When you move to a new country, there are so many things you need to do. You need to understand the culture’s way of living and how things work. Getting a driver’s license is one of the other important things that you need to do. Having a vehicle of your own gives you the freedom to go anywhere anytime, but if you do not have a driver’s license, what good is having a vehicle? Luckily, learning to drive a car is easy and obtaining a driver’s license is even easier. Read on to learn how…
The first thing you need to do to get a driver’s license is take a driving test. In some places, tests are conducted Monday to Saturday whereas, at others, tests are only available on certain days. Check in your area to see when you can take a test.
What Items Will You Need To Get A Driving License?
- National Citizen – If you are a national citizen, then you need both the original and a copy of your personal identity card. The identity card should be current and include your name, photo, and DOB. It should also be in good condition.
- Foreign Citizen – If you are a foreign citizen, then you need a copy of your migration card with the appropriate data and in good condition. You should bring both the original and a copy of your passport. It should be valid and maintained according to the rules described on the migration card itself.
How To Get A License
Foreign candidates need to present a valid driver’s license from their country. Your driving license should have all relevant information on it, and it should be in good condition.
Next, you must present certification that validates your current driver’s license. Certification should clearly state – using with the words “certifies” or “declares” – that the information provided on it is true.
The certificate should also include:
- The name of the person who validated your document
- Your name and the number of the identity document and license being validated
- The license should have an issue and expiration date listed on it
- Place and country where the license was issued
- Vehicle category for which your license was issued
- The verification certificate should have a fresh stamp and the signature of the person who issued the certificate. If your document was obtained digitally, then you need to include the virtual address so that it can be verified.
- To check the authenticity of the signatures on the certificate, you can use these methods:
- Apostille, if the country is a signatory of the Hague Convention
- Consular Endorsement; Certify the signatures at the Panamanian Consulate /Embassy in the country of origin of the driver’s license and then present it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama (Department of Authentication and legalization of documents).
- Diplomatic Mission; Certify the signature of the person in the diplomatic mission in Panama at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama (Department of Authentication and legalization of documents).
Notes:
- If the driver’s license that needs to be verified does not describe the type and RH factor of blood, that information must be presented by one of the nationally authorized clinical laboratories that are listed with the Technical Public Health Council. The information must include the full name of the user, unique identifier (number), identity card (for nationals) or passport (for foreigners), and a fresh stamp and the signature of the laboratory worker.
- If you are getting a driver’s license for category D vehicles or equivalent (such as light trucks up to eight (8) tons and private buses up to sixteen (16) passengers), then you must present a negative test result for the consumption of marijuana and cocaine narcotics from a laboratory authorized by the ATTT*. The information must include the full name of the user, unique identifier (number), identity card (for nationals) or passport (for foreigners), and a fresh stamp and the signature of the laboratory worker.
*This is a requirement of Law 146 in effect as of May 15, 2020.
(All laboratory results for drug use have a validity period of six (6) months from the date of issuance of the document.)
- You need to pass a visual and auditory test in accordance with the procedure established by the ATTT.
- Driver’s license fees include visual and auditory validation.
Important things to remember before arranging documents
- Once the process has started, it must be completed at the same branch. The payment for a driver’s license must also be made in this same branch.
- All the documents should be in good condition without any wear and tear.
- Review security guidelines before processing any document. All documents submitted must comply with security guidelines.
- Public notaries cannot authenticate the legality of a document, so do not use this type of official for the driver’s license approval process.
- If the candidate is over 70 years of age, then they must present a certificate of good physical and mental health from a doctor specializing in internal medicine or geriatrics. The document must have the candidate’s full name, unique identifier number, ID for nationals and passport for foreigners, stamp, and fresh signature of the doctor. (The validity of the health document will last six (6) months from the date the document was issued.)
- Anyone who is over 70 years of age can only obtain a driver’s license that is valid for two years.
- Any foreigner who has been registered as “student” or “cannot work” can only apply for categories A, B, and C vehicles.
- The issuance of a driver’s license is conditional on compliance with traffic regulations; all requirements are in force at the time the document is printed.
- The names and surnames must match or be the same on all documents or requirements presented.
- All documentation in a language other than Spanish must be translated and sealed by an authorized interpreter in the Republic of Panama with a stamp and a fresh signature.
- For temporary foreigners, the validity of a driver’s license is determined according to the expiration of the migration card or up to four (4) years. Validity will expire based on whatever happens first.
- If you have an active payment arrangement, the validity of the driver’s license will depend on the clause established with the ATTT.
- To apply for a driver’s license in Panama, you must not have accumulated more than fifty (50) points on your driving record at the time of request. (Requirement of Law 146 in effect as of May 15, 2020)
If there has been a change in any foreigner’s identity document related to their driver’s license, then that person needs to report the change and their records must be updated to the new ID number.
- S/he also needs to update their vehicle registration info with the new ID number.
- If there are any pending payments, then the person needs to clear all of them before these documents can be updated. This also applies to pending payments and procedures or documents related to the vehicle as well.
- Restrictions and police reports must also be resolved or updated with the new ID number.
- International licenses or licenses issued with age restriction by age will not be homologated.
- “Licenses with categories to drive public transport do not apply, article 113 section b.1. These require “being Panamanian.”
And now here we are! This concludes everything you need to know before applying for a driver’s license in Panama.
