Legal driving and insurance.

pas

Member
Jun 7, 2004
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hello

so how long can i drive with a foriegn driver lincense nowadays...
stated by the law....??

used to be 90 days....by law...

greetings pascal
 

mido

Bronze
May 18, 2002
1,522
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38
hello

so how long can i drive with a foreign driver license nowadays...
stated by the law....??

used to be 90 days....by law...

greetings pascal

Laws are not enforced in this country. There are just opinions.
My opinion is that you can use your foreign drivers license legally for the time you are staying legally here as a non resident.
That is normally 30 days, can be extended at immigration offices.

I know people who don't have a drivers license at all and got away with it (even insurance claims) by paying off certain people. Others reside here legally and still get away with their foreign licenses. It all depends how much you are willing to pay in case of an accident.

Best advice is: Avoid problems and do everything as legal as you can...
 
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J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Laws are not enforced in this country. There are just opinions.
My opinion is that you can use your foreign drivers license legally for the time you are staying legally here as a non resident.
That is normally 30 days, can be extended at immigration offices.

I know people who don't have a drivers license at all and got away with it (even insurance claims) by paying off certain people. Others reside here legally and still get away with their foreign licenses. It all depends how much you are willing to pay in case of an accident.

Best advice is: Avoid problems and do everything as legal as you can...

While certainly not completely incorrect, I would deem suggesting that a foreigner may get away driving after an accident while driving illegally, to be bad advice. So yes,
Best advice is: Avoid problems and do everything as legal as you can...

Yes, laws are not often respected and many are those who get by or away with not adhering to them.
However, for a foreigner to willfully put him/herself into an "off side" position, where he/she, should anything happen, can then be made the scape goat and/or black mailed by the means of throwing him/her into jail for a little while, is, in my opinion, an ill faithed approach.
The law says that a foreigner with a valid foreign license is allowed to drive within the country for a period of 90 days after his/her initial arrival. After that, driving without a valid Dominican license would be illegal and no insurance would cover any incidents and liabilities and the driver then most likely be held in jail until he/she pays up... plus payouts, "fees", judgments, etc.

There have been many threads and post about this very subject recently and in the past.


... J-D.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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I believe you can maintain your legal status by paying a fee for the extra months at the Migracion office in Santo Domingo (Centro de los Heroes).
 

SteveS

Member
Apr 15, 2008
297
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hello

so how long can i drive with a foriegn driver lincense nowadays...
stated by the law....??

used to be 90 days....by law...

greetings pascal

This one has always gotten me, in order to get a licence you need residency, which can take up to a year, normally 3-6 months.

To apply for residency, you need to be in the country. And to stay in case they call your for an interview or require something from you.

The driving licence is only valid for 3 months from entry.

Therefore, you need to 'nip' out of the country every three months for up to a year in order to keep your DL in check. (im off again in 4 weeks to do the same.... Migracion have kicked out my residency again and requested another document, which need to be sent to the UK, the FCO, the Consulate blah blah......).

All a little disorganised dont we all think?!
 

pas

Member
Jun 7, 2004
330
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thanks for all the reply's...
that's what i thought...
90 days....that's all i wanted to know
thanks
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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I called my insurance broker Franco Acra and posed the question. To be double sure she called the Casa del Conductor, the privatized semi-government office where those who have accidents are privileged to go to if their insurance covers the service, and asked the legal expert there. Lenin Hernandez at Casa del Conductor told her that while foreign licenses are valid here for 90 days, if the person pays the fee at the Department of Migration the license to drive will continue to be in effect. He referred us to Law 241, Art. 30. He said that in the case of an accident, the person should go with passport and Migration paper proving the additional fee to remain legal was paid.

He says they deal with this all the time.

Nevertheless, I checked the law online and it actually says something different. It says the foreign license is only valid for 90 days.

What is good to know is that one can legally apply for a driver's license without having to get a residence. So one could actually get a license in less than a week -- it sends one to the Consulate of the country that issued the foreign license, then that probably has to be legalized, and then one gets to apply for the Dominican license. This is a procedure that does not seem to require a lawyer. One can do all the steps by oneself.

From talking to people, though, there seems to be a lot of ignorance regarding this topic. I believe that the person should take a copy of the law to the DGTT office when applying for the Dominican license.

On the other hand, from what the person at the Casa del Conductor tells us, apparently it is a practice to allow those who keep their legal status to drive. But to be extra safe and legal, would seem best to apply for the Dominican license is the way to go.

Art. 30.- Personas exentas del requisito de licencia.
a. Toda persona que est? debidamente autorizada para conducir un veh?culo
de motor en cualquier pa?s extranjero donde se exijan requisitos similares a
los establecidos por esta Ley para la concesi?n de licencias de conductor, y
que posea y lleve consigo una licencia autorizada y en vigor en dicho pa?s
extranjero, estar? autorizada para conducir tal tipo de veh?culos de motor en
la Rep?blica Dominicana, durante los primeros noventa (90) d?as desde su
arribo.

b. Toda persona que poseyere una licencia de conductor de las se?aladas en
el inciso anterior, podr? solicitar y obtener una licencia de conducir, sin
cumplir otro requisito que el pago de los derechos correspondientes,
presentando una certificaci?n del representante diplom?tico o consular del
pa?s de donde procede dicha licencia, acreditado en la Rep?blica
Dominicana, certificando que la referida licencia es v?lida, y un certificado
m?dico expedido seg?n se dispone en el inciso a) del art?culo 32.

To translate, what it is saying is that those with foreign licenses can drive for 90 days legally here. Then in (b) it says that anyone who has a foreign license can request a driver's license, without any other requisite but paying the fees for the license and presenting a certificate from the consul of the country where the license is from and with a certificate that the license is valid and with a medical certificate.

To read the law, see http://www.ottt.gob.do/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=RMQaUR9WHqQ=&tabid=64&mid=406
 
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bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
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Question

At one time the US consulate would not legalize US drivers licenses, has this changed?

I know most of Europe and Canada do but seem to remember something about the USA not
 

TOOBER_SDQ

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Nov 19, 2008
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An Inter-American Driving Permit (IADP) allows an individual to drive a private motor vehicle in another nation when accompanied by a valid license from their home country. Similar to the International Driving Permit, the IADP is used for countries in North, Central, and South America. It is used is association with the driver's personal license, and is not a license to operate a motor vehicle on its own.

So its a good idea to get one of these as I am sure an insurance company will honor it. DR recognizes both Inter-American and International Permits, while some other Latin American Countries only recognize the Inter-American Permit. Both are available from AAA for 15 US$ each. Follow the link.

International Driving Permit
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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I am sure an insurance company will honor it.

Personally, I wouldn't take the risk. This is not the USA or Europe, if they can wiggle out of it, they will.

Dolores is right, most Europeans etc with DR residency can easily obtain a DR license, you just need to get your license certified by your consulate, I did this with my UK license.

As far as I'm aware, the US consulate, will not certify licenses.

Related knowledgebase articles with all the info:

Can I drive under my foreign license? Can I get it validated?

How do I go about getting a Dominican license?
 

retiree

Bronze
Jan 18, 2008
978
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If a person with a foreign license "can request a driver's license without other requisite but paying the fees" and other certificates, then I do not understand this from the link that Robert posted:

"foreigners wishing to obtain a driver's license requires the following".......
#4 "a passport, valid for at least a year from the time of the application with RESIDENCY VISA OR WORK PERMIT OR CEDULA."

Therefore it appears that you cannot get a DR driver's license without one of the 3 listed above.
 

NotLurking

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Jul 21, 2003
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Robert, I don't know if the US consulate is certifying licenses now but in the year 2000 I got my New York State driver's license certified by the US consulate (ACS) in Santo Domingo. I don't remember what the the exact cost was then but it was close to US$30. The procedure was quick and easy. I remember that after I had my foreign license certified I took it to Cancilleria paid RD$600 to get the certification verified and stamped. I then took the eye exam, had my blood typed, paid ~RD$750 (I think) and walk out with my RD license in about 2 hours from 'Secretar?a de Estado de Obras P?blicas'.

If the US consulate in Santo Domingo is not currently handling driver's license certifications, I suppose the US driver's license can be certified in the US by the Dominican consulate there and the foreign drivers license exchanged here in DR.




Personally, I wouldn't take the risk. This is not the USA or Europe, if they can wiggle out of it, they will.

Dolores is right, most Europeans etc with DR residency can easily obtain a DR license, you just need to get your license certified by your consulate, I did this with my UK license.

As far as I'm aware, the US consulate, will not certify licenses.

Related knowledgebase articles with all the info:

Can I drive under my foreign license? Can I get it validated?

How do I go about getting a Dominican license?
 

NotLurking

Bronze
Jul 21, 2003
2,447
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If a person with a foreign license "can request a driver's license without other requisite but paying the fees" and other certificates, then I do not understand this from the link that Robert posted:

"foreigners wishing to obtain a driver's license requires the following".......
#4 "a passport, valid for at least a year from the time of the application with RESIDENCY VISA OR WORK PERMIT OR CEDULA."

Therefore it appears that you cannot get a DR driver's license without one of the 3 listed above.
Your are correct and I was going to post this info but you beat me to it.

Para Cambio de Origen (de licencia extranjera a nacional)
  • C?dula de Identidad Nacional como extranjero.
  • Certificaci?n de la embajada o consulado de su pa?s de origen sobre la validez de su licencia de conducir, debidamente legalizada en la Canciller?a Dominicana.
  • Examen de la vista realizado en las oficinas de la sede central de la DGTT y las regionales
  • Recibo del pago realizado en el Banco de Reservas por concepto de impuestos y servicios.
Source: Secretaria de Estado de Obras P?blicas y Comunicaciones
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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Official reply from the US Consulate: "We don't "validate" documents like passports and driver's licenses. The documents stand on their own."

Probably a letter from the US Consulate indicating that they do not validate documents can be obtained to justify not presenting the requested validation certificate.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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Position from the US Consulate:

"Legal residents here get documented as such, get a cedula, and can then get a DR license. People not applying for legal residence are supposedly here only on a temporary visa and likely have no need of a permanent drivers license here. As you noted, the U.S. license is good up to 90 days. If any amcits here plan to be here longer than 90 days in tourist/business status, they can always apply for the International Drivers Permit. That’s valid for a year and can be applied for again each year as need be."