Bangladeshi driving licence in Spain: six months, then the DGT test

Short answer. If you hold a driving licence from Bangladesh, you can use it in Spain for six months at most. As a visitor the six months run from the day you entered Spain; as a resident they run from the day you became a legal resident. Bangladesh has no exchange agreement with Spain (it is not on the DGT list updated on 26 June 2026), so you cannot swap the licence for a Spanish one through an agreement (professional drivers have one exception: RGCond art. 22.1.b, six months employed as a professional driver plus a road test). To keep driving as a resident you must pass the DGT theory test and the practical test. The theory test is not offered in Bengali; most Bangladeshi candidates sit it in English or Spanish.

Legal basis: Reglamento General de Conductores, article 21 and the DGT list of exchange agreements (Spanish). According to the INE, 25,883 people born in Bangladesh lived in Spain on 1 January 2025.

Driving on your Bangladeshi licence

During the six months your licence counts only if:

• it is in force;
• you are at least 18 (the age for the Spanish car licence);
• it is accompanied by an International Driving Permit or an official Spanish translation, unless it already follows the international model of the Geneva or Vienna conventions. An official translation is made by a sworn translator (intérprete jurado), a Spanish consulate, or the consulate of Bangladesh in Spain.

Always carry your passport too. The DGT recommends getting the International Driving Permit in your country before you travel; it is valid for one year and only as a companion to your own licence.

Once the six months are over, the licence stops being valid in Spain. The International Driving Permit does not change that.

Why there is no exchange

Spain exchanges licences without a test only with the EU, the European Economic Area and 33 countries that have signed an agreement, such as Morocco, Colombia, Japan or the United Kingdom. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal are not among them. Without an agreement the DGT has no way to treat your licence as equivalent, so the law (article 21.3) sends you through "the corresponding tests" like a new driver. See the full list in our exchange or exam guide.

Steps to a Spanish licence

1. Residence. You can apply once you have normal residence in Spain, or a study stay of at least six months. Bring your residence card (TIE) in force when you apply in person.
2. Medical fitness report (informe de aptitud psicofísica) from a Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores. It costs a fee set by the centre and is valid for 90 days.
3. Application. Through a driving school (autoescuela), or by yourself (por libre) at a traffic office or online with a digital certificate or Cl@ve.
4. Fee 2.1: 94.05 EUR. Paid once for two attempts. If you fail twice, you apply and pay again.
5. Theory test. Choose the language on the application form. The car test has 30 questions; 3 errors or fewer is a pass.
6. Practical test in normal traffic, with a DGT examiner, in a dual-control car with an instructor.
7. Provisional licence valid in Spain for three months, then the card by post.

Bengali is not an exam language: what that means for you

The languages for the car theory test are Spanish, the co-official languages, English, French and German (DGT form Mod. 04). There is no Bengali version, and no Urdu, Hindi or Punjabi version either. We found very little study material for the Spanish test in Bengali, so plan for one of these routes:

• English route. Good if you studied in English. Practise with English questions written in the formal style of the exam, not with machine translations of Spanish tests.
• Spanish route. Harder at first, but every sign, every DGT letter and the whole practical test are in Spanish. If you already take Spanish classes, this may pay off.

Whichever you choose, learn the core Spanish road words: ceda el paso (give way), glorieta (roundabout), arcén (hard shoulder), calzada (carriageway), adelantar (overtake). Our Spanish road signs in English pages show each sign with its official Spanish name.

Mistakes to avoid

• Counting the six months from your last trip home. For residents the period starts when you acquire residence, not at each entry.
• Relying on a friend's translation. Only an official translation counts for driving.
• Applying with an expired medical report. It lasts 90 days.
• Sitting both attempts back to back without practice. Use free mock exams until you pass them consistently.
• Skipping driving lessons. Even experienced drivers need to learn Spanish roundabout and priority rules for the practical test.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drive in Spain with a Bangladeshi licence?

Yes, for up to six months from your entry (visitors) or from the day you become resident, if the licence is in force and carried with an International Driving Permit or an official translation.

Can a Bangladeshi licence be exchanged in Spain?

No. Bangladesh has no licence exchange agreement with Spain, so residents must pass the DGT theory and practical tests to get a Spanish licence.

Is the DGT test available in Bengali?

No. For the car licence the theory test is offered in Spanish, the co-official languages, English, French and German.

How much does the DGT exam cost?

Fee 2.1 is 94.05 EUR and covers two attempts. The medical report and lessons are extra.

How long is a passed theory test valid?

Two years. If you do not pass the practical test in that time, you have to take the theory test again.

Sources

• BOE, Reglamento General de Conductores: art. 7, 21, 53 and annex VI.B, consolidated text read 11/10/2026.
• DGT, Países con convenio de canjes, updated 26/06/2026; Conducir con un permiso extranjero.
• DGT, Requisitos, preparación y presentación a examen, updated 09/07/2026.
• DGT online office, Solicitud de examen, fee 2.1, read 11/10/2026.
• INE, table 56937, 1 January 2025.

This page explains the rules; it is not legal advice. For your own case ask your Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico or call 060.