Exchange of Ukrainian rights in Spain (without a network, via @Clave or digital certificate)

In 2025, a way appeared to replace Ukrainian rights with Spanish ones without having to “catch” that net at the DGT, which is usually almost impossible or can be done within a few months. The application is submitted online, and in a few days the DGT will assign you a date when you need to bring the original documents.

Subscribe to our Telegram channel https://t.me/ucranianos_uno — we regularly publish useful tips, news, and instructions for Ukrainians in Spain there.

I also invite you to our chat https://t.me/ucranianos_uno_chat, where we discuss topics from articles, share experiences, and help each other understand different situations.

What do you need to know?

1. The rights must be issued in Ukraine BEFORE obtaining temporary protection or residency in Spain.
2. You MUST have a digital signature (certificate)
3. You need to pass a medical examination before submitting an application (it's very simple, it takes 15 minutes).

Below are more details about the steps to replace your license in Spain online (without going to DGT):

Step 1. Obtaining a @Clave or digital certificate

It will take 1–3 days. I have already written instructions on how to obtain the certificate, you can find them here at the link Digital certificate in Spain: how to get it and what it is for

If you already have @Clave or a digital certificate, then let's move on to the next step.

Step 2. Medical certificate (psychological)

This can be done at any medical center for drivers (Centro Médico de Conductores). Find the one closest to you on the map (you can also search for psicotécnico). You can often come and do it without a net, that's what I did once (it all depends on the center). It took 15 minutes. I wrote about it in more detail in the article on normal exchange of driving licenses in Spain (step 3).

They themselves send the results to the DGT, but just in case, you need to take with you the sheet that they give you at this center (you can also make a copy/photo for submitting the application).

Step 3. Submit the application online at sede.dgt.gob.es

We go to the DGT website in this section: https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/servicios-sede/canje-digital/

1. Authorize via @Clave or certificate
2. Let's go to the section Driving licenses
3. Further Canjes de permits de conducir (Homologación de permits)
4. In the item “Consult the country of origin of your permission to see how you can transfer the exchange.” choose Ukraine
5. After that, we start filling out the questionnaire by clicking on Electronic registration
   • Country of permit – Ukraine
   • Additional tests – here we select the category of rights (for categories C and D, additional confirmation / exam is required)
   • Next, we proceed to filling in the data by clicking on Request exchange
6. After entering contact details and address, go to the tab Request
   • Class of country of origin permit*
     Please indicate the category of your rights, for example:
     A1, A2, B, C, D etc.
     If you have a regular driving license, put B.
   • Date of first expedition*
     This is the date of the first issuance of your rights in Ukraine.
     It is indicated on the back of the plastic ID card in field "4a" (format: day/month/year).
   • Permit number*
     The number of your Ukrainian ID card (usually at the top or in field "5").
     Enter without spaces or letters of the series, only numbers.
   • Expiration date*
     Expiration date of rights (in field "4b").
     If your rights are unlimited, enter any date that matches the official data on the certificate.
   • Country of shipment*
     Select Ukraine from the list.
   • Date of birth*
     Enter your date of birth in dd/mm/yyyy format
     (for example: 12/03/1991).
   • Processing Office*
     Choose a DGT branch where it is convenient for you to submit the original documents (for example, Alicante, Santander, Oviedo, etc.).
     That's where you'll be invited later.
   • Enter a valid tax number or press 'Pay' to purchase it*
     This is the field for paying the fee (Tasa 2.3).
     Here you can:
     – or click “Pay” to pay online (most convenient),
     – or, if you have already paid before, enter receipt number (12-digit code from the confirmation PDF).
     For regular category A or B driving licenses, choose Tasa 2.3 — €28.87.
     For categories C or D — Tasa 2.1 — €94.05.
7. On the next tab Documents to attach you will need to download:
   • scanned copy of Ukrainian rights (both sides)
   • photocopy of passport (Ukrainian or foreign)
   • photocopy of TIE

Important: upload all files in good quality. If the documents are unclear, the DGT may reject the application or ask for corrections. Scanned copies of documents must be uploaded in PDF format. You can convert photos to PDF using online services, for example https://www.ilovepdf.com/jpg_to_pdf.

Next, we send the application and receive a case number.

Step 4. We are waiting for communication from DGT

After submitting an online application, the DGT checks your Ukrainian data against the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs database. If everything is confirmed, you will be sent an invitation to the nearest DGT office to submit your original license and obtain a temporary driving permit (valid for 6 months, only in Spain).

How to check the status?

The status of the application can be checked online on the DGT page:
https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/permisos-de-conducir/obtencion-y-gestion-de-permisos/estado-de-la-tramitacion-del-permiso/

Step 5. Visit DGT on the appointed date and time

At the DGT you need to bring:

• Original Ukrainian rights
• Passport
• Photo 32×26 mm
• A printed medical examination result (psicotécnico) just in case

Here you will be issued a temporary driving permit. The temporary permit is valid for 6 months only within Spain.
If you have not received a letter with your new rights within this time, contact the nearest DGT branch where you applied.

Step 6. Obtaining the original Spanish driver's license

Usually new Spanish licenses arrive by mail in 4–6 weeks.

Frequently asked questions

This method is relevant for 2025.

Official procedure page on the DGT website:
https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/servicios-sede/canje-digital/

Get a medical certificate (search for centers): Driver recognition centers