The publication of Royal Decree Law 5/2023 has led to the liberalization of the driving license point recovery courses. This change has been made to comply with the judgment of the Contentious Chamber of the Supreme Court 301/2023 of March 9 that annuls the current concession contract as a system of organization of the formations on the grounds that it unjustifiably restricts competition and forces a change to an open authorization system. In this way, "we go from a closed system and with a fixed price to another less restrictive model that is the authorization, open and with a free price," says the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT).
The modification and application of the regulations was not well received by UTE Permiso por Puntos, the entity that was awarded the public tender for the management and delivery of the courses. This organization requested that there be a transitional period. But, initially, it was not established and, therefore, it announced that as of July 19 it would stop teaching these courses.
To avoid this situation, which would prevent many drivers from recovering points, Tráfico has enabled the UTE Permiso por Puntos to continue giving awareness and road re-education courses under the same conditions as the current ones during a transitional period that ends on September 24. The goal is "to be able to make a smooth and calm transition." In addition, drivers will not be affected either, since the service will not be interrupted.
With the new model, there is a change from a closed system of monopoly at a fixed price to one of open authorization and at a free price. Thus, driving schools that meet a series of requirements can sign up for a platform that Tráfico has created on its website to teach points recovery courses. Before there were only 360 concessionaires that taught (in the DGT area) of the 6,448 that there are in total.
