International Drivers License

Welcome to the forums. Your license will only be good for 30 days. The only way to renew that is to leave the country and re enter on a new 30 day tourist visa.

Hi Chad,

Been fighting the same problem. Looked at many ways to work through ths but 30 days seems the limit unless you're a resident. Good luck!

Hi Chad,

I'll PM you.

Thank you for your quick response. That doesn't sound convenient. Hopefully their is an alternative way for me to qualify for temporary residency so I can obtain a drivers license locally. This is probably out to lunch but just curious if it would be feasible to hire a driver.

Mike if you have any other suggestions on how to drive beyond 30 please let me know as well. Even if we apply for residency it seems like it would be months before we could drive here.

We will be renting a car at the Santiago airport (I know, that's crazy but hobby did it!)
Can we drive with US driver's license down there?

For 30 days only on  your tourist visa. Once you have residencia you can then apply for your Dominican license.

That could be doable

Understand from time of application for residency you are looking at 3 to 9 months for the process!

This has been a little bit of a stress point for me; however, the Dominican police almost never ask for your passport and I purposely don't carry mine when I drive.  I have been stopped at least 20 times by police over past 3 years.  I now carry a fake camera on my dash plus use my cell phone; that almost always wraps things up quickly.  I have been ticketed for 1. no seat belt, 2. expired registration (I thought it was 12 months vs Jan 1) 3. and 4. some made up traffic infraction 5. 'warned' for more than 90-days in country and driving (but got out of it).  Of the 20 times being stopped, only once have I been asked to show proof of entry date.  Most cops don't care.  If you do get a ticket, they are only about $20 bucks and you pay at bank, which ends up being super easy and then you need to drop off proof at AMET offices, which is only headache.  I did order an International Drivers License to see if that would solve the 90-day question, but haven't been stopped with it.  I gladly pay the overstay fee when leaving airport and never have an issue there.  Worst case if I ran into sticker situation, I would fly out of DR and back on cheapest flight I could find.  My experience is with Santiago; I have been to Santo Domingo but never have been stopped.

First of all there is no 90 day. It is  30 days. Period.

your issue is NOT when you get stopped by the police. Anyone can get out of that and hardly anyone travels with their passport.

Again, the issue is when there is an accident. Your insurance is HIGHLY LIKELY TO ASK FOR YOUR PROOF of entry if you are driving on a foreign license. Don't have proof then you are DRIVING ILLEGALLY and your insurance will NOT BE VALID.  Seriously hurt someone even it if it is NOT your fault,  driving illegally it is NOW YOUR FAULT!!!!

So,  you decide. Take the risk!!!  But do NOT come back here and complain or ask for help if it happens.

We have been very very clear.  The law is VERY VERY  CLEAR.

Hcharle7 - that post was NOT directed specifically at you.  WE have had endless conversation and discussion on this point.  I was being really clear.

I did not mean to direct that at you and realize it might appear that way!!!!

The laws here are very clear but open widely for interpretation and corruption and are weakly enforced at best.  In the end, it's only about money.  Insurance issues seldom result in jail time and money issues are not easily enforced regardless of who is supposed to do the paying.  This unfortunately, is a broken country and all of the do's and don't's of a first world country don't apply here.  There are no black and white answers and every case will end differently.  Don't like the odds, stay out of the country.  My humble opinion...

Yes you can drive for years & & skate clean, but if you have an accident, it is YOUR ASS is in the fire.  Many people risk it , however the the possible outcome can be devastation to your life here. I say, don't do it, the resulting pain ain't worth it.

Exactly Mike,  insurance companies look for reasons NOT to pay out.  An invalid license is perfect excuse. And its fair and reasonable.  IF your license is not legal then you should not be driving.

Do I agree with them NOT accepting an international license? HELL NO.  A Dominican License is not worth the plastic used to make it.

No problems. Regarding the 30 days vs 90 days; everything I find online states foreign licenses is good for 90 days.  Is the 30 days based on the expired tourist visa?  Also, my car is registered in Dominican and has Dominican insurance coverage.  Are you referring to non-coverage by US insurance or by Dominican insurance?

I tend to agree; for better or worse, a small amount of cash covers a multitude of sins in DR.

Trying to save someone from a personal hell can never be overstated ! It's all about the lack of recourse.
P.S. I always travel with my passport before light in the early morning due to the check points trying to get into the city of Santiago , P.N. with machine guns makes me less articulate.