The DGT tightens the requirements for drivers over 65 years old

Catalonia is an increasingly aging country. According to data from Idescat, as of 2026, 20% of the Catalan population is over 65 years old, a figure that is surprising when compared to the 14% of the total population of school age. Catalans are living longer and better, as is also happening in the rest of the territories of Spain and Mediterranean countries, such as Greece, Italy, or Croatia, among others. In this regard, Idescat's projections for the year 2070 are devastating: if we continue with the current trend, Catalonia will enter the final stretch of the century with a population of around 9 million people, one-third of whom will be over 65 years old.Aging and super-aging (i.e., the rate of people over 80 years old that a society has) will modify the uses and services of Catalan society, with a logical increase in social and health services and expenses for medicines. The fact of living more and more years, and in better physical shape, will also raise the average age of drivers on Catalan roads. Currently, there is no age limit for getting behind the wheel, as current regulations establish that it must be the physical condition and cognitive abilities of drivers that determine whether a person is fit to continue driving.Until 2026, the DGT used to renew driving licenses for 10 years for people who turned 65. However, with the regulatory modification that came into effect this year, individuals born between 1956 and 1961 who renew their driving license will have the validity of AM, A1, A2, A, and B licenses limited to a duration of 5 years. Meanwhile, those who renew professional driving licenses C, C1, D, D1, EC, ED, or ED1 will have their renewal limited to only 3 years of validity. With this reform, the DGT aims to detect auditory or visual deterioration processes in a timely manner, as well as reflexes and cognitive capacity. At this point, it is worth remembering that most medical studies indicate that between the ages of 65 and 75, an accelerated aging process occurs that can lead to modifications in visual or auditory acuity over a few years, which justifies the regulatory reform promoted by the DGT.Regarding individuals over 70 years of age, the regulations exempt them from paying the driving license renewal fees, but they must pay the cost of the mandatory medical examination, which determines whether a person is capable of continuing to drive, regardless of their age. It is worth remembering that from the age of 70 onwards, the validity of the driving license is only 2 years, to ensure proper monitoring of the physical and cognitive abilities of people who wish to renew their license.