The DGT Website in English: How to Use It as a Foreigner (2026)
If you are getting your driving licence in Spain, sooner or later you will need the website of the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico), the national traffic authority. It is where you check your exam results, book appointments at a traffic office and find the official forms. The problem: most of it is only in Spanish. This guide explains which parts you need, what the Spanish buttons mean and how to use the key services without speaking Spanish.
Is there a DGT website in English?
Not really. The DGT has two websites:
- dgt.es: general information, news and explanations of procedures.
- sede.dgt.gob.es (the "Sede Electrónica", or electronic office): where you actually do things, such as checking exam results or requesting procedures.
The electronic office has addresses with /en/ in them, but when we checked in October 2026 almost all of the content on those pages was still in Spanish; only a few menu items are translated. The quickest solution is to use your browser's built-in translation to read the pages, while keeping the Spanish words of the forms in mind, because that is what you will have to choose and type.
The Spanish words you will see most
| Spanish | What it means |
|---|---|
| Permisos de conducir | Driving licences (the section with everything about getting one) |
| Consulta de notas de examen | Check your exam results |
| Cita previa | Appointment (you need one to visit a traffic office) |
| Jefatura / Oficina de Tráfico | Provincial traffic office |
| Prueba teórica / prueba práctica | Theory test / practical (driving) test |
| Apto / No apto | Pass / Fail |
| Clase de permiso | Licence category (B is the car licence) |
| Solicitud | Application |
| DNI / NIE | Spanish ID number / foreigner's identification number |
| Cl@ve, certificado digital | Government digital identity systems used for some online procedures |
How to check your DGT exam results online
This is the service most students use. According to the official DGT page, anyone who has taken a theory or practical test in the last 15 days can check the result for free. You need:
- your DNI or NIE,
- your date of birth,
- the date of the exam,
- the licence category you took the exam for (for example, B).
When do the results appear? For theory exams taken on a computer, the same day from 17:00. For practical exams and paper-based theory exams, the following day from 17:00. Results can only be checked online for 15 days, so do not leave it too long.
You can check them in three ways: online on the electronic office (look for "Consulta de notas de exámenes"), with the free miDGT app for Android and iOS, or in person. If you are with a driving school, they are your first point of contact for anything about your exams; they usually know your result as soon as it is published.
How to book an appointment at a traffic office
Many procedures can be done online, but for some you need to go in person, and traffic offices work by appointment. The official appointment page explains the three ways to book, check or cancel a "cita previa":
- Online: choose the office, the area and the procedure, then a day and time.
- miDGT app: the same, from your phone.
- By phone on 060: an automated service 24 hours a day, and a person Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00 (except national holidays).
You will be asked for the ID number of the person who will attend, an email address and a phone number. Booking is free, and you can only hold one appointment in your name at a time. On the day, bring a valid identity document such as your NIE, passport or residence permit.
Taking the theory exam in English
Yes, you can take the DGT theory test for the car licence in English. The language is chosen before the exam, when you apply: the official application form for the tests (model 04) includes the language of the theory test, and for the B licence the options include English, French and German as well as Spanish and the co-official languages. You cannot change it on the day.
- With a driving school: the school registers you for the exam, so tell them clearly that you want it in English.
- On your own ("por libre"): you submit the application yourself at a traffic office (with an appointment) or online through the electronic office, which requires a digital identity such as an electronic DNI, a digital certificate or Cl@ve. The official page for this procedure lists what you need.
The format of the exam does not change with the language: 30 multiple-choice questions, 30 minutes, and you pass with no more than 3 mistakes. For the full process, from documents to the practical test, see our step-by-step guide to getting a Spanish driving licence.
Is the theory exam changing in 2026?
You may have read that the theory exam would change on 1 October 2026, with new types of questions or risk-perception videos. In late August 2026 the DGT denied it: what changed on that date are some traffic rules, not the exam format. The new rules do matter for your preparation, because the exam questions follow the rules in force. We explain them in New Spanish traffic rules from October 2026.
Practise in English before you book
The DGT website is where you register, book and check results; the preparation is up to you. Before you book your exam, make sure you are ready:
- Take our free DGT theory test in English: 30 questions in the real exam format, with answers and explanations.
- Browse DGT test questions in English by topic, each with the correct answer explained.
- Review all the Spanish road signs and their meanings: several questions in every exam are about signs.
When you can pass full tests with three mistakes or fewer, you are ready to book.