GETTING A DRIVERS LICENSE IN ECUADOR 2016 (updated information)

Great information!,
Please indicate how,  or,  where to get the " -    Certificate of having a valid license duly apostilled."...

Thank you,
Marco

I agree, great info.  Is it possible to contact EcuaAssist by Email or in person?  I have a valid Canadian license.  I am looking at both car and motorcycle.
Thank you
   Bryan

marcomueses wrote:

Please indicate how,  or,  where to get the " -    Certificate of having a valid license duly apostilled."...

A complete answer to the question of getting your North American driving record certified and apostilled involves two parts.

In this post, I am presuming that an apostille is required from your state or province.  For the purpose of simplicity, I am now referring to a license issued by one of the 50 U.S. states.

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Part 1.

1.  Have your state's motor vehicles division pull up your driving record and provide you with a copy.

2.  Get it apostilled by your state government, usually through the secretary of state's office in the state capital.  Obtain the apostilled record.

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It is far easier and far less expensive to do this before moving to Ecuador.  I didn't have time to get it done before I left the U.S. and ended up paying $310 to a notary office in Pennsylvania to obtain the certificate and the apostille and express-send it to me in Quito.

cccmedia

Part 2. 

Is an apostille from your state required in order to validate your driving record for Ecuador?

The answer is:  that depends on what state you are coming from.

During my successful efforts to obtain an EC drivers license in late 2016, I met La Jefa* of the Agencia Nacional de Tránsito (ANT).  She is Ecuador's top drivers license official.  I asked her about the apostille.

La Jefa told me that the apostille is required from some states and not others.  She said that any Expats who want to find out if an apostille is needed from a specific state should contact her office for the answer.

Her office is in the national headquarters of ANT in north Quito.

cccmedia

*Clarification:  her title is Jefa de Licencias.

All well and good CCMedia but is there a contact name there and is any English spoken?  La jefa is simply female boss.

stick1947 wrote:

is there a contact name there and is any English spoken?  La jefa is simply female boss.

If you're not in Quito, ask your closest ANT office for the contact information of the current Jefa or Jefe de Licencias office in Quito.  Also, the website is www.ant.gob.ec

I wouldn't expect to encounter any English-speakers at ANT.  All my interactions with them over a period of months were in Spanish.  Expect your written final-exam to be in Spanish as well.

FYI, I documented my tortuous path through the bureaucracies of Pennsylvania and Ecuador in my protracted and ultimately successful attempts at getting an Ecuadorian drivers license, at the Car Lovers thread.... https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=424908

cccmedia

Hi Marcos

I guess you have canadian drivers license, basically what you need is certification that says that you drivers license is valid, below a link where you can find your provincial or territorial website for more info:

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/subj … ence.shtml

If you are in Canada, you can´t get the apostille since Canada is not signatory of the Hague convention, for this reason you will have to take it to the ecuadorian consulate to have it legalized.

BUt my recommendation for you is to get the drivers license as first time in Ecuador, f you now how to drive with shifts

**

Marcos Chiluisa

Since we are in this topic ,  How long can one drive in Ecuador with a Canadian driver's licence ?  and an international permit ?

Marco

cccmedia wrote:

Part 2. 

Is an apostille from your state required in order to validate your driving record for Ecuador?

The answer is:  that depends on what state you are coming from.

During my successful efforts to obtain an EC drivers license in late 2016, I met La Jefa of the Agencia Nacional de Tránsito (ANT).  She is Ecuador's top drivers license official.  I asked her about the apostille.

La Jefa told me that the apostille is required from some states and not others.  She said that any Expats who want to find out if an apostille is needed from a specific state should contact her office for the answer.

Her office is in the national headquarters of ANT in north Quito.

cccmedia

cccmedia

All documents issue by a foreign contry should come with the apostilled seal or legalized by the ecuadorian consulate,

Below what the law says about documents processed by ANT in Ecuador

"Todo documento extranjero deberá estar traducido al castellano y autenticado por un Notario, Cónsul o Juez de lo Civil en el Ecuador, o que cuente con la apostilla emitida en el país de origen."

If you email at [email protected] I can send you the law (full document). "MANUAL DE REQUISITOS PARA EMISION TITULOS HABILITANTES DE TRANSITO", what "la Jefa is saying is not correct all the states need to bring their DMv certification dully apostilled otherwise that document won´t be valid in Ecuador, once the doucment is in Ecuador it has to be translated.

I will have a meeting with her this friday and I will address tp her the information your received from her.

Regards

Marcos Chiluisa

If La Jefa still says only some U.S. states' driving records require an apostille, please get us a contact email or phone number for her office so prospective EC drivers can contact the office about their respective states.

Please get back to us with a post about what develops at your meeting with her on Friday.

cccmedia

marcomueses wrote:

How long can one drive in Ecuador with a Canadian driver's licence ?

I suspect this number has changed over time as various Internet postings have stated 30, 60 or 90 days for driving in EC on a foreign license.  Probably the policía -- or most of them -- are confused about this and might not cite any Expat driver who had not committed a serious vehicular offense and who is at 90 days or fewer.

Perhaps EcuaAssist has a relevant citation in the law that is up to date.

cccmedia

I have been stopped several times in police road checks and was told twice that I can only drive 90 days.  This might be the law or just those officers interpretation of it.
   I will be contacting Marcos by Email this week and will post my findings with his permission.

Thank you for your input. I was told also 60 days by a clerk at the ANT  and 90 days by an officer... no one knows for sure.  None the less, I' m also carrying with me the "International permit" issued by the CAA.  Upon enquiring with ANT , I was told, it was valid for 6 months .   Can any one confirm if this is correct?.

Hi Everyone, the law says up to six monthsm but no longer that this amount of time, as long as the drivers license is valid,

Article 137 of the REGLAMENTO A LEY DE TRANSPORTE TERRESTRE TRANSITO Y SEGURIDAD VIAL

Art. 137.- Los extranjeros que ingresen al país con visa de turista, o al amparo de cualquier visa de no inmigrante, podrán conducir con las licencias emitidas en sus países de origen, durante todo el plazo de estadía que su condición migratoria se lo permita, pero en ningún caso por más de seis meses contados desde su ingreso al país.

Los extranjeros que ingresen al país con visa de inmigrante, podrán también conducir con las licencias emitidas en sus países de origen, hasta por un plazo máximo de seis meses contados desde la fecha en que hubieren ingresado al país.

Los extranjeros a los que el Estado no les exigiere visa para su ingreso al país, podrán conducir con las licencias emitidas en sus países de origen, durante el plazo de estadía que se les otorgue al momento de su entrada y estadía legal en el país, siempre que la licencia se encuentre vigente.

Los ecuatorianos residentes en el exterior, podrán conducir en el país con las licencias emitidas en su país de residencia, hasta por un plazo de seis meses contados a partir de su ingreso al país.

Vencidos los plazos antes indicados, los extranjeros o los ecuatorianos residentes en el exterior, no podrán conducir en el país si antes no canjean sus licencias del exterior con su similar ecuatoriana. En estos casos deberá cumplirse lo establecido en el artículo 94 de la Ley.

What they are actually referring to is your "DMV" record showing your licence and record. That will need to be apostilled at the Secretary of state  in the state where you have your licence.

Short Answer: YES!

Can I just go to Peru for a week every six months and get a new passport entry stamp?

"pero en ningún caso por más de seis meses contados desde su ingreso al país". This means in no case more than 6 months!! Why try to skirt the law?? You could end up in jail!! A licence is so easy to get. I have 2. 1 for  driving a car and another for a motorcycle. It took 1 day to get the motorcycle licence (type A ) and 2 days to get the car licence (type B) I got them 1 year apart from each other. It did take several days to study for then 20 question test.

stick1947 wrote:

Can I just go to Peru for a week every six months and get a new passport entry stamp?

There are two points to make here.

1.  This is a thread about drivers licenses, not passports/visas. 

2.  And no, you cannot spend more than 270 days in Ecuador out of 365 without a residency visa or a specialized non-immigrant visa -- for instance, as a volunteer for an accredited organization or as a student at a university or Spanish-language school.

Additional comments and questions not related to drivers licenses should be posted on the relevant threads.

cccmedia

Cuenca boy wrote:

Why try to skirt the law?? You could end up in jail!! A license is so easy to get. I have 2. 1 for driving a car and another for a motorcycle. It took 1 day to get the motorcycle licence (type A) and 2 days to get the car license (type B). I got them 1 year apart from each other. It did take several days to study for the 20 question test.

God Bless Cuenca Boy for getting a Type B drivers license in two days.

But that is not the typical Expat experience.

They may be able to schedule someone a day or two out in Cuenca for the 20-question exam.  But in Quito, in my case, the earliest available appointment was over a week out.

I also experienced various bureaucratic delays as I detailed on the ‘Car Lovers' thread.  The freakiest delay was when an official at the Agencia office in Gringolandia said I didn't have enough remaining time on my Pennsylvania license in order to qualify for an EC license exchange.  This turned out to be pure porquería, but I couldn't be sure of that until I brought my attorney to the Agencia national headquarters and we tracked down the Jefa de Licencias.

Also, no one is going to jail for merely overstaying in Ecuador.  The worst that has ever happened is being barred from re-entering Ecuador for nine months or a year.

cccmedia

Thank you both but I should have stated that I have a residency visa and my question about going to Peru for a new stamp was so I could legally drive for another six months.

My B licence was obtained in Paute. I live in Cuenca. I of course took some time to make sure I had my papers right!!! That is most gringos problems they dont get the papers right to start with therefore the long time frames. It seems from my experience and others it is much easier to get your licences in smaller citys. It also helps that my wife is Colombian and makes friends with the staff!! lol So we dont appear as "pushy" gringos!!!!

The comment about jail had to do with the poster saying he would go to Peru every six months and use the EC law regarding six months to drive with any valid licence after entry!!! To avoid getting a licence!!

Stick, that is what I was referring to. The law states "in no case more than six months"  At one of the many police stops, If you show your passport they will see your visa. If you show your cedula they will know you are here longer than 6 months. A stamp from Peru does not show you just here! You have been here for longer than 6 months! Like I asked before: why break the law on purpose??? Just get a licence!! There are no valid horror stories just "unprepared" gringos. Like I said I have 2 licences and it was easy with "all" the correct paperwork ready to submit!!

Hi everybody,

I have removed some posts from this thread.

Please let's try not to argue with each other, we are on a friendly platform.

Thanks all,

Priscilla 

I've been driving in Ecuador since late 2008, where I lived since 2009. For the first several years I just had my California license. Although I never had a problem with it I later for  an international AAA license (about $20 in NY). I circled Ecuador on the license and only had it checked at a road stop a couple of times. I just showed them Ecuador circled. No Problem. Because they are good only for one year I changed the date once myself. I would just as soon not have unnecessary computerized  links, such as Ecuadorian drivers license numbers.

The law is the law!! You have been lucky! I have heard of two different gringos arrested for no license. Just like the states it is a arrestable offence. Read the law! Any other licence (International also) are good for "only" 6 months. It is very specific! I have one for a motorcycle and one for a car. 1 day and 3 days respectively. And by the way the number is the same as your cedula!! Just because your in Ecuador do you have the right to just break the law???

Please explain "what" your "Type B" is??? I have 2 licences. One type A for my motorcycle and one type B for my car. Each licence states what type it is on the face.

smitty88 wrote:

I changed the date once myself. I would just as soon not have unnecessary computerized  links, such as Ecuadorian drivers license numbers.

Lucky is right, Cuenca Boy.

Had Smitty been in an accident involving serious injuries, the authorities would scrutinize his driving/licensing history in Ecuador .. and he could be in a world of once-avoidable trouble.

God forbid they should discover -- in this accident scenario -- that he had personally doctored the expiration date on the international permit he had presented to the policía.

cccmedia, licensed in EC since 2013

I have seen a number of posts here that seem more self-serving than helpful. Although this may not be one of  them, it is nonsense to the point of being silly to say something like, "The law is the law... Just because your in Ecuador do you have the right to just break the law?"
     Unless blocked by traffic, how often do you see people actually stop at stop signs or obey the posted speed limits? How many people, expats or otherwise actually adhere to Ecuador's labor and factura and tax "laws" and requirements, or even know  what they are? Who does  not 'fudge' or really falsify their US (or other) income, asset and tax reporting.
     People obey "the law" when they have to, whether in Iceland, Russia or the US. The legal "system" in Ecuador is a mess, often stupid,  arbitrary, unpredictable and can be corrupt (which Correa has been trying to improve, especially regarding the system of notaries), and I have seen all of the above.( In fact, I am convinced that corruption is the single biggest problem  in the world today).
     People get by by negotiating the system in the way that seems easiest to them. In my seven years in Ecuador I drive all the time and have never had a problem using my California driver's license, and used my one-year AAA int'l license as a backup with no hitch either.  Friends from New York have also recently rented cars with no problem.

Well all I can say is " good luck" Saying you have gotten away with it so far does not make it right. Or pointing out other countries discrepancies. Laws are made for the people to obey not flaunt! You may get away with it 99 times but #100 could be jail!! By the way,, the "law is the law" whether you like it or not!! If everyone thought like you all would be in jail!! I got my 2 Ecuador licenses easy and I am glad i have them. My wife got her licence in 3 days and drives legal also. As cccmedia pointed out if you get in an accident here your not having a licence here will add to your problems! and jail time! I think you are on a short fuse! Please dont self implode! Have a nice day.

By the way you are so correct about corruption. Look at the recent release of the "panama papers" So many big shots are getting caught "breaking the law" and pants down.

A quote for you---"You can fool some of the people "all"the time and all the people some of the time but you cant fool all the people "all" the time.

So it is just a matter of time. Again I say "good luck"

I was going to dump this whole thread until Smitty88 jumped in.  A simple question...Is there anyone here who has not broken, bent, fractured or distorted, without actually breaking the law to the point where you are in jail.  I have done all of the above and have paid my dues.  I will take my chances but have to agree with Smitty.  I am here simply to get information or share what little I know in my 2 years here.

The process of getting a driver´s license is not complicated, it is better if you get one and don´t feel anxious about what to expect from a police officer, it is completely worth to get,

The process since January 11-2016 was simplified.

**

EcuaAssist wrote:

cccmedia wrote:

Is an apostille from your state required in order to validate your driving record for Ecuador?

The answer is:  that depends on what state you are coming from.

During my successful efforts to obtain an EC drivers license in late 2016, I met La Jefa of the Agencia Nacional de Tránsito (ANT).  She is Ecuador's top drivers license official.  I asked her about the apostille.

La Jefa (de Licencias) told me that the apostille is required from some states and not others.  She said that any Expats who want to find out if an apostille is needed from a specific state should contact her office for the answer.

Her office is in the national headquarters of ANT in north Quito.

cccmedia

cccmedia ...
I will have a meeting with her this friday and I will address t0 her the information your received from her.

Regards

Marcos Chiluisa (Ecua Assist)

Please tell us what you learned from that meeting.  The citations above are from several weeks ago.

cccmedia

Great information here, as well as ccc's informative and amusing threads detailing his quest to getting the prized EC driver's license. I began the process by doing online questions, scored 40%. I'll also visit ANT and buy the questionnaire booklet from vendors outside to know the full spectrum of tricky questions. Thereafter I'll begin driving classes, and while time consuming; I figure I'll learn quite a bit of Spanish along the way.

My only question for all this is:  EcuAssist says that you get the ANT (person waiting) number from the machine, and then it says that your number will be called.  I must assume that this means that you physically go into the ANT office and use their computer to obtain your waiting number and then sit and wait to be called.  Correct?

HelenPivoine

HelenPivoine wrote:

My only question for all this is:  EcuAssist says that you get the ANT (person waiting) number from the machine, and then it says that your number will be called.  I must assume that this means that you physically go into the ANT office and use their computer to obtain your waiting number and then sit and wait to be called.  Correct?

HelenPivoine

You can obtain a time for your off-road exam (which is administered via ANT computer at an ANT office) via your home computer or any Internet venue.  Go to www.ant.gob.ec and click on the phrase 'Obten Tu Turno Para Licencias' (Get Your Appointment, etc.). 

The system typically generates a single time and you can't expect a perfectly convenient time and day, nor an option to change the time or day the system assigns.

However, you do get a choice as to which ANT office you choose to take the exam.

cccmedia in Quito

Yes it is correct!