In Barcelona, carriage-ways lead to the city ringroads of Ronda de Dalt and Ronda Litoral. In the city itself, car journeys can be stressful as traffic is heavy and often congested, and parking spots are rare as well as costly. Public transport (metros, buses & night buses, and now bicycle rental Bicing) offers valuable & cost-effective alternatives. Motorbikes & scooters, a solution to the traffic jams, have become a mass phenomenom in Barcelona, particularly popular with bankers & office employees.

Currently, a license to ride a small scooter (125cc and under) may be obtained by taking an exam and passing a simple road test. The permit to ride motorcycles larger than 125cc or normal vehicles requires a more extensive exam and road test.

Tourists from EU countries may use their home country driving license. Drivers from outside the EU must obtain an International Driving Permit (available in the U.S. from AAA), although you might be able to get away with not having one as auto rental companies do not always enforce this requirement and sometimes the police turn a blind eye as well.

However, foreigners with residency status in Spain must get a Spanish driving permit within six months of receiving their tarjeta de residencia if they wish to drive legally. EU citizens, citizens from many Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, etc.) and some other countries (Japan, South Korea, etc.) may register or exchange their home country license for a Spanish license. Unlucky citizens from certain countries, including the U.S., must obtain a Spanish driving license from "scratch" as no exchange process is currently available. (Incidentally in the case of the U.S., the U.S. does not accept the validity of a Spanish driving license so Spain does not accept the U.S. driving license. Complain to your Congressional representative. Meanwhile, make sure you carry a valid International Driving Permit as this expires after one year and if you are stopped by the police, you might bat your eyelashes and claim to be a perplexed tourist, certainly not a card-carrying resident.)

As in most countries, if you are stopped by the local police (most likely the Guardia Urbana), they will ask for your drivers license and proof of payment of auto insurance. These are generally the only two documents you need to provide.

Foreign or acquired vehicles may be registered in Spain. Residency in Spain is not necessary to register a vehicle. More information on driving permits and registering vehicles is available from the Spanish Dirección General de Tráfico, Barcelona office in the "Campana" building on Gran Vía 170-184 near the FGC station Magoria-La Campana. We recommend going in person to inquire as to the exact documents needed before submitting paperwork.

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