Basque Country assumes control of driver assessment centers: what changes in 2026

Key data

If you own or manage a medical driver assessment center or a road safety education center in the Basque Country, your administrative contact has changed. Royal Decree 602/2026, published and in force as of July 24, 2026, expands Basque autonomous competencies in traffic matters and transfers from the State Administration to the Basque Government the functions of authorization, inspection and sanctioning of these centers.

This transfer is based on the Basque Statute of Autonomy and the reform of the Traffic Law approved in 2023, which opened the door to expanding autonomous competencies in this matter. Royal Decree 602/2026 thus expands the initial transfer carried out by Royal Decree 3256/1982, of October 15.

What does this regulation establish?

Royal Decree 602/2026 transfers to the Basque Government the following functions, which until now corresponded to the State Administration (DGT):

A key aspect that does not change: registration in the national registry of centers continues to require coordination with the Provincial Traffic Authority. That is, the Basque Government manages authorization and control, but registration in the state registry maintains a coordination channel with the central administration.

Economic and operational impact

The most direct impact for affected centers is operational and administrative. The main changes they must assume are:

• Change of contact for authorizations: Applications for new authorization or renewal are no longer submitted to the DGT, but to the competent body of the Basque Government.
• Inspections under autonomous criteria: The protocols and inspection schedules will be set by the Basque Government, which may adapt them to its own development regulations.
• Autonomous sanctioning regime: Sanctions for non-compliance will be processed and imposed by the Basque administration.
• Fees to the Basque administration: Fees associated with authorizations, inspections and other procedures will be paid to the Basque Government, which will also collect them. The specific amounts of these fees will be determined by Basque autonomous regulations.

From the perspective of direct costs, Royal Decree 602/2026 does not set fee amounts: these will be established by the Basque Government in its development regulations. It is essential that affected centers pay attention to the provisions published by the Basque administration in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country (BOPV) to learn about the new applicable amounts.

Who does it affect?

• Centers for assessment of psychophysical aptitudes of drivers located in the Basque Country (medical centers authorized to issue aptitude reports for obtaining or renewing a driving license).
• Centers for awareness and road safety education based in the Basque Country (centers where driving license point recovery courses are conducted).
• Managers and owners of these centers who must renew authorizations, face inspections or pay administrative fees.
• Legal advisors and consultants who accompany these centers in their administrative procedures.

Centers located outside the Basque Country are not affected by this Royal Decree: their competencies continue to correspond to the DGT or other autonomous administrations with their own competencies.

Practical example

A medical driver assessment center based in Bilbao that must renew its authorization in September 2026 will no longer submit the application to the Provincial Traffic Authority of the Basque Country (dependent on the DGT). It must contact the competent department of the Basque Government, follow the procedure it establishes and pay the fees set by Basque autonomous regulations.

Similarly, if that center receives an inspection or a sanctioning file is opened against it, it will be the Basque administration that processes and resolves it, applying the autonomous sanctioning regime. The only management that maintains connection with the state administration is registration or updating data in the National registry of centers, for which coordination with the Provincial Traffic Authority will continue to be necessary.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if your center is affected: Check if your assessment or road safety education center is located in the Basque Country. If so, this change affects you as of July 24, 2026.
2. Update administrative contacts: Replace DGT or Provincial Traffic Authority contacts with those of the competent department of the Basque Government for future authorization, inspection and fee procedures.
3. Review the status of your authorizations: Check the expiration dates of your current authorizations and prepare renewal with the Basque Government if applicable in the coming months.
4. Monitor the BOPV: Monitor the Official Gazette of the Basque Country to learn about the development regulations that will set the new autonomous procedures, requirements and fees.
5. Maintain coordination with the Provincial Traffic Authority for everything related to registration or updating in the National registry of centers, which continues to require this channel.
6. Consult with a legal advisor if you have open files or ongoing procedures with the DGT: it is advisable to verify how the transfer affects procedures already initiated.

Official source

Consult complete regulations in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-16151