Driving regulation

I agree with you 100%.   As foreign guests in this country we should abide by the laws.

I mean,I found this advise here,in Expat /The Dominican Republique Guide/Driver's licence.

I  will have it looked at honey, thank you!   WE should not be advising that. Stating what is normal is one thing advising is something else.

Most any sort of traffic laws don't really matter.  Even if you're obeying all laws, they still often stop you for shakedowns, so not point obeying the the laws if they shake you down anyway.

As foreigners in the Dominican Republic we have an outstanding view upon life as to what is right and what is wrong.  Absolutely necessary in our\your country but it doesn't exist here!  The only thing that exists here, the one and only golden law is "it depends"!  Once you understand it, you will understand the Dominican Republic.

Really quite simple...

Question to verify what I was told stateside. Can we legally drive in DR on a valid, US  issued license, for 30 days at a time?

Yes as a "visitor" your US license will work for 30 days.

Bob K

Yes for 30 days on a visitor or tourist visa your status is legal thus your international license is valid.

Understood on the 30 days for those arriving on a tourist card because beyond that the foreigner has no legal status in the country, but the question remains to be confirmed, that can you drive for a period of 90 days after arrival on an approved foreign license if you have a legal status (residency, residency visa, work permit or student visa or indeed 60 day tourist card) and your visa or residency has not expired?

This makes absolute sense for new resident applications too.

This is based up ley 241-67 articulo 30:

Artículo30.- Personas exentas del requisito de licencia.
a) Toda persona que este debidamente autorizada para conducir un vehículo de motor en cualquier
país extranjero donde se exijan requisitos similares a los establecidos por esta ley para la concesión
de Licencias de Conductor, y que posea y lleve consigo una Licencia y en vigor en
dicho país extranjero, estará autorizada para conducir tal tipo de vehículos de
motor en la República Dominicana, durante los primeros noventa (90) días desde su arribo.

Can this be confirmed?

Also in the case of ChristieE and others, can they extend their tourist card stay as DGM procedures whilst here and make full use of the 90 day allowance as above as below?:

https://www.migracion.gob.do/Menu/Index/21

This can be translated by clicking 'english' in the top right corner.

Again let's muddy the waters!!!

You all wanna drive when your status is illegal then go right ahead and drive.

You pay the price!

planner wrote:

Again let's muddy the waters!!!

Far from it.

ChristieE wants a solution to her dilemma as post above to avoid driving illeagally.

And so do those expats taking up residency for the first time arriving here on residency visas without cedula. It could take up to 45 days after receiving cedula to get a DR full driving license.

If both can get a legal status and drive legally for 90 days as a result this solves many problems, so surely it is not a matter of muddying the waters but rather a must know answer.

A bit of research finds that work permit and student visa holders can get a DR driving license through a defined procedure and so drive legally, so why not follow this question through?

The OP and subsequent posters questions were answered quite clearly.

We won't have visits of over 30 days for quite some time. So, my problem is solved.

I might draw up a rental agreement between Robert's father who is a citizen and owns the car, and us just to cover the bases.

You are allowed to drive with you own licence up to 90 day but no more , if you enter an staying legal,(but no more)regardless of your immigtaion status ( tourist,applying for residence etc... )

that's it!

For expats it is worth noting that in the past few days, some regulations in respect of the recent transport law have been approved and this includes an ITV (vehicle technical inspection), tougher rules for obtaining a driving license, a penalty points system for driving infractions, driving instruction and training/re-training, driving school regulation and physical requirements to drive.

https://www.intrant.gob.do/index.php/no … el-intrant

It all seems basic stuff for many expats, and for those of us who live here one wonders if these or indeed any rules will ever get applied properly. But things slowly seem to be happening in the capital at least, so be aware.

I suspect we will see a tougher approach to driving licenses over the coming months and it would be a dream to see some of these damaged and non-roadworthy vehicles pulled from the road.

So if it is in your planning to obtain a Dominican driving license, it might be in your interests to bring that process forward.

And what is interesting is of course there is no plan to manage or implement these changes!  Just another set of "rules" to send out to the universe.....

For those expats owning and driving vehicles in DR, you should be aware of a new regulation which comes into effect in just under two months in relation to tyres on vehicles:

http://hoy.com.do/atencion-conductores- … rculacion/

The use of used tyres is common place in the country and you will see many vehicles with little or no tyre tread. It has been a factor in accidents and it appears there is now an intent to do something about this.

The eye watering point is the fine; one year's annual salary. Now midful that the minimum salary is now going up after the Presidenst's Independence Day address, that is  a lot of money.

On the same theme, traffic fines are generally tied to minimum salary so there are big increases here too.

My observation has been that they focus heavily on each new regulation after announcing it. They fined neumerous truck owners for driving in the outside lane when first announced, and now the message seems to have been heeded and yesterday it was apparent that trucks were not using the outside lane on Las Americas and 30 de Mayo at least.

They do a money grab then the rules apply heavily to expats, tourists and  high value vehicles.

And yes, thank you for sharing this. I didn't even think of it.

Indeed if the fines stay based upon minimum salary:

$200 (10,000 pesos, 1 salario)) typically for each traffic violation could be costly!

$1,000 ( 5 salarios) for operating as a taxi or public transport without proper license!

$200 for each faulty tyre or broken light or is it twelve times minimum salary / one year for tyre infractions as mentioned in new regulation?

$200 for not having your first aid kit, reflective vest, triangle and fire extinguisher

$200 for driving witjout valid license let alone the insurance implications in an accident!

Knowing plenty others break the law all the time is no reason to feel comfortable  because we are expats and do get singled out.

I should qualify on the fines that I posted in post #21; the traffic law defines the fines by the number of minimum salaries and in many cases like ignoring a traffic light the fine could be between 1 and 5 minimum salaries.

That means with the new proposed minimum salary of 10,000 pesos, such fines could be from usd 200 to usd 1000. Very high fines are now possible.

For those that like reading the law:

https://dgii.gov.do/ciudadania/vehiculo … /63-17.pdf

Drive carefully and respect the new rules.

So, to comply with any traffic regulations, what type of license is required to use a pasola on the roads?

I believe there is no license for a pasola.  But you do have to obey traffic laws.