A serious offence that has grown the most in recent years is driving without a driving licence. Formaster, Professional Association of Training Companies in Logistics, Transport and Road Safety, explains that they constitute 2.6% of the traffic fines filed in the last six years. This implies some 103,000 fines a year for people who drive a vehicle without the corresponding permit.
Driving without a licence is a either a crime or an infraction, depending on its severity. It is a crime against Road Safety according to article 384 of the Penal Code when driving without a licence due to the total loss of the legally assigned points, by judicial decision or for never having obtained it.
In these cases, the penalties can be prison terms of up to six months and fines of 12 to 24 months or community service of up to 90 days, depending on the aggravating factors (such as reckless driving, alcohol, etc.), recidivism or criminal record.
On the other hand, it is considered an infraction when driving with an expired licence, driving a vehicle of another category or driving with a licence that is not approved in Spain. In these cases, the fines involve the loss of four points and penalties of up to 200 euro.
