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- Driving license in Chile
Last updated on 19/03/2026
What driving license for what status?
As a tourist, you can drive without problem with your foreign driving license in Chile. The international driving permit is useful but not compulsory.
However, as soon as you are a resident, you are expected to use a Chilean driving license. Chile has driving license equivalency agreements with Spain, South Korea, Japan, and a few Latin American countries (Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Paraguay). If you hold a license from one of these countries, you can exchange it without taking the full exam — check with your local municipality for the specific process.
The only other exception is for diplomats, who can automatically get an equivalence.
For everyone else: you need to take a theoretical exam, a practical exam, and some medical tests. Rest assured, it is not very difficult.
On this page, we describe the whole process, as well as some useful tips. This article only addresses the driving license for people willing to drive a private car. For other license classes, such as bus, trucks… you can consult this page.
Insurance risk: Residents driving with a foreign license risk insurance coverage denial in serious accidents. Insurance companies may use the lack of a proper Chilean license to avoid paying claims, especially for major accidents involving injuries or fatalities. Do not put this off.
The driving license examination in Chile consists of three parts:
- A theoretical exam
- A medical examination (vision / psychomotor)
- A practical exam of about 15-20 minutes
Theoretical exam
The exam consists of 35 multiple choice questions. You have 45 minutes, which is more than enough. The exam is now administered through the "Nexteo" online system managed by CONASET.
If you have already taken the exam in another country, this should not seem too difficult. There are often one or two answers that are obviously wrong, such as:
- "I accelerate", while the question indicates that you are already at the maximum authorized speed
- "I honk", when there is a pedestrian crossing while you want to turn to the right
Resources to practice:
- The PDF guide: Libro del Nuevo Conductor
- EducacionVial interactive exams — free online practice
- Chile Automobile Club test — harder than EducacionVial, good preparation
- PracticaTest Chile — additional 2025-updated practice tests
Warning: three of the 35 questions give two points. You do not know exactly which ones — the law says they concern safety-related issues (speed, alcohol, seat belts, child seats). The total score is 38 (32 + 3×2), and you need at least 33 to pass. So: maximum 5 errors on simple questions, or two errors on double-point questions.
Medical exam
A few minutes of interview with a doctor, plus some psychomotor tests (reaction time, coordination). Nothing difficult. If you are getting older and have concerns about the psychomotor tests, the Automobile Club de Chile allows its members to practice and gives tips on how to perform better.
Practical examination
You must provide the car that will be used for the exam. Find a relative or friend who can lend you theirs and drive you to the test center.
The exam is a round trip between the starting point and a destination 2-3 km away. No parking maneuver to demonstrate — unlike in some other countries, it is very simple.
You need to memorize 3 to 6 destination points and the route to reach them from your starting point. Each municipality publishes its list of destinations. For example:
- Vitacura: Circuit 1 / Circuit 2
- Providencia: destination list (bottom of page)
- Las Condes: 6 possible destinations
The inspector chooses a destination (or lets you pick). You drive there without guidance. On the way back, the instructor guides you. That is it.
Two classic pitfalls:
- The instructor does not put on his seat belt. You start driving without telling him to put it on — you fail.
- When exiting the vehicle at the end, you open the door without looking if a car is coming — you fail.
The full process, step by step
Register in advance with your municipality (online or by phone). You need:
- To be at least 18 years old
- A valid Chilean cédula de identidad
- A proof of address in the municipality where you take the test (if you do not have one, ask a friend in that municipality to sign a certificate of accommodation at a notary)
- Educational credentials equivalent to Chilean 8th grade. For foreigners: this can be a Chilean education certificate, a MINEDUC equivalency exam, or translated/legalized foreign credentials (acceptance varies by municipality)
You start with the theoretical test, then the medical test. If you pass both, you take the practical test. The total cost ranges from CLP 29,000 to 50,000 depending on the municipality. The license is valid for 6 years.
If you fail the practical exam on the first try, most municipalities allow one free retake. After a second failure, you restart the full process with new payment.
For the complete legal framework, see the Chilean traffic law and ChileAtiende for different license classes.
Frequently Asked Questions about Driving License in Chile
License Requirements
As long as you are in Chile with a tourist visa, you will not have any problem, as you are legally authorized to drive with your foreign license (of course, considering you have one). Residents with temporary or permanent residence may not face lots of problems, as long as they do not have a serious accident involving injured or dead people. The insurances tolerate a foreign license, they will even refund some material damage if the bill is not too high. You may face issues if the insurance must reimburse hospitalization expenses, pay a pension to a third party… Beyond a certain amount, the legal service of the insurance studies the case to see if they can find a way not to pay… If you don't have a Chilean license while you are supposed to, they have the perfect excuse not to pay.
If you want a driving license in Spain, South Korea, or Japan, you can get one using your Chilean driving license. In other countries, it will not be possible as there is no equivalency system.
In some countries, the license to drive a car also allows you to drive a moto up to a certain category. In Chile, the driving license class B (for a car) indicates "vehicle with 3 or 4 wheels". Therefore, for a moto with 2 wheels, you need a driving license class C.
Do you want to go more in detail?
I wrote the Chile Handbook for Foreigners for anyone and everyone looking to move permanently and enjoy life in Chile. It's a 265-page book that goes over all aspects of relocating to Chile. Here is what you get:
✅ Practical tips based on 7-year relocation experience
✅ To-do lists to help you start
✅ Last updated in 2025
