As any footballer playing in a foreign country would attest, the acquisition of new documentation in the new country is the first step to the start of “the new life”. See, shortly after Jogo’s arrival in Spain in the early part of 2022, there was an utmost need to acquire all sorts of new forms of identifications (work permit, padrón, NIE, etc.). Similarly and although not required, the need to get from point A to point B quickly became a pressing issue.

Relying on transportation from others the first few months was a suggested strategy by the club to meet new teammates, staff, etc. and it worked. However, the time quickly came to exercise his Texan driving skills in a new country. It was then that the acquisition of a a Spanish driver’s license became a must have. As surprising as this may sound, this is not a process that the player agent (and to a lesser extent the club) will assist with. Thus, Jogo embarked on this “optional” process alone.

The legal driving age in Spain is 18 years of age so at least that never represented a problem for Jogo as he arrived in Spain a few months after his 18th birthday. In the US, he had been driving for at least 3 years. It’s worth noting that anyone over 18 years of age with a valid driver’s license from their country can legally drive in Spain for up to six months (a year with an International Driving Permit -translation of the US license). I wrote about the IDP I used in France and how I got it recently. However, after that before that grace period (6 months to 12 months) expires, the player must start the process of acquiring a Spanish driver’s license.

Duration

As one can imagine, there are several factors that directly impact the process duration. For a Spanish speaker, expect anywhere between three to six months window for a player to have the physical driver’s license. This period can easily double for a non-Spanish speaker as explained below. Other non-trivial factors potentially prolonguing the process duration include city of residence (larger cities tend to fewer available appointment dates to take tests), number of times a particular test (theoretical/practical) is retaken, holidays, learning aptitude, autoescuela chosen, desire to pass, etc. . Worst case if everything goes south the period can be between 1 – 2 years.

Process

Just like in the United States, a theoretical/written exam has to be passed before proceeding with a practical/driving one. There are several requirements to take the practical one (ex. vehicle, insurance, etc.). There are two ways to embark on the process: 1. Por libre (on your own) or 2. Sign up for a driving school (aka “autoescuela”). Most Spaniards sign up for a driving school as they can help the applicant navigate the built-in bureaucracy and allow you to focus on studying and passing the exams.

Select a driving school / “autoescuela”

If you go this route, do your research. The selection of an autoescuela is extremely important as it can easily add/reduce months to the process if the correct choices (language, type of cars, etc.) are selected at the beginning of the process. The autoescuela takes care of managing your case before the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) and registering the applicant for the pertinent exams and tests.

Language

If you are not a fluent reader and speaker of the Spanish language, it’s imperative that you find an autoescuela that offers instruction in English; it can make all the difference. Jogo is fluent in “Mexican” Spanish so he used a Spanish autoescuela which is also less expensive but wasn’t a walk in the park either.

Automatic / Manual transmission

If you are not comfortable with a manual transmission, find an autoescuela that has cars with automatic transmission. Otherwise, each practice run will be more about learning to drive a manual transmission and less about learning how to drive in Spain. The cost for an autoescuela that has automatic transmission cars is more expensive.

Note: If you take (and pass) the exam with an automatic transmission vehicle, legally, you can only drive an automatic car in Spain

Theoretical/Written Exam

The written exam is a 30 question test. Each exam (the theoretical or the practical) can only be taken twice for the same price. If either exam test can only be failed once without an additional fee. If a test if failed more than once, the same fee has to be paid again.

Requirements

• An application
• A certificate of mental and physical health
• Two passport-sized photographs
• Residence permit. The Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) is a tax ID) but not adequate for this process.
• Proof of address (aka empadronamiento)
• Declaration stating that there are no suspensions or legal cases preventing the applicant from driving
• Declaration stating that applicant does not alreay hold a similar license

Practical/Driving Exam

The test is probably harder for experienced drivers because you are used to driving in a certain way. “Teaching an old dog new tricks”. For Jogo, it was easy. He passed the first time.

Examiners will be looking for how transmission gears are shifted, how many times the mirrors were checked, whether one hesitates in a particular situation, or if unnecessary risks were assumed.

Cost

Acquiring a driver’s license in Spain can be steep Here is a high view breakdown. Prices depend on location with larger cities being normally more expensive but offering more choices. Keep in mind that it’s an estimate but it should provide a fair idea of overall costs.

• Autoescuela registration – €30 – €200
• Physical/Mental exam – €50 (sometimes covered in the registration if the high end of the spectrum is paid)
• Theory/Written Test – €92 (times however many times you need to re-take it)
• Autoescuela classes – €20 – €30 each or a bundle of 20 for about €500
• Practice/Driving test – €125 (times however many times you need to re-take it)

The process is lengthy and can be overwhelming especially for a footballer whose training/games schedules limit their ability to conclude certain activities. Our suggestion is to treat each step as a small process. Celebrate the smallest victories which will eventually lead you to the successful conclusion of the entire process. Recognize that there are a lot of factors that can potentially impact the duration and prepare accordingly. In the end, if the acquisition is a true necessity, the footballer will overcome each obstacle and ultimately obtain the driver’s license. Depending on urgency to get it, one can take as long as possible. Some folks never get one and rely on public transportation instead. This seems to work better if living in bigger cities where car ownership (gas, parking, insurance) cost is also high.

If you have any other topics you’d like to hear about, please write at info@thegomezway.com. Until next time #theGomezway