# Mexican Driver's License



## Cebucats (Jun 30, 2011)

Buen dia,

I decided to start this thread in order to find out more from ALL of you on the requirements for a Mexican driver's license.

With as many expats there are in Mexico some of you probably have Mexican driver's license.

Please share your expediences and knowledge of the system and when you got your Mexican Driver's License.

Tell the rest of us, especially me, where you got it and what you had to do?

Is it only done in Spanish or is there an English version?

What are the costs in pesos or dollars?

What paper work is required?

What procedures took place and in what order?

I am hoping I will be able to get a Mexican driver's license when I get there.

I was able to get a Philippines driver's license by just taking a written test (in English), eye exam (with eyes in place he he), and drug test (in the cup) when I lived 10 years in the Philippines.

Well anyways, it is out their now so I look forward to your vast knowledge and the sharing of your expediences.

Muchas gracias (Maraming salamat sa inyo),

David


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## tepetapan (Sep 30, 2010)

To completely by pass answering any questions I would like to say that a valid U.S. driver´s license is accepted in Mexico. Giving you some time to bone up on Spanish and save some money.


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## anoutlaw (May 13, 2009)

I presented the following:

fm3
foreign license
utility bill
paid

no test or anything.


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## Cebucats (Jun 30, 2011)

tepetapan said:


> To completely by pass answering any questions I would like to say that a valid U.S. driver´s license is accepted in Mexico. Giving you some time to bone up on Spanish and save some money.


Understood. I have a valid USA driver's license but ... since I will not have an address any longer NOB after my transplant to Mexico, I will need to get a Mexican driver's license at some time soon after arrival.

I take it you only use your USA driver's license.

Is Spanish *required* for the Mexican driver's license?

Thank you for your input.

David

:focus:


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## Cebucats (Jun 30, 2011)

anoutlaw said:


> I presented the following:
> 
> fm3
> foreign license
> ...


Is it common for there not to be any test of any kind if one presents *ALL* that you listed?

What Mexican State and city were you in when you did this?

What office does one go to and is there an online (English version) official site for more information?

How much did you have to pay, including copies, etc.?

I would like more details. Thanks.

David


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Cebucats said:


> Is Spanish *required* for the Mexican driver's license?



I looked into getting a Mexican driver's license. Just planning ahead, my US one still has over a year before it expires. It looked to me like you would need to read Spanish pretty well to pass the written test. I suspect you wouldn't need to speak it much. My spanish is at an intermediate level and I manage to get by dealing with government offices without any help. Although I am probably inefficient, because I miss a some of the instructions due to my limited comprehension. I think it would be pretty easy to study and pass the written exam, but then my reading comprehension is way ahead of my spoken comprehension. Someone who has actually gone through the process could probably provide more information.


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## anoutlaw (May 13, 2009)

Cebucats said:


> Is it common for there not to be any test of any kind if one presents *ALL* that you listed?
> 
> What Mexican State and city were you in when you did this?
> 
> ...





Tamaulipas
Finanzas same place where you pay tenencia
around 400
Forgot that i needed alos passport and copies of everything

As far as I know, you dont need to take an exam if you already have a license from abroad. I had US license so they issued me the mexican one.

I did no medical checkup either.

Different states may have different rules. Go to local finanzas office and tell them you have a US drivers license and want to get the mexican one. They will give you more details


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## tepetapan (Sep 30, 2010)

I only have a US drivers license at the moment. I did, a couple years back, hear that if you present a valid drivers license they would issue you a Mexican License. I tried that but our local office said no because mine was going to expire in a month and that I would need to do the whole test, etc... Of course that was the whole reason I went there, because mine was going to expire. 
I was going NOB anyway to visit family so I just renewed on line and used my sister´s address. No worries for a couple years.
At the time I was unsure my Spanish was to the point where I could make it through the license process. Today I feel my Spanish would be sufficient and in a couple years even better.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

In DF:
Passport and visa
Form showing that you paid the fee at the bank
The usual proof of address (utility bill)
Copies of all the above.

No test in DF, whether you have previous driving experience or not. 
I don't know if it can be done in English, but I've never seen any English version of the process, so maybe not.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

There are 31 states in Mexico; each with its own laws and procedures for getting a state driving license. There is no such thing as a "Mexican driver's license".
In Jalisco, you will take a written test in Spanish, with a driving test only if you don't already have a current license.


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## Cebucats (Jun 30, 2011)

maesonna said:


> In DF:
> Passport and visa
> Form showing that you paid the fee at the bank
> The usual proof of address (utility bill)
> ...


Thanks for the information.

Where is DF?

David


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## tepetapan (Sep 30, 2010)

In my small town I have seen Driver´s Ed cars more than a couple times. I don´t know if "the blind leading the blind" applies but it is a bit scary.


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## Cebucats (Jun 30, 2011)

RVGRINGO said:


> There are 31 states in Mexico; each with its own laws and procedures for getting a state driving license. There is no such thing as a "Mexican driver's license".
> In Jalisco, you will take a written test in Spanish, with a driving test only if you don't already have a current license.


I was not aware of that. In the Philippines there is only one national driver's license even though there are over seven thousand islands and I'm not sure how many Providences.

Again, I've learned something new. I then imagine like NOB the driver's license from one Mexican state is good in the other.

I would still be interested in knowing what each Mexican state requires as that could impact my final decision as to were I retire to down there.

As a side thought, most USA states have a common thread as to the central requirements for a driver's license. The US Federal government seems to have laid out some "expected" common general requirements in order for an individual to obtain a driver's license and for each of the states to follow when issuing the driver's licenses.

Therefore it is not without reason for me to think a Mexican National driver's license existed or that specific common general requirements may prevail.

"Tell the rest of us, especially me, where you got it and what you had to do?

Is it only done in Spanish or is there an English version?

What are the costs in pesos or dollars?

What paper work is required?

What procedures took place and in what order?"

Thank you,

David


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## Cebucats (Jun 30, 2011)

tepetapan said:


> In my small town I have seen Driver´s Ed cars more than a couple times. I don´t know if "the blind leading the blind" applies but it is a bit scary.


Where was that again?

Did the learners look foreign?

Do you have your SOB (South Of the Boarder-not the other thing ) driver's license?

Thanks for the alert.

David


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Please don't assume anything will be done as it is in the USA, or anywhere else.
I sure wouldn't make my decision on residency based upon the requirements for a driver's license, as they are available in all states of Mexico. If you have a current license from elsewhere, it will be recognised; so there is no rush to get a new one until it is close to expiring. The costs are not high and the process is pretty straighforward, although it will be in Spanish; the language of the country. That said, you can find the laws online and translate them for study; as well as take a translator with you for the test; if you even have to take one. In many cases, the officers have been known to 'assist' with the test if you don't speak Spanish. So........relax!


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

DF is _Distrito Federal_; Federal District, essentially Mexico City.
The fee for the license is currently MXN 438.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

Cebucats said:


> I would still be interested in knowing what each Mexican state requires as that could impact my final decision as to were I retire to down there.


La Paz, Baja California Sur: I think I paid 400-some pesos for the original license, which is valid for three years. This was in 2007. I had two foreign licenses and didn't need to take a test, but they did require FM3 status or higher, proof of local address (utility bill), and proof of blood type. Apparently now they are requiring a medical certificate for drivers over 65. There's no English version of the process, but some foreigners bring along a Spanish-speaking friend or hire someone to help them out.

In BCS, your driver's license and plates are supposed to match unless you're driving a rental car: BCS license for BCS car, US license for US car, Nayarit license for Nayarit car, and so on. Registration, whether local or foreign, must be current. There are no temporary import permits as on the mainland.


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## Cebucats (Jun 30, 2011)

RVGRINGO said:


> Please don't assume anything will be done as it is in the USA, or anywhere else.
> I sure wouldn't make my decision on residency based upon the requirements for a driver's license, as they are available in all states of Mexico. If you have a current license from elsewhere, it will be recognised; so there is no rush to get a new one until it is close to expiring. The costs are not high and the process is pretty straighforward, although it will be in Spanish; the language of the country. That said, you can find the laws online and translate them for study; as well as take a translator with you for the test; if you even have to take one. In many cases, the officers have been known to 'assist' with the test if you don't speak Spanish. So........relax!


I do *NOT* "assume" that anything is done in one country as appose to another. That is why I started this thread!

The ease of getting a driver's license is only one factor in deciding where I might live. I certainly do not want to lose my independence because of not being able to drive. With my disability public transportation may not be suitable in a foreign country, as it was in the Philippines, or inexpensive enough for my budget.

Your insight into "you can find the laws online and translate them for study; as well as take a translator with you for the test; if you even have to take one. In many cases, the officers have been known to 'assist' with the test if you don't speak Spanish." is the kind of helpful useful information I am looking for with my thread.

It has been my expedience elsewhere that only folks who already live in the foreign country know that information. So *now* I can "relax" a bit more knowing what I have learned here.

But still I would like to know what happens in the other Mexican states.

You did not provide the online website and my Google searches have not been very useful.

All that said and done, I hope you will realize that I can not read minds and will only make a one way trip when, and if, I decide on Mexico.

I relate to my 10 plus years of expat experience only as a *base line* and for whatever degree it may help for compassion purposes. It also seems to have been helpful to others in their efforts to provide useful information to me.

When I lived in London for a month of research I spent six months preparing by communicating with a variety of folks there. I spent a year doing the same preparation for my life in KL, Malaysia, and then the Philippines. I hope you understand that some of us, especially me, prefer to ensure that the Intel is as complete as possible before putting my boots on the ground. I would never send folks into an area without as complete Intel as I could muster.

So again, I *thank you* and do find that you have a wealth of information you can share. I just ask that you show more patience and understanding of those of us seeking information and clarification. And not be so quick to dismiss me as if I should already know the answer ("the process is pretty straight forward").

Thank you and have a nice relaxing weekend...

David


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## Cebucats (Jun 30, 2011)

makaloco said:


> La Paz, Baja California Sur: I think I paid 400-some pesos for the original license, which is valid for three years. This was in 2007. I had two foreign licenses and didn't need to take a test, but they did require FM3 status or higher, proof of local address (utility bill), and proof of blood type. Apparently now they are requiring a medical certificate for drivers over 65. There's no English version of the process, but some foreigners bring along a Spanish-speaking friend or hire someone to help them out.
> 
> In BCS, your driver's license and plates are supposed to match unless you're driving a rental car: BCS license for BCS car, US license for US car, Nayarit license for Nayarit car, and so on. Registration, whether local or foreign, must be current. There are no temporary import permits as on the mainland.


Thank you very much makaloco. I found what you had to share very complete and beneficial. I will Google Earth your location so I might have a better picture of the area.

David


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## mejico (Jul 8, 2011)

State: Sonora

Cost: 497 pesos for 4 year license (or was it 597 pesos...one or the other, I forgot)

Test: Written, only available in Spanish

Requirements: 
1) fm3 visa
2) proof of address (CFE bill, CFE is the electric company for nearly all of Mexico)
3) passport
4) driver license certificate from Cruz Roja (the red cross, cost 100 pesos to obtain the certificate which consisted of an eye test), and 
5) certificate from the Municipal Police saying I had passed the written driving test
6) written application for driver's license, available online

You would need to either speak some Spanish, or hire a Spanish speaker to assist you. I gave a guy I know 200 pesos to come with in case I had language trouble, and I was glad I did that.

To find a particular state's requirements, google search "Ley Transito del Estado de ____" Just fill in the blank with the state you're interested in, such as "Sonora" or "Guerrero". After you read the section on "Licencias" be sure to keep reading for "en caso de extranjeros" (in the case of foreigners) to find the extra requirements for non Mexican citizens.

When people say "relax" it will work out, I know it's hard to trust that. You're trying to be completely prepared BEFORE making a jump here, and I get that. However, it really isn't a huge problem to get a license in Mexico, provided you speak some spanish. It can be as simple as just mentioning to a local that you're going to try to get one, but aren't confident in your Spanish skills. Most Mexicans will quickly mention they can help, or that they know a friend who will help. Be gracious, offer 15 or 20 dollars to the person, and it will work out. Use your judgment of course - don't just offer some drunken guy on the street 20 bucks to help get your license 

Good luck to you.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

*Communication*

Just a comment on Cebucats post about communication. After becoming a daily visitor here, I have found this a most congenial place to visit.

However, this media only allows us to use only a small amount of those communication techniques we would use in person or even on the phone. Actually, come to think about it, we can't even use those communication devices we would use in a hand written letter. All we have here are words and letters (oh, and those emoticons over to the right) and we are devoid of all the other tools we use in our IRL day-to-day intercourse.

And as we all come from different regions and even generations with different ways of communicating and using words, it takes some time to develop, if you will, a common lingo. 

:typing: So, yes, what we may want to say may not be how it appears when we type it, accept it as translation. It is hard just to use typed letters, there are no inflections, body language, tonality or such.

Just keep writing and we will all learn the lingo. :focus:


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## BK79 (Jul 27, 2011)

Here in Querétaro, the test is in Spanish, but you can have a friend with you to translate for you. I was told they use a simulator for the actual driving test.


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## Du Cooke (Jul 20, 2011)

Can I drive on a British driving lisense in mexico?


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