How to Sign Up for the DGT Theory Test Without a Driving School

You do not need a driving school to take the Spanish theory test.

You can do it all yourself. In Spanish this is called going por libre. It costs about 135 euros. A driving school charges 300 to 500 euros to do the same paperwork for you.

I did it in Barcelona. The steps are the same in every province. Only the traffic office changes.

In short

Six steps, about 135 euros, and one of them (the digital certificate) takes a week. Ask for the exam in English in writing, or you get the Spanish one.

Screenshot: sede.dgt.gob.es. This is the page the whole process starts from.

What "por libre" means

There are two ways to reach the exam room.

1. A driving school files your papers. You pay them for it.
2. You file the papers yourself. You pay nothing extra.

That is the only difference. Same exam, same questions, same building, same examiner. Your licence does not show which way you chose.

The theory part is easy to do alone. The practical part is not, and I explain that near the end.

What you need before you start

• You are 18 or older
• You live in Spain legally, with a TIE or NIE
• A digital certificate, or a trip to the traffic office in person
• About 135 euros
• Around six weeks, if you are not in a hurry

What it costs

The exam fee is not refundable. It pays for two tries at the exam. Fail both and you buy it again.

Step 1: get a digital certificate

Do this first. It is the slowest part.

To send your papers online you need one of these:

• an electronic DNI
• a digital certificate from the FNMT
• Cl@ve

The FNMT certificate is free. You ask for it on the FNMT website. Then you go once, in person, to a tax office or a social security office to prove who you are. Then you download the file. Give it a week.

When you have the file, install it in the browser you will use:

• Chrome: open chrome://settings/certificates, click Your certificates, then Import, then pick your .p12 file.
• Mac: double click the .p12 file and it goes into Keychain.

No certificate? You can still hand everything in on paper at a traffic office. You just have to book an appointment and queue.

Step 2: pass the medical test

You need a medical report from a Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores (CRC). These are small private clinics approved by the DGT. Spanish cities have one every few streets.

Find your nearest one on the official DGT list.

It costs about 40 euros and takes half an hour. They check your eyes, your hearing and your reactions. Take your glasses if you wear them. Here is what the appointment looks like, step by step.

The report is only valid for 90 days. So do not do this months in advance.

Step 3: fill in the form

Download the official form. It is called Impreso oficial de solicitud de pruebas de aptitud. You will find it on the DGT exam application page, in the box on the right.

Fill it in and sign it. Cannot sign a PDF? Print it, sign it by hand, then scan it. A clear photo of the page also works.

Step 4: pay the exam fee

Go to the DGT fee page. Choose Grupo 2, then Tasa 2.1. Add it to the basket and pay.

Screenshot: sede.dgt.gob.es. The fee you want is Group 2, fee 2.1.

One warning. In the card form, type the year in full. Write 2035, not 35. With two digits the payment fails, and the error message tells you nothing.

Save the receipt. You need it in the next step.

Step 5: send everything to your traffic office

Now you send your papers to the traffic office of the province where you live. You do it here: reg.redsara.es/nuevo-registro.

Screenshot: reg.redsara.es. This is the government post box for all paperwork.

In the first field, start typing the name of your office and pick it from the list. For example: Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico de Barcelona. Search the exact name on Google first, because the list only matches exact wording.

Then fill in three text fields. This is where you ask for the exam in English. Say nothing about language and you get the Spanish exam. Copy this:

Asunto: Carnet de conducir categoría B

Expone: Necesito examen teórico por libre en inglés

Solicita: Necesito examen teórico por libre en inglés para el permiso de conducir categoría B

Attach four files:

1. the signed form
2. the fee receipt
3. a copy of your TIE or NIE and your passport
4. your medical report, if the clinic gave you a copy

Send it. Then download the justificante, the receipt with your registry number. Keep it. If your papers get lost, that number is what you quote.

Step 6: wait for your date

The office replies with a date and a time, usually by email. A few weeks is normal. It depends on the province.

Heard nothing after a month? Go to the office with your registry number, or call 060.

What exam day looks like

You take the test on a computer at the traffic office.

30 questions. 30 minutes. You can get 3 wrong. Four mistakes and you fail.

The English exam uses the same questions and the same pictures as the Spanish one. You usually get the result the same day. Your fee covers two tries, so a bad first attempt is not the end.

The practical test still needs a driving school

This is the part nobody tells you.

The practical exam has to be taken in a car with two sets of pedals, with an approved instructor next to you. So you will book hours with a driving school for the driving part.

Photo: Autoescuelas Rayo, CC BY-SA 4.0. The second set of pedals is why the practical test still needs a school car.

Doing the theory alone is still worth it. You skip the school sign-up fee and their paperwork charges. You pay for driving lessons and nothing else.

Mistakes that cost people weeks

• Forgetting the words en inglés. You end up with a Spanish exam.
• Typing the card year with two digits.
• Doing the medical check too early, so the 90 days run out.
• Choosing the wrong province. Use the office where you live.
• Buying tasa 2.3 instead of tasa 2.1.
• Leaving the digital certificate until the last day.

Questions people ask

Can I really take the DGT theory test in English? Yes, for the class B licence. Ask for it in writing when you send your papers. It is worth calling your local office to check, because not every place offers every language on every date.

How much does it cost without a driving school? About 135 euros. That is 94.05 for the DGT fee and around 40 for the medical check.

Do I need to speak Spanish to do the paperwork? A little. The forms and the registry site are in Spanish only. The sentences in this guide cover the hard part, and a translator does the rest.

How many tries do I get for one fee? Two. After that you buy the fee again.

Can I do this if I do not live in Spain? No. You need legal residence in Spain. That is why they ask for your TIE or NIE.

Do I still need a driving school for anything? Only for the practical exam, because of the car with two sets of pedals.