities to “establish formulas, through their municipal ordinances, that allow access and circulation” of historic vehicles in the Low Emission Zones (ZBE) of city centres.

    Source: DGT.es

    Seven out of ten drivers speed through roadworks

    seven out of ten drivers speed through road works

    36 drivers were sanctioned for speeding at roadworks on interurban roads carried out by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) between September 24 and 30.

    In addition, 242 were sanctioned for not respecting the signals, either from traffic agents, or from construction workers, vertical signs, road markings, traffic lights, cones or light beacons or any other type of specific signalling.

    seven out of ten drivers speed through road works

    The agents of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard carried out for the first time surveillance and control dedicated to locations where roadworks were being undertaken on interurban roads.

    According to data from the National Registry of Traffic Accident Victims, in 2021 there were 156 traffic accidents related to road maintenance personnel, of which 19 involved operators who worked or walked on the road or its surroundings as pedestrians.

    Of these 19 accidents there were 7 workers who suffered injuries and 2 lost their lives hit by a vehicle that was either travelling at excessive speed or whose driver was distracted. The other 137 traffic accidents involved maintenance workers inside their vehicles. In addition, so far this year, 2 maintenance workers have died while performing their duties on the road.

    For all these reasons, during the week of October 24 to 30, 140,711 vehicles were controlled, of which 4,679 were sanctioned for different reasons. The main cause of sanction corresponds to speeding on road works sections, an infraction committed by 73% of the sanctioned drivers.

    In addition, of the 4,727 sanctions filed, 242 corresponded to the lack of respect for signs, whether by traffic surveillance agents, construction workers, vertical signs, road markings, traffic lights, cones or light beacons or any other signage.

    During the campaign, 153 drivers who drove using their mobile phones on these sections of works and 140 who did not use their seat belts were also sanctioned. In addition, 53 were sanctioned for driving under the influence of alcohol and 11 for the presence of drugs in the body.

    Also worrying are the 34 sanctions filed for negligent driving, the 30 for not respecting the safety distance, the 24 for illegal overtaking in those areas or the 22 for equally illegal lane changes.

     

    Source: DGT

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