If you’re visiting Ecuador as a tourist, you can easily rent a car with your driver’s license. Sometimes you will be asked to have an official translation (in case you get controlled by the police). Having an international license is another useful option.
But, if you plan on staying in Ecuador on a more permanent basis, you will need an Ecuadorian licence. How can you get one ? There are 2 options : you can either get an equivalence, by ‘exchanging’ your licence for a local one (in Ecuador you can keep your original) ; or you can decide to take the complete driver’s license test from scratch. Both protocols are very similar, so here are the details :
1. Prepare your documents
You will need an ID, passport or local cédula, and your ecuadorian visa. In case you opt for the equivalence, your driver’s license (original + Copy, translated and apostillated), and a document from your country of origin (or last residency) certifying that your driver’s license is still valid (no major trafic offense, no suspended license).
A recent ‘blood type certificate’, issued by one of the Red-Cross centers. These are commonly asked for various administrative procedures and can be easily and rapidly obtained at any Red-Cross center.
The documents will be examined by an approved driving school.
2. Take « psychosensometrical » tests
Alright, this word does not exist in the dictionnary, but it is the literal translation of the ecuadorian denomination. So what does it mean ? It a package of various tests that you will take directly at the driving school :
– a vision test
– a hearing test
– a reflex test : a situation is shown on the computer, you have pedals linked to it, and the computer measures the quickness of your response, whenever you need to use the brake.
– a psychomotor test : it is complicated to describe, you hold sticks and use them to follow a route on a board. You have to stay inside the lines and finish within the time limit. So basically it’s a road version of Operation !
3. The driving test
In case you decide to take the complete driver’s license procedure for new drivers, you need to take a practical driving test. An instructor starts with asking you simple questions about the car, its components and the way it operates. Then you drive around the block, like any regular driving test. At the end, the instructor marks the different categories and immediately tells you how you’ve performed.
4. The written test
You need an appointment at a specific administration, where you will take a multiple choice test on the computer. Batteries of questions are available on the National Transport Authority website. It is honestly not complicated, if you already know the general rules, there are only a few country-specific questions, and since you can download the possible questions, you can easily prepare for it.
If you perform well, you just need to wait a few minutes to receive your very first Ecuadorian driver’s license !
5. Cost of the driver’s license in Ecuador
To be payed beforehand. The cost is probably what can help you decide between exchanging your license or getting a new, local one. As of 2020 prices, it will cost you US$142 for an exchange, US$68 for a new one…
6. Important details
First of all, the above information, including price, is valid for a B-type driver’s license (personal car).
Last but not least, the ecuadorian driver’s license has a limited period of validity. For foreigners, it is valid as long as your visa will be. Meaning that when you renew your visa, you have also have to do the whole driving license procedure again. You can’t extend it with the length of your new visa, you really have to take all 1 to 5 steps again !
Drive safely !