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Spain traffic law report

Source agencyDirección General de Tráfico (DGT)

Last updatedJune 7, 2026

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Key findings

Theory test pass rate is 51% (2024, DGT — Anuario Estadístico General 2024 (tabla 110))
Road fatalities: 1,785 in 2024 — Down 1% vs 2023 (all roads)
2.1 million tests administered per year by Dirección General de Tráfico
Most challenging topic: Priority & right-of-way

Quick facts

Theory test30 questions, maximum 3 errors (permiso B)

Test languagesSpanish, Catalan, Basque, Galician, German, French and English

Licence validity10 years (5 years from age 65)

Mandatory equipmentConnected V-16 beacon (since 2026) and reflective vest

Urban speed limits30 km/h on single-lane streets; 50 on roads with 2+ lanes; 20 on single-platform streets

Blood-alcohol limit0.25 mg/L breath (0.15 for novices in the first 2 years)

Novice period2 years, starting with 8 points

Theory exam fee€94.05 (covers two exam sittings)

Test statistics

Pass rate65% or higher50–64%Below 50%

Theory test pass rate

51%DGT — Anuario Estadístico General 2024 (tabla 110) (2024)

Practical test pass rate

49%DGT — Anuario Estadístico General 2024 (tabla 110) (2024)

Tests administered per year

2.1 millionDGT — DGT en cifras (2023)

Speed limits

Urban30–50 km/h

Rural / national roads90 km/h

Motorway / highway120 km/h

Most challenging topics

1. Priority & right-of-way
Priority rules at junctions and complex multi-vehicle scenarios.
2. Speed limits
Variable urban limits (20/30/50 km/h) and limits by road type.
3. Traffic signs
Regulatory, warning and information sign meanings.
4. Overtaking
Safe overtaking distances and prohibited zones.
5. Alcohol & drugs
Legal limits and the penalties for exceeding them.

Road safety

Road fatalities1,785DGT — Balance de siniestralidad (2024)

TrendDown 1% vs 2023 (all roads)

Penalties & fines

Speeding: €100–€600 fine; no points for a small excess, then 2–6 points; a criminal offence above 60 km/h over the limit in town or 80 km/h on the open road.
Driving under influence: 0.25–0.50 mg/L (breath): €500, 4 points. Above 0.50: €1,000, 6 points. Above 0.60 mg/L (or 1.2 g/L blood) is a criminal offence: 3–6 months in prison (or a fine / community service) and a 1–4 year driving ban.
Points system: 12 points (up to 15 with bonus points for clean driving); new drivers start with 8.
Mobile phone use: €200 fine, 6 points.

Recent law changes

2026
The connected V-16 emergency beacon is mandatory since 1 January 2026 and is now the only valid way to signal a stopped vehicle — warning triangles are no longer accepted. It geolocates to the DGT 3.0 platform and can be placed without leaving the car.
2024
A new ministerial order (in force November 2024) overhauled the points-recovery courses — longer courses and mandatory participation by road-crash victims.
2022
The 2021 traffic-law reform (in force March 2022) raised handheld mobile-phone use to 6 points, removed the 20 km/h overtaking speed margin and banned audio headphones while driving.
2021
The urban speed limit was cut to 30 km/h on streets with one lane per direction (20 km/h on single-platform streets; 50 km/h where there are two or more lanes per direction).

Sources & methodology

All statistics in this report are sourced from official government agencies and publicly available data. AutoviaTest is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with any government testing agency.

Data last verified: 2026-06-07

Primary sources

Test statistics · 2024DGT — Anuario Estadístico General 2024 (tabla 110)Road safety data · 2024DGT — Balance de siniestralidad Speed limitsReglamento General de Circulación (BOE)Penalties & finesLey sobre Tráfico & Código Penal (BOE); DGT Recent law change · 2026DGT Recent law change · 2024BOE — Orden INT/914/2024 Recent law change · 2022BOE — Ley 18/2021 Recent law change · 2021BOE — Real Decreto 970/2020 Official regulatory bodyDirección General de Tráfico (DGT)

Cite this report

AutoviaTest. (2026, June 7). Spain traffic law report: Driving test statistics. https://autoviatest.com/en/traffic-law-reports/spain

Embed this data

Spain Driving Stats

Theory pass rate51%Practical pass rate49%Motorway speed limit120 km/hRoad fatalities (2024)1,785

Source: AutoviaTest | CC BY 4.0

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