A Spanish driver’s license granted by the DGT- Spain’s traffic authority.

Spain’s Driving Licence Points System: How it works.

Credit: Shutterstock, Lucia Fdez

Spain operates a points-based driving licence system, where drivers start with points and lose them for traffic offences. Unlike systems where points are added as penalties, Spain’s approach rewards safe driving and punishes repeat offenders.

How many points do you start with?

Experienced drivers, those who have held their licence for more than three years, begin with 12 points. New drivers, those with less than three years of experience, start with 8 points and must demonstrate good driving behaviour to reach the standard 12.

How do you lose points off your licence in Spain?

Drivers lose points for committing traffic violations. Some offences result in the loss of just 2 points, while serious infractions can take away 6 points in one go.

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Speeding can result in the loss of 2 to 6 points, depending on how much over the limit the driver was going. Using a mobile phone while driving now carries a 6-point penalty. Drink-driving results in a deduction of 4 or 6 points, depending on blood alcohol levels. Dangerous overtaking and running a red light both result in a 4-point loss. Not wearing a seatbelt also leads to a 4-point deduction.

Once a driver reaches zero points, their licence is revoked. To get it back, they must complete a road safety course, which costs more than €400, and pass a new driving test.

How can points be recovered?

If a driver avoids committing any violations for three years, their total points are restored to 12. If they already have 12 points, driving safely for another three years increases their total to 15 points, which is the maximum allowed.

A driver can also take a road safety course every two years to recover up to 6 points.

Spain has some of the toughest road safety laws in Europe. The points system is regularly updated to reduce accidents and prevent reckless driving, with recent changes increasing penalties for using a mobile phone while driving and for drunk driving.

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