Spanish driving rules every expat should know

Spain is mostly intuitive if you have driven elsewhere in Europe - but a handful of rules differ enough to catch out British, American and Australian drivers in particular. Here are the ones that matter.

Speed limits

All speed limits are in kilometres per hour (km/h). Defaults apply unless a sign says otherwise.

Road type	Cars (Permiso B)	Notes
Motorway (autopista / autovía)	120 km/h	Blue signs = autopista, may be tolled.
Conventional road with separated lanes	100 km/h	Single carriageway with hard shoulder ≥1.5 m.
Conventional road (default)	90 km/h	Most national & regional roads.
Urban roads (single lane each way)	30 km/h	In effect on most city streets since 2021.
Urban - pavement at street level	20 km/h	Shared spaces, no kerb.
Residential / signed	50 km/h	Urban roads with two or more lanes each way.

Alcohol limits

Standard drivers: 0.5 g/L in blood, 0.25 mg/L in breath.
New drivers (under 2 years experience) and professionals: 0.3 g/L in blood, 0.15 mg/L in breath.
Random breath tests are common on weekends and holidays. The Guardia Civil sets up checkpoints (controles) on main roads - pulling over for them is mandatory.
Drug testing: Zero tolerance. Saliva tests at roadside checkpoints. Cannabis and cocaine are the most frequently detected substances.

Roundabouts (the rule that confuses everyone)

The DGT teaches that you should use the OUTER lane of a roundabout whenever possible, and only move to inner lanes if traffic prevents you from staying outside. This contradicts the UK convention of using inner lanes for distant exits.

In practice, in cities most Spanish drivers still treat roundabouts the British way (inner lane for further exits), and exam examiners are aware of this - but the theory exam will test you on the official rule. Use the outside lane in the test, indicate right before exiting, and never exit from an inner lane across an outer-lane car.

Low-emission zones (ZBE)

All Spanish municipalities over 50,000 inhabitants must operate a Zona de Bajas Emisiones (ZBE). Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao and Seville already enforce restrictions; many smaller cities are rolling theirs out through 2026.

Your vehicle gets a DGT environmental sticker (etiqueta ambiental) based on emissions:

0 (blue): Zero-emission. Full access everywhere.
ECO: Hybrid, gas. Wide access.
C (green): Petrol from 2006, diesel from 2014. Access to most ZBEs.
B (yellow): Petrol from 2000, diesel from 2006. Partial access.
No sticker: Older vehicles. Restricted or banned in many ZBEs.

Foreign-registered vehicles must register on the local ZBE portal to drive in the zone, regardless of emissions. Fines are €100-€200 per entry.

Parking - read the kerb colour

White lines: Free parking.
Blue lines: Paid (zona azul). Buy a ticket at the meter.
Green lines: Resident-priority paid zone. Non-residents can park but pay more and for shorter periods.
Yellow lines: No parking. Often reserved for loading or services.
Red lines / red kerbs: No stopping at all.

The demerit-points system

New drivers start with 8 points; experienced drivers have 12. You LOSE points for offences instead of gaining them. Reach zero and you lose your licence.

Offence	Points lost	Fine
Using a handheld phone while driving	6	€200
Not wearing seatbelt	4	€200
Over alcohol limit (0.25-0.50 mg/L breath)	4	€500
Over alcohol limit (above 0.50 mg/L breath)	6	€1,000
Speeding 30+ km/h over limit	2-6	€100-€600
Running a red light	4	€200

What surprises drivers from the UK, US and Australia

Reflective vests and warning triangles: Required by law. One vest must be reachable from the driver's seat (not in the boot) so you can put it on before stepping out at a breakdown.
Connected V16 emergency beacon: From 1 January 2026 the V16 beacon (a connected flashing light placed on the roof) replaces the warning triangles. Buy a DGT-certified one - €40-€60.
Right of way: who's first into the junction wins: At unmarked junctions, the vehicle coming from the right has priority. This is not optional - give way decisively.
Headlights on in tunnels: Dipped beams are mandatory in every tunnel, even short ones, even in daylight.
No turning right on red: Unlike the US, you cannot turn right at a red light unless a separate green arrow specifically permits it.
Children under 1.35 m must use a child seat: Strictly enforced. The Guardia Civil checks this on holiday weekends.