Using a 5 digit pin in Spain for credit and debit cards

Earlier thread on this subject (April 2016).

My interpretation: There's a lot of fog out there. To be safe, I'd change my PIN to a 4-digit number, just because it's discombobulating when your ATM card doesn't work in Europe, and changing the PIN should be very simple. Whether it is necessary, I have no idea.

I strongly suspect the "4-digit PIN" story is an urban myth, or something that no longer applies. European banks (including mine) issue 6-digit PINs to their customers, which obviously work, including in Spain.
Of course there may be some incompatibility between North American cards and European Machines such that they only work with 4-digit PINs. I have never seen any official statement (for example from a bank) that you must have shorter PIN's, just lots of hand-me-down stories.

At the end of the day, it is no problem to change your PIN, then you are 100% safe.

The debit card I now use has a 4-digit PIN, but for many years the one I used had a 6-digit PIN and it worked fine.

It is a myth, or at least a hold-over from decades ago. You enter your PIN and the machine processes it.

There is also a myth (or old hold-over) that your PIN cannot start with a 0 (zero).

Honestly, RS needs to remove that language from his guidebooks.

Be warned that Spanish ATMs often will try to get you to use DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion). That means they "convert" the amount into your home currency, seemingly as a convenience to you. But that allows them to set the exchange rate, and they use it to make a profit. Many merchants and restaurants in Spain (and increasingly throughout Europe) do it to. You should always deny the request or insist on transactions in euro.

Good catch, Douglas. It didn't register with me that this inquiry was about Spain.

Even more frequently in the cities I visited last year: Many Spanish ATMs now charge withdrawal fees. At least those are disclosed very early in the transaction, so you can just walk away quickly and find another ATM.

I found some ATMs with flat fees, typically 5 euros, and others that seemed to be percentage-based. It was my impression that all ATMs of the same bank have the same policy, but I typically try to avoid ATMs in extraordinarily touristy locations, so they may be different.

I should have kept a list of the fee-free ATMs I used, but of course I did not and now do not remember, except that (as of last summer) Santander Bank ATMs did not have fees.

"Be warned that Spanish ATMs often will try to get you to use DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion). That means they "convert" the amount into your home currency, seemingly as a convenience to you."

That's not only true now in Spain but in many countries in Europe, not only at ATM's but also in hotels and other places. I found that to be the case when I was in Portugal several months ago. It's becoming more common and something that travellers should be aware of.

Many Spanish ATMs now charge withdrawal fees.

Does anyone know if this is starting to become the case elsewhere in Europe?

In another current thread someone reported seeing it elsewhere, I think in Italy. I'm sure it will spread to some degree and may be worse in highly touristy cities and areas. It seemed more pervasive in Barcelona than elsewhere in Spain (I didn't get to Andalucía).

There are US institutions that, at least as of now, will rebate to their customers fees charged by ATMs. Out of courtesy to my credit union and its other members, I avoid using fee-charging ATMs when I'm overseas, but it doesn't have to be an out-of-pocket expense for the traveler.

"Many Spanish ATMs now charge withdrawal fees.
- Does anyone know if this is starting to become the case elsewhere in Europe?"

It does seem to be - here's a thread about it happening in Italy: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/budget-tips/italy-atm-s

As pointed out on that thread, US ATM's have been doing this for years; in a way, it's surprising that it took this long for European ATM's to do it.

Back to the original question. Last year, 2016, we were advised by a major, world-wide, bank to change our ATM pin from 6 digits to 4. The question is, will an ATM/debit card issued by a US bank, with a 6 digit pin, work in Spain?