How to get a Mexican drivers license on a Temporary Resident permit

If you want to travel to all the best places to visit in Mexico a Mexican drivers license will give you so much more freedom. You cannot use your home drivers license when you are staying In Mexico on a temporary resident visa, only on a tourist visa you are allowed to use your local drivers license for no longer than 30 days.

I was the proud owner of a Filipino drivers license. I do not have a Dutch drivers license. So my experience of getting a license might be different from yours, but it is my good guess that the process and paperwork needed is about the same.

In the United States of Mexico every state has its own rules and regulations and prices. So the information written down here is for the State of Quintana Roo, which has quite a reputations when it comes to tourists and tourist prices. For the drivers license it is no different.

Will other States give you a license for the duration of your stay in Mexico, in Quintana Roo you get it for 1 year maximum and have to pay the higher fees every year.

Quintana Roo holds two cards, one for cars and one for motorcycles. I purchased a Motorcycle license.

The list of documents required:

• Passport and copy
• your resident card and copy of both front and back
• proof of address not older than 2 months, like a utility bill or bankstatement (it does not have to be in your name)
• previous drivers license of you have one
• blood type
• 2 small photos, (white background, ears visible, no head wear no glasses) if you tell the photographer what it is for he will know exactly what you need. (In some offices they take the photo at the registration desk)

Some offices may require a birth certificate, but usually that is for nationals only.

The test that you have to pass, is based on the Regulation of Transportation of the Government of the State

You have to visit the local Transito Office, usually you find those in or next to the police station.

This is the procedure:

• Your data will be registered by an officer
• Make your payment (locals pay under 400 MXN for either 2 or 5 years, temporary residents in Quintana Roo pay 800MXN for one year only!!)
• take an eye exam
• make the written test (there is an English test available if you ask for it)
• pass the drivers test

if you pass both tests you move to the final desk

• hand over your documents
• get fingerprinted
• give a digital signature
• check your data

you wait a few minutes and your license is ready.

Please note: If you hate long lines and are confused about all this because your Spanish isn’t that good yet,  you can get help from others to see you through the process. I went to a local Escuela de Maneja and they helped me to get through the process without any hiccups.

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