Using a Mobile Phone While Driving in Spain

Holding a mobile phone while driving in Spain is banned. If you pick up your phone with your hand while the car is moving, or even while stopped at a red light, you can be fined 200 euros and lose 6 points from your licence. This guide explains the exact rule, what counts as an offence, and how hands-free use and phone mounts fit in.

What does the mobile phone rule actually say?

The rule is simple: you may not drive while holding a mobile phone in your hand. Spanish traffic law bans using any device that you have to hold to operate. It does not matter whether you are talking, texting, checking a map, or just glancing at a message. If the phone is in your hand, you are committing an offence.

This is one of the questions that appears often on the theory exam, so it is worth knowing precisely. The point of the rule is that both hands should be free for the wheel and your eyes on the road. A phone in your hand takes away both.

You will see this topic tested in the DGT theory test in English, usually as a scenario asking what you may or may not do with a phone at the wheel.

How much does it cost? The penalty explained

Using a handheld phone while driving costs 200 euros and 6 points on your licence. The points penalty was raised to 6 on 21 March 2022, up from the 3 points it used to be. That change made the phone one of the most heavily penalised everyday offences in Spain, on the same level as drink-driving in points terms.

Why does that matter so much? A standard car licence starts with 12 points. A single phone offence removes half of them. Two offences in a short period can leave you close to losing your licence altogether. New drivers start with only 8 points, so a single offence takes most of their balance.

If you want the full picture of how points work and how you get them back, read the Spanish penalty points system explained.

What counts as an offence? Even at a red light

Holding the phone at all is what counts, not whether the car is moving. This surprises a lot of drivers. Being stopped at a red light, in a traffic jam, or at a level crossing does not make it legal. As long as you are in the driving seat and the engine is running, the vehicle is considered in use, and picking up the phone is an offence.

Here are situations that still count:

• Reading a message while stopped at traffic lights.
• Holding the phone to your ear to take a call in a jam.
• Checking a map app in your hand at a junction.
• Holding the phone to use it as a sat nav.

The safe rule is straightforward: if you need to touch or hold your phone, pull over somewhere legal and safe first, and stop the engine. There is no grace period for a quick glance.

What about hands-free and phone mounts?

Hands-free systems are generally allowed, because the offence is about holding the device, not about the call itself. A phone connected through the car's Bluetooth, a voice assistant, or audio through the car speakers does not require you to hold anything, so it falls outside the handheld ban.

A phone mount fixed to the windscreen or dashboard is the usual way to use maps legally. The phone sits in the cradle and you do not hold it. General guidance is to set your route before you drive, keep any interaction to voice or a single glance, and never take the phone out of the mount to tap at it while moving.

A word of caution. Even with a legal setup, a distracted driver can still be penalised under general rules if their attention is clearly off the road. Hands-free is legal, but it is not a licence to hold a long, distracting conversation. Treat the mount and voice control as the safe minimum, not a loophole.

Why this rule matters so much

Distraction is one of the leading factors in road collisions, and the phone is the clearest example of it. Looking down for a couple of seconds at 120 km/h on a motorway means travelling a long distance effectively blind. That is why Spain treats the handheld phone so seriously and put it on the 6-point level.

It also connects to how the DGT tests you now. The exam is moving towards spotting developing hazards on real Spanish roads, where a distracted moment is exactly what causes a problem. Knowing the phone rule is part of thinking like a safe driver, not just passing a question.

For context, other distraction and detection offences carry their own penalties. Carrying or using a radar detector, for example, costs 3 points. The phone, at 6 points, sits above it, which tells you how seriously the rule is taken.

Frequently asked questions

How many points do you lose for using a phone while driving in Spain?

You lose 6 points and pay a 200 euro fine. The points penalty was raised from 3 to 6 on 21 March 2022, making it one of the most heavily penalised everyday driving offences in Spain.

Can I use my phone at a red light in Spain?

No. Holding the phone is an offence even when you are stopped at a red light or in a traffic jam. If you need to use it, pull over somewhere legal and safe and stop the engine first.

Is hands-free calling legal while driving in Spain?

Yes. Hands-free systems are generally allowed because the ban is on holding the device. Bluetooth calls, voice assistants and audio through the car speakers are fine, as long as you are not holding the phone.

Can I use my phone as a sat nav on a mount?

Yes, if it is fixed in a mount and you do not hold it. Set your route before driving, keep interaction to voice or a single glance, and never take the phone out of the mount to tap at it while moving.

Does the rule apply to the practical test?

Yes. Touching a handheld phone during the practical exam would be treated as a serious fault. The theory exam also tests the rule directly, so learn it before you sit either test.

Sources

• Reglamento General de Circulacion (Real Decreto 1428/2003).
• DGT, permiso por puntos.

Last updated: August 2026.