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Driving license in Chile

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Armand

Hi all,

Can a foreigner take the driving test in Chile?

What are the formalities to get a driverÂ’s licence in Chile?

Do you need special or extra documents being an expatriate?

How much does it cost?

Thank you for participating ;).

Armand

dmartin336

Requirements to obtain a Chilean may vary a bit from one city/comunidad to another and prices charged may also vary so look on the web in your area of residence for "licensia de conducir" ...but for the most part the steps are similar--these posted here are for Las Condes:

BEFORE YOU EVEN START:
1. Have your graduation diploma (minimum requirement is an 8th grade/basic education) FIRST notarized/stamped and authenticated by your home consulate THEN have it notarized in Spanish by a Chilean notary (the specific requirement is to have a translated copy..but my daughter was successful in just having the notary stamp the original.
2. Have a utility (Cable does not count) bill or rental agreement that indicates you are residing in the community in which you are getting your license-that use to need to be verified by the Carbineros.  This may now be brought directly to communidad's office: the Las Condes office is found on Pres. Riesco  the corner of Alonso Cordoba and Pres. Riesco just outside of Parque Riesco and across from Cafe Melba

Then once your paper work is in order you will pay to take the test that is offered to you on an antique computer. The test is in Spanish (Duh...though some people in the more heavily gringo populated areas a few years ago were able to take it with a translator-no more). There are about 275 total possible questions asked throughout Chile (all questions are the same). You will be asked to answer about 60. You may practice the test online here (your communidad website will also have examples of the test.) If you want to download a paper copy go here

Once you pass that, then you go on to two mechanical eye hand coordination exams and one  visual/reaction test - the first requires you to take an elongated pincer and "drive" a compass point along a line representing a road without going outside the lines- much like the children's game "Operation". Then you have something similar to the "wack-a-mole" game where you must insert a pen in a hole that appears while a crestent shape platform whirls about in a circle. The last test is to press with your foot on either the accelerator or brake depending on whether you see a red or green light in an ocular-like machine. You MUST SLAM your foot on the peddles ...do NOT ease into it. And now you know why they all drive the way they do here.

Your last exam will be a friendly chat with the friendly retired doctor who will chat with you in Spanish about all your medical history and your personal beliefs in an effort to determine if you are medically and psychologically fit to drive in Chile. Whatever you do if he asks you if you have had a surgery...the answer is no. Key here is to always smile. My chat included listening to him politely as he shared all HIS life story while living in the USA.

Your license will be valid as long as your residency permit (or if you are an unemployed spouse of an employee working here...as long as HIS Rut card/residency is valid).
Your license number will then be the same as your RUT

Harmonie

:one

dmartin336

as a PS in case you do not have any bills in your name or are not on the rental agreement. You will need someone to vouch that you are indeed living somewhere in Chile. That person will need to make a notarized statement to the effect and come with you to the Communidad Office.

ealvesjr

I have written a guide on that. Check it out: /en/guide/south-am … chile.html

Sanders83

Some take their first driving license in argentina and then they validate in Chile, that's what Ive heard from some expats livin in cl

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