Speed limits in Spain

Spain has different speed limits for every kind of road and vehicle.

History of changes

There were no speed limits on Spanish motorways until a generic limit of was instated in 1973 in order to save fuel during the 1973 energy crisis. It was lowered to to prevent accidents, but raised again in 1992 to. Proposals to raise the speed limit to have so far been rejected.
In 2011 from 7 March through 30 June, in order to save fuel due to the ongoing Arab Spring, the maximum speed limit in Spain was reduced from to.
On 29 January 2019, the speed limit was reduced from to on single-lane rural roads.

Standard motorway speed limit

On Motorways and autovías:

for cars and motorbikes
for buses and vans
for trucks and vehicles with a trailer weighing or less
for vehicles with a trailer weighing more than

Bicycles and mopeds are not allowed to access a motorway, although only bicycles may ride on the shoulders of autovías.

Standard interurban rural roads speed limit

for cars, buses and motorbikes
for vans, trucks and vehicles with a trailer, or campers weighing more than
for bicycles and mopeds

Specific speed limits

On all non-urban roads and motorways, school buses and vehicles containing contaminant, explosive or flammable materials must decrease their speed limit by.
On motorways, a minimum speed limit of is mandatory for all vehicles. Minimum speeds on other roads are one half of the generic speed limit for every vehicle. If a posted speed limit sign is below this value, the minimum speed is the posted limit minus.
No legal sanction is established for driving at a measured speed within 3 to 10 percent over the speed limit, depending on the specific error margin of the radar.

Built-up areas

Built-up areas:

on urban roads with two lanes per direction
on urban roads with one lane per direction
on urban roads shared with pedestrians