The Green Card (Carta Verde) for Cars in Spain: Do You Still Need One?
Since August 2021, UK drivers no longer need a Green Card to drive in Spain or the EU. Here is what the carta verde actually is, where to find its number, and the handful of countries that still require it.
There is a lot of out-of-date advice online telling British drivers they need a Green Card (in Spanish, carta verde) to drive in Spain after Brexit. They do not. The requirement was scrapped on 2 August 2021, when the EU confirmed that UK-issued motor insurance is recognised across the EU and EEA without one. The Green Card still exists — but only matters for a short list of countries outside Europe. This guide explains what the document is, where to find its number, and exactly when you do and do not need it.
Green card / carta verde at a glance
- What it is: the Certificado Internacional de Seguro — international proof that your car carries compulsory third-party liability cover abroad.
- Driving in Spain or the EU? No Green Card needed since 2 August 2021, for UK-registered and EU-registered vehicles alike.
- Still required for about a dozen non-EEA countries (Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Israel and others).
- Your card number is in box 4 of the certificate, in the format country code / insurer code / number (for example, E/0134/456789012).
- How to get one: free from your insurer on request; valid from 15 days up to one year.
What is the Green Card (carta verde)?
The Green Card — officially the Certificado Internacional de Seguro (International Motor Insurance Certificate) — is internationally recognised proof that a vehicle carries at least the compulsory third-party liability cover required in the country it is visiting. It is part of the Green Card System, a long-standing arrangement between national insurers' bureaux that lets a foreign-registered car be recognised abroad without buying local cover at the border. Despite the name, modern cards are usually printed on plain white paper, so you may also hear it called the "white card".
Post-Brexit: driving in Spain and the EU
This is where most of the confusion sits. In the months after Brexit there was genuine uncertainty, and for a short period UK insurers did issue Green Cards for the EU. That ended on 2 August 2021, when the European Commission confirmed that the UK remained inside the Green-Card-free zone. The practical result for a British driver today:
- You do NOT need a Green Card to drive in Spain, or anywhere else in the EU/EEA, in a UK-registered car.
- The same applies in reverse — a Spanish-registered car needs no Green Card to visit the UK.
- Your existing UK motor policy automatically provides at least the third-party cover legally required across the EU. (It does not automatically extend your comprehensive cover abroad — see the warning below.)
Driving a UK-registered car in Spain: what you actually carry
For a visit in a UK-plated vehicle, leave the Green Card worry behind and carry these instead:
- A full, valid UK driving licence (no International Driving Permit is needed for Spain with a UK photocard licence).
- Your V5C logbook (vehicle registration document).
- Proof of valid motor insurance, and confirmation from your insurer of the cover level that applies abroad.
- A UK identifier sticker (unless your number plate already shows the UK identifier), plus the standard kit: warning triangle(s) and a reflective jacket.
One 2026 point that often gets muddled with the Green Card question: the new V16 connected emergency beacon that replaces warning triangles from January 2026 applies to Spanish-registered vehicles. A visiting UK-plated car can still rely on a warning triangle. We cover the rules in full on our V16 emergency beacon guide.
If you are bringing a car to Spain longer term, see our temporary import car insurance page and the UK-to-Spain car insurance guide.
When you DO still need a Green Card
The Green Card remains the proof of cover for travel to countries outside the European green-card-free zone. The list of countries where it is still required (and recognised) includes:
Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, Israel, Morocco, Moldova, North Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia.
So if you plan to drive into Morocco from southern Spain, or tour through Turkey, you will need a Green Card from your insurer that lists those countries. Note that for several countries on the list — Russia, Belarus, Iran and Ukraine in particular — travel is heavily restricted or inadvisable for other reasons, so always check current government travel advice before relying on motor cover.
Where to find your Green Card number
If a form, a border official or a foreign insurer asks for your número de carta verde, it is printed in box 4 of the certificate. The number follows a standard international format:
| Part | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Country code | The issuing country (E = Spain, GB = United Kingdom) | E |
| Insurer code | A code identifying your insurance company | 0134 |
| Certificate number | Your individual policy/certificate reference | 456789012 |
Put together it reads something like E/0134/456789012. The card also shows the vehicle registration, the cover period and the list of countries for which it is valid.
How to get a Green Card
A Green Card is issued free by your own motor insurer — you do not buy it as a separate product. Request it before you travel:
- Ask in advance — allow a few working days. You cannot obtain cover at the border, so do not leave it to the last minute.
- Validity runs from a minimum of 15 days to a maximum of one year; you specify the dates of your trip.
- Check the country list printed on the card actually covers your destination.
- Carry the original in the vehicle alongside your other documents.
If you hold a Generali policy through us, just ask and we will arrange the carta verde for your trip.
Spanish-registered cars travelling abroad
If you are a resident with a Spanish-plated car, the same logic applies in reverse. Within the EU/EEA and the green-card-free zone you need nothing extra — your Spanish policy and number plate are recognised. For a trip to one of the non-EEA countries listed above, request a carta verde from your Spanish insurer before you go. Your Spanish motor policy already includes the compulsory liability cover; the Green Card simply travels with it as international proof.
Driving in or to Spain? Get your cover right
Whether you are visiting in a UK car, importing one, or insuring a Spanish-plated vehicle, we will set up the right Generali cover and arrange a Green Card if your trip needs one — all explained in English. Authorised exclusive Generali agents in Jávea.
Get a free quote → Car insurance in SpainFrequently asked questions
No. Since 2 August 2021, UK drivers do not need a Green Card to drive in Spain or anywhere in the EU/EEA. Your UK motor policy automatically provides the compulsory third-party cover required. Just carry your licence, V5C and proof of insurance.
The carta verde, or Green Card, is the Certificado Internacional de Seguro — international proof that your vehicle carries the compulsory third-party liability insurance required in the country you are visiting. It is part of the international Green Card System between national insurers' bureaux.
It is in box 4 of the certificate, in the format country code / insurer code / number — for example E/0134/456789012, where E is Spain (GB for the UK), the second block identifies your insurer, and the last is your certificate reference.
Countries outside the European green-card-free zone, including Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, Israel, Morocco, Moldova, North Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia. If you plan to drive to one of these — for example Morocco from southern Spain — request a Green Card from your insurer first, and check current travel advice.
Nothing — your insurer issues it free on request. It is not a separate insurance product; it is international proof of the cover you already hold. Allow a few working days to obtain it, as you cannot get cover at the border.
It provides at least the compulsory third-party cover required across the EU, with no Green Card needed. However, your comprehensive (own-damage) cover may reduce to third-party only after a set number of days abroad. Always confirm the level and duration with your insurer — and if you live in Spain, switch to a Spanish policy.
Between a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of one year. You tell your insurer the dates of your trip and they issue the card for that period, listing the countries it covers.
Yes. If you hold a Generali motor policy through us and you are travelling somewhere that still requires a Green Card, just ask and we will arrange it — and confirm how your cover applies abroad. Call 966 461 625 or use our contact page.
Sources & references: European Commission confirmation that the UK remains in the Green-Card-free zone (effective 2 August 2021); Council of Bureaux / international Green Card System; UNESPA and Spanish insurer guidance on the Certificado Internacional de Seguro (carta verde), its format and validity. Country lists and cross-border rules change — always confirm current requirements with your insurer and check government travel advice before driving abroad. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice.