The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) is urging vehicle owners in Spain to record who regularly drives their cars. When an offence is detected without the driver being identified at the roadside, for example by a camera, the registered owner may receive the notice and must identify the person who was driving. The procedure is intended to direct enforcement to the responsible driver: penalty points attach to a driver’s licence, not the vehicle, and are not automatically assigned to its owner simply because the car is registered in their name.
The structure is set out in Spain’s consolidated traffic law, published by the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE). The DGT’s habitual-driver registry provides an administrative way to route sanction-related communications to the person who normally uses a vehicle, while keeping ownership and driving responsibility distinct. The obligation to answer a formal request to identify the driver remains with the owner or lessee. Failing to provide the required identification, or providing invalid information, can constitute a separate infringement with consequences distinct from the original offence.
The recommendation, discussed on the programme “Herrera en COPE,” has also prompted concerns about surveillance and expanded state oversight. The stated purpose of the system is to establish responsibility for traffic violations, not to create a new offence simply because a vehicle is lent to someone else. In practice, cameras and other detection systems may capture a registration plate without identifying the person at the wheel, making accurate driver records impressive when assigning any applicable fine or points.
The DGT’s administrative guidance describes a habitual driver as someone who uses an ordinary private vehicle for more than 30 consecutive days; for rental vehicles, the threshold is slightly more than three days. These are usage thresholds in the guidance, not separate penalties. The driver must know about and consent to the registration. Owners can record the driver through DGT procedures and should update the information when regular use changes or ends.
The process is relevant to private owners and organizations, including rental agencies and fleet operators. Electronic administrative channels allow organizations to manage driver details across multiple vehicles, while advance registration can help route notices efficiently. It does not remove the owner’s duty to respond to a driver-identification request after an alleged offence. Owners who lend a car regularly can reduce confusion by keeping driver information accurate and observing the deadline stated in any notice.
Spain’s points-based driving licence system makes correct attribution consequential: the applicable fine and any points depend on the offence and the driver legally identified. The DGT’s guidance on sanctions sets out the consequences for specific violations, while the BOE publishes the governing traffic law. As of 2026, digital platforms have made it easier for owners to update driver information, and debate over privacy and oversight continues. Spain has more than 24 million registered vehicles, adding to the administrative challenge of identifying the driver in each case.
