Overview
- Real Decreto 518/2026 takes effect on 1 October 2026 and introduces a mix of measures that apply immediately, items with transitional grace periods, and rules that await technical specifications from the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT).
- Motorcyclists must wear closed footwear that covers the whole foot and carry a high-visibility vest, protective gloves will become mandatory on interurban roads once technical specs are set, and moped riders will have a one-year transitional period to meet new helmet requirements; in signposted congested stretches bikes may use the right shoulder in single file at up to 30 km/h.
- Users of vehicles of personal mobility (VMP) face a minimum driving age of 15 and mandatory helmet use, new safety and visibility demands to be defined by the DGT, and a blanket ban from motorways, dual carriageways, interurban roads and urban tunnels except where specific cycle-route exceptions apply.
- Bicycle rules prioritize carriageway use when no dedicated lane exists, encourage riding centered in the lane when safe, let municipalities permit two-way cycling on single-lane streets limited to 30 km/h with signage, and require drivers to change lanes fully to overtake cyclists while keeping a 1.5‑metre lateral margin and lowering speed by at least 20 km/h outside urban areas.
- On motorways and autovías drivers must form an emergency corridor for services when traffic is stopped or nearly stopped—with two lanes per direction the corridor runs through the middle and with three or more it sits between the left lane and its neighbor—and authorities will roll out signage and enforcement as technical and local rules are finalized.