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DRIVING

EXPLAINED: What are the rules for parking in Spain?

If you plan on buying or renting a car, haven’t managed to switch over your UK licence yet or you’ve just moved here and are unfamiliar with the rules, here’s everything you need to know about parking in Spain.

EXPLAINED: What are the rules for parking in Spain?
What are the rules for parking in Spain? Photo: Bjorn Agerbeek / Unsplash

If you’re planning on driving in Spain, it’s important you familiarise yourself with all the rules here, not only when moving, but while parked too. Here’s what all the different coloured lines mean for parking on the street. 

White lines

These are the easiest and simple to understand in Spain and mean that you can park anywhere within the lines, at any time for free.

READ ALSO – Driving in Spain: What changes in 2023?

Blue lines

Parking within blue lines means they are designed for visitors and you must pay to leave your vehicle there. You can make your payment at the nearest parking meter.

Be aware that each region in Spain has different rules on how long you can park your car somewhere without incurring a fine, find out what they are here.

In general, the rules apply Monday to Friday from 9am to 9pm, and on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm. Sundays and holidays, there are no restrictions. The schedule can vary in summer though in popular destinations, so always look on the signs and the parking meter to find out.

Green and orange lines

Parking within green and orange lines is reserved for residents of the area who are registered to park in those particular zones.

To obtain a permit to park within the orange and green lines, you must contact your local ayuntamiento or town hall and present the necessary documents such as your padrón certificate, driving licence and evidence you own a vehicle.

It will also be necessary to make a payment to use this service. Once you’re registered you can use both the orange and green zones without any restrictions.

Visitors can also use green and orange parking zones, but there are restrictions in place and they must pay. The price of parking within green or orange lines is always higher than the price of parking within the blue lines and you are only allowed to park for a limited time. 

The duration can vary from region to region, but it’s typically only 2 hours before you’ll have to move your car. You must remember to pay straight away and leave a ticket in your window to prove you’ve done so.

You can park freely within white lines in Spain. Photo: Anatolii Maks / Pixabay
 

Is there a difference between the green lines and the orange ones?

No, there is no difference whatsoever, you can treat them exactly the same. It may depend on the city you’re in. For example, in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville you’ll find more green lines and in Valencia and Alicante you’ll find more orange ones.

Area exclusively for residents  

Some cities also have special exclusive resident zones, these areas are depicted by showing a red circle with an X through it and a light blue background. It will also have either orange or green lines on the street, as well as this sign saying ‘Zona exclusiva de residentes’ (Area exclusively for residents) or ‘área residents‘ (residents’ area).

READ ALSO: How Spain’s new low-emission zones will affect drivers

Loading and unloading zone

These zones are marked with yellow zigzag lines, as well as a dark blue circle outlined in red and with a diagonal red slash through the middle. It is forbidden to park at any time in these areas and they’re only for loading and unloading. The maximum time for this is around 30 minutes. The sign will also indicate any additional rules, but they typically apply from Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm.

Blue-Orange lines

A dotted blue and orange line indicates one of two situations. It’s either for those visiting a health centre or hospital, where you can park for a maximum of 4 hours or it’s a long-stay area near to a train station for example. You must pay for long-stay parking spots, but they will be at a reduced rate and you can leave your car for up to 12 hours.

Yellow line

A yellow line means that parking is prohibited at all times. They are usually placed in front of garages, the entrance to car parks and areas reserved for service vehicles such as police cars or ambulances.

No parking, except for the library bus. Photo: Daniel Capilla / WikiCommons

A red circle with a blue background and an X through the middle

This sign indicates that stopping and parking are prohibited in this area.

A red circle with a blue background and one diagonal line through the middle

This means that parking is prohibited but you can stop if absolutely necessary for less than 2 minutes when the driver is in the car.

VADO

If you leave the vehicle in the regulated parking area, but do not pay for parking, you will be fined, but if you park in an area labelled VADO, your car will be towed away, as well as having to pay.  

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DRIVING

Driving in Spain: Can you ever overtake on the right?

As you drive on the right in Spain, one would assume that overtaking could only ever happen in the left-hand lane. However, there are some exceptions to the rule.

Driving in Spain: Can you ever overtake on the right?

In Spain, road traffic regulations require that, as a rule, you must drive in the right-hand lane where possible.

If you want to overtake, you must do so in the lane to the left, although there are certain exceptions (more on that below).

If you’re caught overtaking using the lane to the right, you can be fined up to €200, according to Spain’s Real Automóvil Club de España (RACE).

However, Spain’s traffic authority Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), which is like Spain’s version of the DVLA of DMV, states that drivers who “continuously drive in the left lane only cause more traffic jams, braking and collisions.”

In short, in Spain you should drive on the right and only overtake on the left, generally speaking.

Not that many drivers in Spain follow the rules at all times, of course.

However, they aren’t necessarily breaking the rules, and there are a number of exceptions when overtaking on the right is allowed.

Articles 82 and 83 of the Reglamento General de Circulación (RGC) list three of the most common exceptions when you can overtake on the right in Spain:

  • If the car you are overtaking goes to the left, per the RGC: “if there is sufficient space to do so, the overtaking shall be carried out on the right and adopting maximum precautions, when the driver of the vehicle you intend to overtake is clearly indicating his intention to change direction to the left or stop on that side, as well as, on roads with two-way traffic, trams running in the central area.”
  • If you are driving in a town or city, you can also overtake on the right: “within towns, on roads with at least two lanes reserved for traffic in the same direction of travel, delimited by longitudinal markings, overtaking on the right is permitted provided that the driver of the vehicle carrying out the overtaking is previously sure that he can do so without danger to other road users.”
  • If you are in a traffic jam and stay in the right lane, it is only considered passing, not overtaking: “when the traffic density is such that vehicles occupy the entire width of the carriageway and can only move at a speed depending on the speed of the vehicle in front of them in their lane, the fact that those in one lane move faster than those in the other lane shall not be considered overtaking. In this situation, no driver shall change lanes in order to overtake or to perform any other manoeuvre than preparing to turn right or left, to leave the carriageway or to take a certain direction.”
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