Motorhome rules in Spain: what do I need to bear in mind?

17 October, 2017 | Update: 08/07/2022

The Spanish Costas, cities like Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona, the Mediterranean climate or the countryside and the Spanish interior. We can all find a reason to visit Spain, and every year thousands of Europeans head for this beautiful holiday destination with their motorhome. But what about the traffic rules in Spain? When travelling in Spain with your motorhome, what are you allowed to do, and what aren’t you allowed to do? Spain has introduced new traffic rules as of March 2022. What has changed?

New traffic rules since March 2022

• Hands off your smartphone: the use of a mobile phone is now subject to stricter penalties in Spain. You can be fined €200 for using your mobile phone while driving. Only in a car park is a driver allowed to hold their phone.
• Don’t overtake too fast: when overtaking, you may not exceed the maximum speed limit. You used to be able to go 20km/h over the maximum speed limit, however, that no longer applies.
• If you do not adhere to the obligations to wear seat belts, helmets or use child safety seats, there are fines from €200.
• When overtaking cyclists, you must maintain a 2-metre distance. If there are two or more lanes going in the same direction, you must change lane. When overtaking, you must reduce your speed to 20km/h under the maximum speed limit. Therefore, on a road where you can drive 90 km/h, you overtake a cyclist at 70 km/h.
• Please note: if you are registered as a resident in Spain because you live there (part of the year) , then your driving licence is subject to a point system and you can lose points with the above violations. Most drivers start with 12 points. If you lose all your points, you cannot drive for six months.

Toll roads in Spain

Most roads in Spain are free to use, but there are a few toll motorways and autovías. An “autovías” is the same as a motorway, except that it can be used by agricultural vehicles and bikes when there’s no alternative. Toll roads in Spain are identified by the letters AP, while toll-free motorways are identified by the letter A. See a list of toll roads and rates at Autopistas.com (website in Spanish).

Staying overnight, camping and parking

You can’t just go ‘camping’ anywhere in Spain. Wild camping may be allowed under some conditions, and checks are not strict everywhere, but in principle, you’re only permitted to stay overnight at parking spaces designed for motorhomes, or at campsites or at vineyards or farms for example. Wild camping is not permitted at any of the national parks in Spain.

Parking a motorhome is allowed anywhere, provided that the parking space is suitable and there’s no sign banning the parking of large vehicles. Eating and drinking and sleeping in a parked motorhome is fine (even cooking is fine), but you’re not allowed to convert a parking space into a ‘motorhome pitch’. That means that you can’t set up tables and chairs outside, that the awning must remain folded up, and that you can’t put up your TV dish. It’s also true that these rules are not enforced equally strictly all across Spain.

Uphill, downhill

The Spanish countryside is very diverse. From touristy beaches to the unspoiled hills, Spain has it all. If you’re driving through the hills in your motorhome, bear in mind that there are some traffic rules that differ from the normal rules. On slopes with more than 7% incline, vehicles going up always have priority over vehicles going down (unless the vehicle going up is close to a passing place), and on mountain roads, it’s mandatory to sound your horn on blind bends.

In areas like the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada, you can sometimes encounter wintery conditions. The use of snow tyres isn’t mandatory in Spain, but it is recommended for these areas in wintery weather. Snow chains may only be used on roads covered in snow or ice, and their use is mandatory if indicated by signs or by the police (maximum speed when using snow chains is 50 km/h). If you’re using studded tyres, the studs cannot protrude more than 2mm.

Speed

In Spain, motorhomes (<3500 kg) are seen as category 1 (M1) vehicles, and because of this, different speed limits apply to them outside of urban areas. A motorhome is not allowed to drive faster than 120 km/h in Spain. The following are the speed limits on Spanish roads.

Speed Limit in Urban Areas:

Effective immediately, a general speed limit of 30 km/h applies to most urban roads in Spain. The exact maximum speed in cities now depends on the number of lanes. On roads with two or more lanes in each direction, the speed limit remains unchanged at 50 km/h. On roads with a single lane for both directions, without a central road marking and with sidewalks at the same level (without a difference in height), the speed limit is 20 km/h.

Cars and Motorcycles:

• Within town: 30 km/h
• Outside town: 90 km/h
• Expressways: 100 km/h
• Motorways and Autovías: 120 km/h

Motorhomes up to 3.5 t:

• Within town: 30 km/h
• Outside town: 80 km/h
• Expressways: 90 km/h
• Motorways and Autovías: 120 km/h

Motorhomes over 3.5 t:

• Within town: 30 km/h
• Outside town: 80 km/h
• Expressways: 80 km/h
• Motorways and Autovías: 90 km/h

Driving with kids in Spain

Children under 1.35 metres are not allowed to sit in the front, and are only allowed to sit in the back (in an approved and appropriately-sized child seat). Children who are taller than 1.35 metres are allowed to sit in the front and use a normal seatbelt. However, in Spain it is advised that children up to about 1.50 metres tall use an approved, appropriately-sized child seat or booster seat. Pets must either be restrained using a dog seatbelt, or they must be transported in a crate or box (of course, this should also be fixed somewhere so that it doesn’t move around in case of an accident). Neither passengers nor pets are allowed to walk around when the motorhome is moving.

Good to know

Finally, here’s some useful information and handy tips for those who are planning a trip to Spain:

• • Spain has a number of environmental zones (including in Madrid and Barcelona) where only residents are allowed to drive. These zones are indicated with signs with the text ‘Area de prioridad residencial‘ and are only accessible for permit holders and drivers with special exemption (so don’t drive here in your motorhome!).
  • In Spain, there are special petrol stations with additional amenities for motorhomes (Special Service Stations). For example, waste disposal for the toilet, water connections, and possibly technical help.
  • Diesel (gasóleo) and petrol (gasolina) are easily available at petrol stations. LPG however is not easily available (the exception is in Madrid). See this list of petrol stations offering LPG in Spain.
  • A warning triangle, a set of spare bulbs and reflective safety vests (for every occupant) are mandatory. Cars with Spanish registration plates must have two warning triangles on board.
  • If you are carrying cargo (including bikes) you must have a warning sign of 50 cm x 50 cm.
  • Drivers who wear glasses must have a spare pair with them.
  • In Spain, it is not permitted to fill foreign gas cylinders. So, before you travel, search for a list of where you can buy gas cylinders and check what the exact rules are.
  • Speed camera warnings for fixed speed cameras are allowed; radar detection devices are not allowed in Spain.
  • The permitted amount of alcohol is 0.5 promille. Except for novice drivers who have had their licence for a maximum of two years; for them, the maximum amount is 0.3 promille.

What are your experiences of driving in Spain? Or do you have tips or suggestions for others? Then leave a comment under this message.

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