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What is the 'psicotécnico' medical test drivers might need to take in Spain?

The Local Spain
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What is the 'psicotécnico' medical test drivers might need to take in Spain?
What is the psicotécnico medical test you might need to take in Spain. Photo: National Cancer Institute / Unsplash

The 'psicotécnico' is a medical exam in Spain that tests both your physical and mental abilities to assess whether you can safely carry out certain tasks, such as driving a car. Find out when you might need to get one.

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The British Embassy in Spain has recently recommended that Britons waiting for the agreement on UK driving licences to be approved should take their psicotécnico exams in preparation. But what is this test and what does it consist of?

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What is it? 

There are various types of psicotécnico exams in Spain, which test both your mental and physical abilities for a variety of different reasons. They may be needed for a particular profession such as a policeman or a fireman, however, a common reason that the majority of people in Spain need to take one is when they want to be able to drive.

When do you need one?

You will need to take a psicotécnico exam when you renew your driver’s licence, exchange your licence or you are getting your licence for the first time. 

In Spain, you must renew your licence every ten years and each time you do this you will need to do a new medical test to assess your abilities, even if you’re still safe to drive on the road. 

READ ALSO: UK – Spain driving licence deal: Britons urged to take medical exams

What does the psicotécnico test for driving consist of? 

According to the RACC Start driving schools, the test is divided into several parts, so that it can assess different abilities necessary to be able to drive safely. The main categories are a health questionnaire, a psychomotor test and an eye exam. 

The health questionnaire will include questions on any illnesses or ailments you suffer from, as well as any medications you take that may affect your driving ability. Some of the illnesses that may affect your driving include heart arrhythmias, aneurysms, epilepsy, dementia, sleep disorders and anxiety, among many others. 

The second part of the test will assess your psychomotor abilities to determine your ability to coordinate movements. One of the tests consists of a short game that will test the reaction and balance skills of both hands. 

The third part is a simple eye test, which is similar to the type of eye test you take at the optician. 

You may also need to do a short interview with a doctor in case they need to assess you further. Some testing centres say that they will also check that your respiratory and cardiovascular systems are working normally. 

READ ALSO - Driving in Spain: Can I take my theory and practical tests in English?

Where can I get one done? 

You can take these tests at various Driver Recognition Centres or Centros de Reconocimiento de Conductores around the country. These are listed on the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) website and can be found here

Do I have to pay for it? 

Yes, you will have to pay to take the psicotécnico test, but the cost will entirely depend on where you get it done and different medical centres can set their own prices. According to the DGT, it will typically be between €30 and €80. 

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