New regulations for EU driving licences in Spain as of 19 January 2015, european foreign residents living Spain are obliged to renew their European licence, but this new law does not apply to all countries.

You are only allowed to have one driver's licence from an EU country, issued in the country where you are registered. If you move abroad to Spain you can keep the driver's licence as long as the period of validity. If you come from one country that have 15 years or unlimited validity you may need to change it directly or within two years from the date you been registered in Spain.

You can if you want on your own initiative change the driver's licence to a Spanish one. To replace it you need to fulfill the normal terms - age, state of health etc. Before the authorities replace it they contact the authorities in your country of origin to check that the driver's license isn't limited or withdrawn.

Permanent citizens' of Spain shall , when renewing the  driver's license,  go to the  DGT (La Dirección General de Traficó) to replace it to a Spanish one. This should be done in advance, before the expiration date runs out.

All driver's licences that are issued in EU or EEA shall remain valid under the conditions that they were issued in the country of origin and the legal age is the same as in Spain and that some requirements are fulfilled.

U.S. citizens need to apply for an International driver's licence. The International driver's licence translate your driver's license up to 20 languages but are not valid without your normal driver's licence. If you are and U.S citizen and want to move abroad you need to apply for a Spanish driver's licence and  pass the Spanish driving test as there is not an agreement between the US and Spain.

If you don't live in an EU or EEA-country you need to apply for a Spanish driver's licence or retake the test  in Spain. The process and the validity period depends of which country of origin you have. Check with the authorities in your country what the agreements are with Spain before you moving into your new country property in Spain.