UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported) February 1421, 2018

DRIVE AUTO RECEIVABLES TRUST 2018-1

(Exact Name of Issuing Entity as Specified in its Charter)

Commission File Number of Issuing Entity: 333-215494-04

Central Index Key Number of Issuing Entity: 0001728847

SANTANDER DRIVE AUTO RECEIVABLES LLC

(Exact Name of Depositor as Specified in its Charter)

Commission File Number of Depositor: 333-215494

Central Index Key Number of Depositor: 0001383094

SANTANDER CONSUMER USA INC.

(Exact Name of Sponsor as Specified in its Charter)

Central Index Key Number of Sponsor: 0001540151

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation of Registrant)

30-6589785

(Issuing Entity’s I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Santander Drive Auto Receivables LLC

1601 Elm Street, Suite 800

Dallas, Texas

75201

(Address of Principal Executive Offices of Registrant)

(Zip Code)

(214) 292-1930

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 81.01. ~~Other~~Entry ~~Events~~into a Material Definitive Agreement.

~~The~~Santander ~~Registrant~~Consumer isUSA ~~filing~~Inc. (“SC”) ~~the~~and ~~exhibits~~Santander ~~listed~~Drive inAuto ~~Item 9.01~~Receivables LLC (d“Santander Drive”) ~~below in~~entered ~~connection~~into ~~with~~a Purchase Agreement (the ~~issuance~~“Purchase Agreement”), dated as of ~~Class~~February ~~A-1~~21, ~~Auto~~2018 ~~Loan~~(the ~~Asset~~“Closing ~~Backed~~Date”), ~~Notes~~pursuant to which SC transferred to Santander Drive certain motor vehicle retail installment sales contracts and installment loans relating to certain new and used automobiles, light-duty trucks and vans (the “~~Class A~~Receivables”) and related property. Drive Auto Receivables Trust 2018-1 ~~Notes~~(the “Issuer”), a Delaware statutory trust, was established by a Trust Agreement, dated as of July 24, 2017, which was amended and restated by an Amended and Restated ~~Class~~Trust Agreement, dated as of December ~~A-2~~22, ~~Auto~~2017, ~~Loan~~which ~~Asset~~was ~~Backed~~amended ~~Notes~~and restated by a Second Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date (the “~~Class A-2~~Second ~~Notes~~Amended and Restated Trust Agreement”) by and between Santander Drive and Wells Fargo Delaware Trust Company, ~~Class~~ N.A-3., ~~Auto~~as ~~Loan~~owner trustee. On the Closing Date, the Issuer entered into a Sale and Servicing Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date (the “Sale and Servicing Agreement”), with Santander Drive, as seller, SC, as servicer, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as indenture trustee (the “Indenture Trustee”), pursuant to which the Receivables and related property were transferred to the Issuer and pursuant to which SC agreed to act as servicer for the Receivables. On the Closing Date, the Issuer, SC, as sponsor and servicer, and Clayton Fixed Income Services LLC, as asset representations reviewer, entered into an Asset ~~Backed~~Representations ~~Notes~~Review Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date (the “~~Class A-3~~Asset ~~Notes~~Representations Review Agreement”), relating to the review of certain representations relating to the Receivables after satisfaction of certain conditions. Also, on the Closing Date, the Issuer entered into an Indenture, dated as of the Closing Date (the “Indenture”), by and between the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee. Pursuant to the Indenture, ~~together~~the ~~with~~Issuer caused the issuance of the following notes: the Class A-1 ~~Notes~~1.91000% ~~and~~Auto Loan Asset Backed Notes, the Class A-2 2.23% Auto Loan Asset Backed Notes, the “ Class A-3 2.42% Auto Loan Asset Backed Notes”), the Class B 2.88% Auto Loan Asset Backed Notes, (the “Class BC 3.22% Auto Loan Asset Backed Notes~~”),~~ and the Class CD 3.81% Auto Loan Asset Backed Notes (collectively, the “~~Class C~~Publicly Registered Notes”) and the Class DE 5.09% Auto Loan Asset Backed Notes (the “Class DE Notes” and, ~~together~~collectively with the ~~Class A~~Publicly Registered Notes, ~~Class B~~the “Notes”). Also pursuant to the Indenture, the Issuer granted a security interest in the Receivables and ~~Class C~~other related property to secure the Notes. Also on the Closing Date, the Issuer, SC, as administrator, and the Indenture Trustee entered into an Administration Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date (the “Administration Agreement”), relating to the provision by SC of certain administration services on behalf of the Issuer relating to the Notes. The Publicly Registered Notes”) ~~and~~were ~~Class E~~sold ~~Auto~~to ~~Loan~~Wells ~~Asset~~Fargo ~~Backed~~Securities, ~~Notes~~LLC, byJ.P. ~~Drive~~Morgan ~~Auto~~Securities LLC, ~~Receivables~~Santander ~~Trust~~Investment ~~2018-1~~Securities ~~described~~Inc., inBNP Paribas Securities Corp., MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and SG Americas Securities, LLC (together, the ~~Prospectus~~“Underwriters”) pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated February 14, 2018, by and among SC, Santander Drive and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, on behalf of itself and as representative of the Underwriters. The Publicly Registered Notes have been registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), under a Registration Statement on Form SF-3 (Commission File No. 333-215494).

~~This~~Attached ~~Current~~as ~~Report~~Exhibit on4.1 ~~Form 8-K~~ is ~~being~~the ~~filed~~Indenture, inas ~~connection~~Exhibit ~~with~~10.1 ~~the~~is ~~issuance of~~ the ~~Publicly~~Purchase ~~Registered~~Agreement, ~~Notes~~as toExhibit ~~satisfy~~10.2 anis ~~undertaking~~the toSale ~~file~~and ~~unqualified~~Servicing ~~legality~~Agreement, ~~and~~as Exhibit ~~tax~~10.3 ~~opinions~~is at the ~~time~~Administration ofAgreement, ~~each~~as ~~takedown~~Exhibit ~~from the Registration Statement~~10.4 ~~Copies~~is of the ~~legality~~Second Amended and ~~tax~~Restated ~~opinions~~Trust ~~delivered~~Agreement byand ~~Mayer~~as ~~Brown~~Exhibit ~~LLP,~~10.5 ~~counsel~~is to the ~~Registrant,~~Asset inRepresentations ~~connection~~Review ~~with the issuance of the Publicly Registered Notes are attached hereto as Exhibits 5~~Agreement.1 ~~and 8.1, respectively.~~

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)

Not applicable.

(b)

Not applicable.

(c)

Not applicable.

(d)

Exhibits.

ExhibitNo.		Document Description
Exhibit No.		Document Description
5.1		Opinion of Mayer Brown LLP with respect to legality matters
4.1		Indenture, dated as of February 21, 2018, between the Issuer and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as indenture trustee (the “Indenture Trustee”).
8.1		Opinion of Mayer Brown LLP with respect to tax matters
10.1		Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 21, 2018, between SC and Santander Drive.
10.2		Sale and Servicing Agreement, dated as of February 21, 2018, among the Issuer, Santander Drive, SC and the Indenture Trustee.
10.3		Administration Agreement, dated as of February 21, 2018, among the Issuer, SC, as administrator, and the Indenture Trustee.
10.4		Second Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of February 21, 2018, between Santander Drive and Wells Fargo Delaware Trust Company, N.A., not in its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for the Issuer.
10.5		Asset Representations Review Agreement, dated as of February 21, 2018, among the Issuer, SC, as sponsor and servicer, and Clayton Fixed Income Services LLC, as asset representations reviewer.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

DRIVE 2018-1: Form 8-K re. Legality Opinion

and Federal Tax Opinion

February 16, 2018

SANTANDER DRIVE AUTO RECEIVABLES LLC

February 22, 2018

SANTANDER DRIVE AUTO RECEIVABLES LLC

/s/ Corey Henry

Corey Henry

Filing Compare · Drive Auto Receivables Trust 2018-1