It’s now peak season and millions of Britons are heading on holiday to Spain and other EU destinations. Apart from all other new paperwork and passport checks required, the DVLA has been issued for road users and motorists heading abroad. The DVLA has stated: Check if you need an international driving permit (IDP)
You may need an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in some countries. The permit you may need depends on:
which country you’re visiting
how long you’re staying
You need to have a valid Great Britain (GB) or Northern Ireland driving licence to get an IDP. If you have a paper driving licence, you’ll need to update it to a photocard licence or get an IDP. You must always have your driving licence with you, as well as your IDP.
Driving in Europe
You do not need an IDP to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if you have a photocard driving licence issued in the UK. You might need an IDP to drive in some EU countries and Norway if you have either:
a paper driving licence
a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man
Check with the embassy of the country you will be driving in.
Check which IDP you need
Check the table to find out if you need an IDP. There are 3 types of IDP:
1926
1949
1968
The IDP you need depends on what country you’re visiting.
If you’re travelling through more than one country, you might need more than one type of IDP. If the country you’re visiting is not included in the table, check with the embassy of the country you’re travelling to. If you’re hiring a car, check with your car hire company. If you already have an IDP, make sure it’s still valid in the country you’re visiting. The DVLA states that in Spain “You do not need an IDP. If you’re hiring a car, you should check if the car hire company says you need an IDP.”
So best to check before.