No more waiting until 18: the EU opens the door to driving licenses at 17

Many young people wait until they turn 18 to enroll in driving school and get their driver’s license. This situation will soon change in the European Union, where a regulation has already been approved that will allow obtaining a Class B license from the age of 17 , albeit with very specific conditions.

The new regulations will allow minors to drive a car before reaching the age of majority, but they will never be able to do so alone. Until they turn 18, they must be accompanied at all times by a person who meets certain requirements and who can guide them from the passenger seat.

The measure is included in Article 17 of European Directive 2025/2205, adopted last November. The regulation 
must now be incorporated into the legislation of each European Union country. In the case of Spain, the deadline for doing so is November 26, 2028.

The DGT is already studying how to apply the regulation in Spain

The Spanish Directorate General of Traffic has already created a working group to analyze how to adapt this supervised driving system to Spanish regulations. The intention is to define the conditions that both minors driving and the adults accompanying them must meet during journeys.

However, the process for obtaining the license will remain exactly the same. Seventeen-year-olds will have to study, pass the theory test, and also pass the practical test, just like any other applicant for a Category B license.

“The new Directive does not change the training system. The European text sets the content that must be covered in the exam for each license, regulates the duration of the tests , and establishes the conditions that examiners must meet, but it does not establish a specific training model, and Spain already has its own,” explains the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic).

MINORS MUST ALWAYS BE ACCOMPANIED

Article 17 of European Directive 2025/2205 makes it clear that 17-year-old drivers may not drive unsupervised until they reach the age of majority. All journeys must be made with a companion in the vehicle capable of giving directions while driving.

The DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) believes this formula could be useful in certain situations. “The idea is to make it easier for young people to get their driver’s license sooner. It could be an interesting alternative for those who live in sparsely populated areas or for students who want to start university knowing how to drive their own car.”

Until now, they didn’t have that option. Furthermore, this system allows their driving to be supervised until they turn 18, which can also offer advantages. “It’s important to remember that many drivers, after getting their license, have driven their first few times with someone they trust sitting next to them,” the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) explains.