New road signs in Spain from 2025: what do they look like and what do they mean?

Spain has updated its road signs for the first time in 20 years — now they take into account electric scooters, eco-friendly cars, and inclusivity. Find out what changes have come into effect from 2025 and what Ukrainian drivers need to know when driving abroad

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Since July 2025, updated road signs have appeared on the roads of Spain for the first time since 2003. This is a large-scale reform initiated by the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), which aims to make travel safer, clearer, and more modern. We describe the updated look of road signs with reference to kia.com.

New signs on Spanish roads

In recent years, Spain has become one of the leaders in the development of environmentally friendly and inclusive transport. These trends are now officially reflected in traffic regulations. Key innovations include:

● Danger to people with mobility impairments (P-21b) — warns of the possible presence of people with limited mobility near the road.

● Dangerous bicycle crossing (P-22a) — signals a section where cyclists may cross the roadway.

● No personal mobility vehicles (R-118) — prohibits electric scooters and similar vehicles in certain areas.

● Reserved lane for VMP (R-420) — designates special lanes for electric scooters and similar devices.

● Coexistence zone (S-47) — designates an area where pedestrians, cars, and personal mobility vehicles share the same space. Cars cannot exceed a speed of 20 km/h here, and pedestrians have priority.

Photo: kia.com

In addition, signs have been introduced for bicycle lanes (S-65b), waiting areas for motorcycles and bicycles (S-49), electric vehicle charging areas (S-105c-f), and winter tire requirements (R-412b). These changes are intended to adapt Spanish road legislation to the new era of environmentally friendly transport.

Photo: kia.com

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Updating old signs

Many old signs have been redesigned. For example, the locomotive icon has disappeared — now the sign for a level crossing without a barrier shows an electric train. The “Danger in school zone” sign now shows a girl leading a boy by the hand — this symbol is intended to eliminate gender stereotypes.

Icons for agricultural machinery, mopeds, tractors, and motorcycles have also been modernized to reflect current models of transport. The fonts for ascents and descents (P-16a, P-16b) have also been changed to make them more legible.

Photo: kia.com

The reform also provides for the unification of all road signs — in color, shape, and size — to create a single visual system throughout Spain. The replacement of old signs is taking place gradually, in sync with planned municipal upgrades, to avoid budget overruns. All signs must be completely replaced within a year of the introduction of the new rules.

What do drivers need to know?

1. The new rules will come into effect on July 1, 2025.

2. Old signs must be completely replaced by July 2026.

3. Theory tests for obtaining a driver's license were to be updated three months after the introduction of the new rules so that driving schools had time to adapt their teaching materials.

If you plan to travel around Spain by car, you should not only familiarize yourself with the new rules, but also take care of insurance. An international “Green Card” is a mandatory document for cars registered in Ukraine that are traveling abroad. You can quickly apply for it online on the Visit Ukraine platform, selecting the desired validity period and countries of coverage. This is a reliable way to protect yourself from unexpected expenses during your trip, especially given the road infrastructure upgrades and new traffic rules in Europe.

We remind you! The electronic vignette is now available online at Visit Ukraine — quickly and officially. Read how to get an e-vignette for traveling in Europe in just a few clicks.

Photo: Freepik

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