Identify the road, vehicle and signals before recalling a number. This reference concerns a passenger car without a trailer in Spain. Do not apply its numbers to vans, vehicles towing trailers or other vehicle types.
General limits for that car
| Situation, without a specific sign changing the limit | General maximum |
|---|---|
| Motorway or autovía outside a built-up area | 120 km/h |
| Conventional road outside a built-up area | 90 km/h |
| Unpaved road outside a built-up area | 30 km/h |
| Urban street with carriageway and pavement on one shared level | 20 km/h |
| Urban road with one lane per direction | 30 km/h |
| Urban road with at least two lanes per direction | 50 km/h |
| Through-road across a built-up area, or travesía | 50 km/h |
| Motorway or autovía within a built-up area | 80 km/h |
This is a summary, not every exception. On a conventional road with physically separated directions, the road authority can set 100 for vehicles specified in article 48. Exceptionally, an urban road with one lane per direction can have a signed municipal limit up to 50. Check articles 48 and 50 and the actual signs.
An extra lane may not change the limit
Lanes reserved for specified users or public transport do not count towards these urban limits. In A, adding a bus lane does not turn the ordinary road into two counted lanes per direction. B does have two ordinary lanes each way. Both drawings assume no specific sign changes the limit.
Signs, vehicles and conditions
An 80 sign on a motorway limits that section: the general 120 maximum does not override it. Nor does a sign permit exceeding a lower vehicle-specific limit.
A legal maximum is not always safe. Rain, visibility or a queue may require a lower speed so you can stop safely. Article 45 requires taking those conditions into account.
Two common traps
Can a passenger car add 20 km/h when overtaking on a conventional road? No. The old article 51 exception was repealed; do not add that allowance to the permitted maximum.
Drawing A has two lanes in your direction. Is it automatically 50? No. The reserved bus lane does not count in this calculation; the example's general limit is 30.
Put the number in context
Describe the road and lanes, then the vehicle and sign. Choose the maximum only after those checks, and assess whether safety requires going slower.
Connect this guide with road signs, priority and original scenarios. Open speed and distance lessons.
Official sources
Sources checked on October 11, 2026. Check the official links for later changes.
