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If you hold a work permit (whereby you are a legal resident here) you can drive legally using your Canadian license for 90 days after each entry into the country and as such your insurance will be valid with the valid driving license.

As a work permit holder you can now obtain a Dominican driving license, after a decree last year, by validation of your Canadian license within those first 90 days here. You will need to do this wih your 2 year contract and it does not cost much.

The process was translated in a thread about two months ago. Will try and locate

Here is the decree in Spanish:



Here is planners translation of my post on the decree in spanish in a recent theead on driving licenses here:

Good stuff!  This was done by decree in  July 2017 so its recent! 

You will need the  following:

1. Be 18 or older.
2. License from the country of origin in force
3. Certification apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming the
authenticity and validity of the foreign license.
4. Valid visa passport as established in the case (take copies together to the original)
5. Work certification
6. Copy of the current employment contract or the university, as established in the case.
7. Student permission for the cases that apply.

Of course there are fees..... and a process to follow.

Awesome thank you...excuse my lack of understanding but what does this mean: 

3. Certification apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming the
authenticity and validity of the foreign license.

You need to read this as well being the process you will go through as posted elsewhere at a local INTRANT centre with all the correct documentation:

The latest information is posted in Spanish on the INTRANT website.

… dominicana

Google translated below:

Requirements or requirements

Be a foreigner with residence in the country.

Required documents:

1. Foreign driver's license valid at the date of the change, plus one (1) copy.

2. Certification of the diplomatic or consular mission that proves the validity and validity of the license, legalized in Chancery or apostille by the country of origin, plus one (1) copy.

- The schedule of certification in the Chancellery is until 2:30 p.m.

3. One (1) copy of the residence.

4. Contract or work letter.

5. Payment receipt from the Reserve Bank for the legalization of diplomatic certification and a copy.

6. Receipt of payment of taxes and services from the Reserve Bank or online.

Procedures to follow

1. Go to the Legal Department and the Intrant License Office. (they check with your cedula or work permit if you have any violations against your name)

2. Go through the Registration of the Headquarters of the Driving License Department (This procedure is only carried out at Headquarters). Santo Domingo opposite National Stadium.

3. Examine the view. (eye test)

4. Make the blood typing. (blood type test)

5. Go through the offices of Dekolor at Headquarters.

6. Go to data capture, photo and signature.

7. Collect document in license delivery.

Additional Information
Validity:  Four (4) years.

Other information:  In the case of Change of Origin of a Dominican, if the license is American, it must cover the process of obtaining the Normal License because the American Consulate does not issue the validity certification. If it is from another country it can be validated.

Cost at licensing centre is 950 pesos and takes about 2 hours. I believe the legalization cost will be about 650 pesos per document.

You will have to go to this department and get your Canadian license certified for a small fee (in the order of about 12 usd).



I am sure that the company that employs you will be able to help you in this whole process whcih seems challenging but in reality is not too dificult. We Brits and Americans have more of a challenge taking the easy driving tests.

I belive their is an INTRANT office in La Romana where you can go through the process described above with the correct documentation.

It is very simple to get a DR license from a Canadian license once you have a residencia and Cedula. First you have to get your CND license validated at the Canadian consulate. I went to the one in Puerto Plata. I used a lawyer who walked me through the process. After getting the validation, it can be done in 1 day in SD. I didn't have to do a written test or a driving test. Only a basic eye exam. Cover 1 eye and read the letters on the board. Very basic. If you need a lawyer to help, send me a PM and I will send her contact details. I highly recommend her. She is not expensive and will work hard for you.

Is it still not possible to have a GB Drivers license validated here? Is the only option to take the test for local drivers license

The UK Travel advice in relation to driving in DR is as follows:

You can drive using a UK driving licence for visits not exceeding 3 months. For longer visits, you should apply for a local driving licence, for which you will need to present a certified copy of your valid UK licence.

To certify your driving licence, you will need to get a copy certified by a UK notary or lawyer in the UK. Once this is done, the Legalisation Office in the UK needs to attach an apostille and return the legalised driving licence to you. While some notaries may not be willing to carry out a notarial act without an individual being present, others are, and are also willing to forward applications to the Legalisation Office once they have completed their part. You can find a list of notaries currently authorised to practice on the website of the Faculty Office (the regulator of Notaries Public in England and Wales). You should contact notaries directly to check whether you would need to be present when they notarise your driving licence.

There is a process to get your UK license validated is as above, but not at the UK Embassy as was the case many years ago, and it will cost you much more than obtaining a DR license directly. It will need to be translated too and the translation certified.

I believe most Brits take the simpler route of applying for a DR provisional license at the various centres throughout the country with theory test etc. and then the simple driving test. Total cost about $40.

You have to be a resident.

Thank you - appreciate your answer - looks like I will be taking the tests next time they come to Veron

The mobile units are good for renewals. So your nearest test centre is La Romana.

Full list of Intrant locations as attached:



You start with obtaining a provisonal license...learners license...



After that and a stated period of 45 days (ask and they may exempt you and allow you to go straight to practical and first full license) you apply for your first license...



Costs are shown on the above and you can obtain documents and practise the theory test in the Virtual office (hope you Spanish is good enough if not so good watch out for inverse questioning).

Hi Stan - I'm hoping my layer, Lily in SD, will assist me with getting this done. Perhaps a trip to Puerto Plata form here in Moca to get it approved will help. What did the consulate charge for this service?

You have licensing offices in La Vega and Santiago as above link. It is so easy to do - ask your wife to help.

A trip to La Vega from Moca with your wife and I bet she will find a quick way for you to navigate the required tests and it will cost you about 40usd and maybe two trips.

The cost at the CND Consulat was cheap. I don’t remember the exact cost.

I have to back track on a statement I said earlier. When trying to rent a car in Dubai my DR license was not acceptable. They wanted to see a international license as well.

Just went through this today, in Puerto Plata.  While the Canadian Consulate could legalize a copy of our licences, it still required a trip to Santo Domingo to get the actual stamps and Dominican license. $RD 1800 to the Consulate in Puerto Plata, 3-4 day turnaround.  Then a trip to Santo Domingo to get more stamps and get the licences.  We figured it might be easier to go through the actual test, but the practice exam online makes no sense at all!  It would only cost $RD 600, but it's all in Spanish and judging from the practice exam, we'd fail multiple times trying to pass. So we might actually make the trip to SD, after legalizing our Canadian licenses in Puerto Plata.  If you go this route, bring your passport and Cedula, and cash.  Nice office, very helpfull.  So was the MOPC office we visited in Puerto Plata.

Does anyone know if the US and the DR have something similar to the UK for getting a DR Drivers License?

You raise a very good point Uncle Buck.

To obtain a Dominican license using your certified foreign license can only take place in Santo Domingo in the office off Tiradentes.

If one decides to obtain a Dominican license as the standard procedure then this can take place at selected regional offices without any need to go to the capital.

The costs rack up for those not living in Santo Domingo accordingly because it will likely take a long day to getting everything covered.

Elgin7144 wrote:

Does anyone know if the US and the DR have something similar to the UK for getting a DR Drivers License?

US citizens have to go through the tests here.

Honestly it is very easy to get the provisional and then full license here, especially if you understand Spanish, a little harder if you don't but a nod and a wink to an assistant will get you the help you need for the technical test. The driving test is straightforward and could be very short as was my case it lasted maybe 2 minutes before the instructor signed me off.

Elgin 7144,

INTRANT have an office in Nagua and I believe you could take your tests there. It is in the link given above of their offices but does not specifically state Nagua rather the province María T. Sánchez . There is an office in Samana but they do not do tests. Worth giving then a call to confirm and avoid the trip to SD.

lennoxnev wrote:

Honestly it is very easy to get the provisional and then full license here, especially if you understand Spanish, a little harder if you don't but a nod and a wink to an assistant will get you the help you need for the technical test. The driving test is straightforward and could be very short as was my case it lasted maybe 2 minutes before the instructor signed me off.

I think I under$tand what you're $aying.  😉  We will give that a try.

goodmannH, not sure why you're copying and altering StanR's post?  But adding the word Swedish in place of Canadian isn't correct.  This process only works for Canadians, because we don't have to have documents apostilled.  We are paying the Dominican Government to do the process here, rather than having to return to our Home Country to start the process. We strive for accuracy, so maybe reconsider your above post?

gosh, my mistake, I've deleted the post - I should better sleep !