Sworn translation of your driving licence
The sworn translation of your driving licence is the official translation of your permit, signed and stamped by a sworn translator appointed by the MAEC, fully valid before the DGT, courts, insurers and foreign authorities. It is the usual requirement for exchanging a non-EU licence in Spain — and for your Spanish licence to be accepted in countries that require it. We work in 39 languages, with a fixed quote before we start and the delivery date confirmed in writing, digitally and on paper.
Free, no-obligation quote · Last updated: August 2026
- Translators appointed by the MAEC
- Delivery in the agreed date
- Over 400 Google reviews
- Digital and paper formats
When does a driving licence need a sworn translation?
You need it in two directions: when a foreign licence has to take effect in Spain — the most frequent case is the exchange before the DGT — and when your Spanish licence has to be valid abroad. The general rule is simple: if the authority examining it cannot read the language on the card, it will ask for a sworn translation.
Your foreign licence, before the DGT
If your licence was issued outside the EU or the EEA, Spanish procedures usually require its sworn translation:
- Exchanging your licence for a Spanish one when you take up residence here. The DGT states the exact paperwork for each procedure.
- Court or insurance proceedings after a traffic accident, where the court or the insurer requires the licence translated.
- Proving your driving experience to driving schools, transport companies or insurers.
Your Spanish licence, abroad
Outside the EU each country sets its own rules — and many ask for the licence in their language:
- Residence or work in a country that requires exchanging or registering your Spanish licence.
- Car rental in destinations where the agency asks for a translated or validated licence.
- Administrative procedures where the licence acts as a supporting identity document.
An international driving permit and a sworn translation are not the same thing. The international permit is a supplementary document processed before the DGT; it accompanies your licence abroad and has limited validity. The sworn translation, on the other hand, is the official version of your licence in another language, with the signature and stamp of an accredited translator — and it is what courts, insurers and authorities require when the licence must be part of a file. Depending on your case you may need one, the other or both: tell us your procedure and we will tell you what they will ask for.
What must be visible in the copy you send us
A sworn translation is complete: it reproduces every field of the card, on both sides. For the translator to certify each detail, the photo or scan must meet these conditions:
- Front and back: the reverse shows the categories and their dates, and it is translated too.
- All fields legible: name, issue and expiry dates, licence number and issuing authority.
- No cropping or glare hiding stamps, holograms or small print.
- PDF or high-quality photo — we never need the physical card.
How we translate your driving licence
Everything remotely, without parting with your card: you keep driving, we translate.
-
Send us both sides
A photo or PDF of the front and back via the quotation form, by email or on WhatsApp, stating the target language.
-
Receive your fixed quote
A fixed price per document, with no obligation. The sworn translator starts once you confirm.
-
Your translation, in la fecha acordada
You receive it as a digitally signed PDF — valid for online submissions — and, if you need it on paper, by courier or collected in Adeje, Seville or Málaga.
Why sworn and not a standard translation? Because the DGT, the courts and public authorities only accept translations bearing the signature, stamp and accreditation number of a sworn translator appointed by the MAEC. A standard translation, however accurate, has no official value: the file is returned and the procedure starts again. Translations into English are signed by our in-house translator, appointed by the MAEC.
Frequently asked questions about translating your licence
How much does it cost to translate a driving licence?
Being a short document, it is one of the most affordable sworn translations: it is quoted as a complete document, not by lines or single pages. Send us both sides of the card and you will receive a fixed price before deciding, with no obligation.
Does the DGT always require a sworn translation of the licence?
Not always: it depends on the issuing country and the procedure. As a general rule, EU and EEA licences do not need it, and licences from elsewhere do when they are exchanged or added to a file. The DGT itself details the paperwork for each procedure; if in doubt, tell us which country issued your licence and we will guide you.
Do I have to send the original card?
No. We work from a photo or scan of both sides: you never part with your licence and can keep driving as normal. We only ask that every field, stamp and date be clearly legible.
Does the sworn translation of the licence expire?
The sworn translation does not expire: it certifies the document as it was on the date of translation. However, if your licence is renewed or its number changes, the authority will ask for a translation of the new card, because the details no longer match.
Does the international permit replace the sworn translation?
No: they are different documents with different uses. The international permit temporarily entitles you to drive in other countries; the sworn translation is what courts, insurers and authorities require when the licence must be officially on file. Some procedures require both.
In what format will I receive the translation?
As a PDF with the electronic signature of the sworn translator, legally equivalent to paper, and optionally on paper by courier anywhere in Spain or collected at our offices in Adeje, Seville and Málaga.