Various autonomous communities offer financial aid to citizens on issues related to mobility. In previous information published on the Moveo channel we have reported on the subsidies that some regions offer to buy electric bicycles and scooters. We've also compiled places where public transportation or regulated parking is free at certain times of the year.
The promotion of micromobility and the use of public transport are not the only measures that are part of the communities' agenda when designing a subsidy plan regarding urban mobility. Some regions and provincial councils, such as Valladolid, have an aid plan in force aimed at young people to obtain a driving license.
This initiative is aimed at promoting the integration of young people into the world of work. Being in possession of the card significantly increases the chances of getting a job, since in many cases it is an essential condition to access the job offer.
Now, the average price to obtain a driving license exceeds one thousand euros - a 2019 OCU study placed it between 665 and 1,482 euros - an amount that many young people do not have. For this reason, several communities have opened a line of subsidies or loans aimed at this group to facilitate their job placement. The fundamental requirement is to reside in the places in Spain where aid is offered.
The Xunta de Galicia closed its last call for aid last October and has not yet launched the one corresponding to 2023. But the autonomous president, Alfonso Rueda, announced in the middle of last January that the Xunta is going to open a new line of subsidies to obtain a driving license. The same guidelines as last year will probably be followed. That is, offering young people between 18 and 30 years old aid of 400 euros for the B license (car), 650 euros for the C license (truck) and 1,300 euros for the D license (bus).
The amount of the income is cumulative, so if the same person requests help to obtain two or all three permits, the amounts are added. In the last edition, 761,000 euros were allocated, 80% co-financed by the European Social Fund, and 3,500 young people benefited. To access the benefit, it is essential to be registered in the National Youth Guarantee System within the autonomous community of Galicia.
The Cantabrian government, through the Department of Universities, Equality, Culture and Sports, allocated 100,000 euros last year to subsidize obtaining a driving license. The aid was aimed at young people between 18 and 30 years old and was 200 euros regardless of the type of card chosen. The 2022 call, which closed in the summer, subsidized all types of permits, from motorcycles to trailers.
The Provincial Council of Valladolid directs financial aid to obtain a driving license to a very specific group of the population. Women residing in municipalities of the province with less than 20,000 inhabitants are eligible for subsidies. The aid varies from a maximum of 400 euros to obtain a type B driving license for public transport service (taxi), a maximum of 700 euros for the general type B license (car), and up to 1,500 euros in aid for obtaining type C (trucks without weight limit) and D (public transport-bus service).
In addition to being registered in a municipality in the province of Valladolid with less than 20,000 inhabitants, women interested in obtaining aid must be between 18 and 60 years old. The budget allocated to this subsidy is 25,000 euros and the deadline to request it ends on June 30, 2023. To access the aid, the annual income of the family or cohabitation unit cannot exceed 16,210.56 euros, the equivalent twice the annual IPREM of 2022.
Unlike other official organizations that subsidize obtaining a license, La Rioja offers young people in the region interest-free loans to pay the amount of classes and Traffic fees to obtain a driver's license. The loans, managed through the Rioja Youth Institute, are aimed at young people between 18 and 30 years old who have resided in the Community for at least 5 years. In addition, it is required to be in possession of the Youth Card.
The amount of the loans varies depending on the type of card. For the type B license (cars and motorcycles up to 125 cc) it is a maximum of 2,000 euros and for professional driving licenses it is up to 3,000 euros. The maximum loan repayment period is 36 months.
