From 2026, the validity of the license will be reduced from the age of 65 and renewal fees for those over 70 will be eliminated, in a measure that seeks to reinforce road safety without establishing an age limit for driving.
The DGT changes the renewal of the driving license in 2026
The driving license returns to the spotlight in 2026. The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) maintains its strategy of reinforcing controls on older drivers, with changes that directly affect those who turn 65 years of age or older.
The key to the new regulation is not to prohibit driving by age, but to increase the frequency of medical check-ups to guarantee that drivers maintain the necessary abilities behind the wheel.
In Spain there is no age limit to stop driving. The DGT insists that aptitude depends on the physical, sensory, and cognitive state, not on the year of birth.
Most frequent renewals from 65 years of age
The main change affects drivers who turn 65 in 2026. That is, those born in 1961.
From that age, the driving license goes from having a validity of 10 years to being renewed every 5 years in the case of the usual licenses (AM, A1, A2, A, and B).
For professional licenses - trucks and buses - the deadline is even shorter: they must be renewed every 3 years.
The objective is clear: to increase medical control and detect in time possible problems of vision, reflexes, hearing or cognitive ability that may affect driving.
What happens to those born in 1956
Those born in 1956 turn 70 in 2026, and that's where another relevant change comes into play.
From 70 years of age, drivers are exempt from paying the renewal fees for their driving license. That is, they will not have to pay the administrative cost of the procedure.
That said, they will still have to undergo the mandatory medical examination at an authorized center, and that cost is borne by the driver.
No age limit, but with medical checks
One of the key points that the DGT wants to make clear is that age does not automatically exclude anyone from driving.
Only those who:
- Do not pass the mandatory medical examination.
- Present limitations incompatible with safe driving.
- Have their license revoked by an administrative or judicial resolution.
The well-known psychotechnical tests continue to be the main filter. They evaluate abilities such as vision, coordination, reflexes, or cognitive state.
As long as the driver passes these tests, they will be able to continue renewing their license without age limit.
How to renew your driver's license
The permit renewal is carried out in authorized recognition centers, which handle the entire process.
The driver does not need to go directly to Traffic in many cases, since the center itself sends the documentation and results to the DGT.
In addition, in the case of those over 70 years of age, the process can be done without the need to make a prior appointment, which speeds up the process.
Why the DGT introduces these changes
The aging of the population and the increase in the number of elderly drivers are behind this measure.
The DGT seeks to balance two objectives:
- Maintain the autonomy and mobility of older drivers.
- Reduce risks on the road through more frequent checks.
The logic is simple: it is not about withdrawing permits by age, but about ensuring that whoever drives does so in adequate conditions.
What drivers must do in 2026
For affected drivers, the message is practical.
- If you turn 65 in 2026 (born in 1961), you will have to renew your license every 5 years.
- If you turn 70 (born in 1956), you will not pay renewal fees, although you will pay for the medical examination.
And for the rest, there are no immediate changes, but there is a clear trend: more control, more reviews, and greater surveillance over driving capabilities.
The driving license does not disappear with age, but it increasingly demands more guarantees. That is the real change that the DGT introduces