Spain’s new traffic rules – October 1 2026

Spain’s new traffic rules were introduced through Royal Decree 518/2026, which modifies Spain’s General Traffic Regulations. Most of the new rules apply from today, although a couple of the more significant requirements have been delayed until October 2027.

The full legislation is available in the official Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE).

Electric scooters: the rules are getting stricter

If you use an electric scooter, there are several changes to be aware of.

• The minimum age for riding a personal mobility vehicle, known in Spain as a VMP, is now 15.
• A helmet is compulsory, and riders must also wear a reflective vest at night or when visibility is poor.
• There is also a change to where VMPs can be used outside built-up areas. They may use segregated routes such as cycle paths and bike lanes, unless signs prohibit them. This does not mean that electric scooters can simply use ordinary roads outside towns.

One requirement is not arriving quite yet. VMPs will have to have their lights switched on permanently, including during daylight, from 1 October 2027.

The DGT’s official guidance on the new VMP rules is available here.

Cyclists face new rules too

There are several important changes for cyclists.

• On interurban roads, helmets are now compulsory for all cyclists. Existing exemptions have been removed.

Drivers overtaking a cyclist on an interurban road must:

• reduce their speed by at least 20 km/h below the speed limit applying to that stretch of road;
• leave at least 1.5 metres of lateral clearance; and
• completely change lane where the road has more than one lane in the same direction.

The rules also change for cycling in towns.

• Cyclists should generally ride towards the centre of their lane where this can be done safely. Where there are at least two lanes in the same direction, they should normally use the right-hand lane, although they can use another lane when turning or when necessary for safety.
• Drivers following a cyclist in the same lane must now maintain a minimum distance of five metres.
• There is also a new possibility for cyclists on some urban streets. Where there is a single lane and the speed limit is 30 km/h or less, the local authority can allow bicycles to travel in both directions, provided the street is appropriately signposted.

The DGT’s official explanation of the new cycling rules sets out the changes in more detail.

• Motorcyclists: closed footwear and gloves
• Motorcyclists and moped riders have some very noticeable new obligations.
• Closed footwear that covers the whole foot is now compulsory on all types of road.
• Protective gloves are compulsory when riding on interurban roads. The government is still working on the technical specifications for the gloves, so until the relevant ministerial order comes into force, the existing type of protective gloves remains acceptable.
• There is also a new rule for motorcycles themselves: they must carry a high-visibility reflective vest.
• Motorcyclists can also use the right-hand hard shoulder in certain traffic jams, but only on sections where this has been specifically authorised and signposted. The maximum speed is 30 km/h and riders must travel in single file and take particular care.

One change has been postponed. From 1 October 2027, helmets used by moped riders must be homologated rather than merely certified. There is a one-year transitional period for this requirement.

The DGT’s official guidance on motorcycles and mopeds explains the new requirements.

Professional riders have additional requirements

• People who ride bicycles, VMPs, mopeds or motorcycles as part of their professional work are subject to additional safety requirements.
• They must wear both a helmet and a high-visibility reflective vest whenever they are working, regardless of whether they are riding in an urban or interurban area.

This is particularly relevant to delivery riders and other people who use two-wheeled vehicles for work.

New rules for snow on motorways and autovías

This one may be particularly useful to remember before winter. 

• If snow makes traffic difficult on a motorway or autovía, overtaking will be prohibited.
• Vehicles must remain in the right-hand lane, leaving the left-hand lane clear for emergency vehicles and snowploughs.

The new rules also formally establish how drivers should create an emergency lane during serious congestion.

• If traffic has slowed to walking pace or stopped completely, vehicles must move towards the appropriate side of the road to create a clear route through the traffic.
• On a two-lane road, vehicles should move towards both sides, leaving a central gap.
• On a three-lane road, vehicles in the left-hand lane should move left, while vehicles in the middle and right-hand lanes should move right. This creates the emergency corridor between the left and middle lanes.

The DGT’s official traffic guidance includes further information about the new emergency lane arrangements.

A new rule when passing broken-down vehicles

There is also a change affecting anyone passing vehicles that have stopped because of an accident, breakdown, assistance work, road maintenance or traffic regulation.

• Drivers must leave at least 1.5 metres of lateral separation and reduce their speed by at least 20 km/h below the applicable speed limit.

In other words, the familiar “give them room” principle now has a more specific legal requirement attached to it.

Seat belts: some old exemptions disappear

Some of the existing exemptions from wearing a seat belt have been removed.

• Drivers of taxis, goods vehicles and vehicles used for driving instruction must now wear their seat belts at all times.
• There is a specific exception for patients travelling in the patient compartment of appropriately equipped emergency ambulances when the vehicle is being used for an emergency and the occupants need to receive medical assistance during the journey.
• For most people in ordinary cars, nothing has changed. You were already required to wear your seat belt.

Pedestrians get greater priority in some situations

The revised regulations put greater emphasis on pedestrians, particularly in urban areas.

• On streets with a single-level surface shared between vehicles and pedestrians, pedestrians have priority.

There is also a change to traffic lights at pedestrian crossings.

• As a general rule, a flashing amber light for vehicles should no longer operate at the same time as a steady green pedestrian signal. The aim is to remove the confusing situation in which pedestrians are given a green light to cross while vehicles are simultaneously being told they can proceed with caution.

The new regulations also give formal legal recognition to “safe school routes”, covering routes adapted to allow children to reach school on foot, by public transport or by non-motorised means.

The DGT’s explanation of the new pedestrian rules has more information.

New rules for motorhomes and campervans

There is a clarification for autocaravanas, or motorhomes.

• When a motorhome is parked, it must not have equipment or other elements extending beyond the vehicle’s footprint. It must rest solely on its tyres and must not discharge fluids from the habitation area.

This is about how the vehicle is parked rather than giving motorhomes an automatic right to park wherever they want.

Local authorities still have powers over parking and can impose their own restrictions through municipal regulations.

The DGT has separate official guidance on motorhomes and caravans which explains the distinction between parking and camping and the role of municipal authorities.

So what actually changes today?

For most ordinary car drivers, the changes they are most likely to encounter are relatively straightforward.

• If you drive a car, the rules to remember include the new requirements when passing stopped vehicles, the emergency lane arrangements in serious congestion and the restrictions on overtaking during snow on motorways and autovías.
• If you cycle, the changes to helmets, overtaking and urban positioning are much more significant.
• If you ride a motorcycle or moped, closed footwear and the new glove requirement are immediately relevant, while the helmet requirement for mopeds changes again in October 2027.
• And if you use an electric scooter, the minimum age is now 15 and a helmet is compulsory, with a reflective vest required at night or when visibility is poor.

It is also worth remembering that some aspects of urban traffic remain subject to local authority rules. The new national regulations provide a framework, but municipalities can still regulate matters such as particular routes, pedestrian areas, parking and some cycling arrangements.

Two important dates to remember

There are two dates worth putting in the diary.

• 1 October 2026: most of the new traffic rules come into force.
• 1 October 2027: permanent daytime lighting becomes compulsory for VMPs, and moped helmets must meet the new homologation requirement.

The technical requirements for motorcycle gloves will take effect separately once the relevant ministerial order is brought into force.

The complete legal text is available in the BOE’s official version of Royal Decree 518/2026, while the DGT has published its own summary of the changes for road users.

So, if you have a scooter, bicycle, motorcycle, moped, motorhome or simply a driving licence, it is worth checking which parts of the new rules apply to you. Spain has, rather helpfully, managed to change the rules for practically everyone without actually changing the fact that someone will still forget to indicate at a roundabout.