This is how the DGT has changed the medical examinations to renew the driving license

Traffic establishes that the driving license is valid for 10 years until the age of 65, 5 years between 65 and 70 years, and two years from the age of 70. From that moment on, the license will have to be renewed for a new interval and driving a motor vehicle with an expired driving license in Spain is subject to a financial penalty.

Until now, once the license had expired, it was mandatory to undergo a medical examination without the need to re-examine ourselves, although a fee of 24.58 euros must be paid (those over 70 years are exempt) and pass the aforementioned medical examination.

However, the DGT has just changed the medical examinations to renew the driving license, thus replacing the protocol approved in 2007. The new methodology came into force after the summer of 2022 and contemplates new tests with the aim of unifying the criteria of the professionals who work in the Driver Recognition Centers (CRC), according to the newspaper ABC.

This is how the DGT has changed the medical examinations to renew the driving license

The 2007 protocol included questions about health and personal habits, blood pressure measurement and lung auscultation, visual acuity test, hearing capacity test and audiometry, mobility, strength and coordination tests, and a psychological test.

A few months ago, the 2007 protocol has changed to “provide a new approach focused on facilitating the screening work, offering criteria and cut-off points to simplify decision-making on fitness and promoting CRC preventive intervention by working with the council preventive”.

With the new medical and automobile advances, the new protocol established by the DGT to renew car and motorcycle licenses allows driving to be safer in health situations in which it was previously unaffordable.

With all this, the new medical examinations to renew the card include general anamnesis, observation of the applicant (physical appearance, cleanliness, way of walking, use of aids…), risk perception, collection of personal data and basic examination (vision, hearing , cardiovascular, psychological…).

In addition, with the new protocol, formulas can be established to calculate indices, cut-off points for criteria, driving limitations or the use of restriction codes based on disability, the newspaper reports.

Also included are adaptations that can be incorporated into the vehicle, as well as prostheses and aid elements that overcome the driver’s limitations, both temporarily and permanently.