US or AR Drivers license

[Sleuth]

The worst part was that guy seriously was a "low talker." My wife was with me for translation help if I needed it, and she couldn't understand him either!

 

[ElQueso]

I often get threats of my car being impounded. It's often just a hastle. I can't say they won't do it, but the only time I've actually had my car impounded was when I parked in a spot others were parking in and mine got towed. Heh.

I've driven many times to Paraguay and back, crossed the border, went through routine checkpoints, even got a ticket for speeding once, issued from the checkpoint (oops, don't want to talk about that one).

I've always used my Texas driver's license and have never had a comment.

I know it is required to get one, and I should...but I HATE tramite.

BTW - I bought my car before I had residency, by almost three years. I used to travel acorss the border with Paraguay with just my passport, insurance papers, license and cedula verde (the car's in my name) no problem.

But once, I drove up and showed my temporary residency papers. Big mistake. The law wouldn't allow me to cross the border with my car unless I had a DNI since I was a resident and the precaria wasn't good enough.

This was in Clorinda. I spent a few terrible hours there trying to figure out what to do after a 15 hour drive and no entry possible. After awhile a nice immigrations officer told me about the ferry 25 klicks down the road and that they might have pity on me. I drove down there and sure enough, with a bit of pleading and cajoling, I got them to let me cross.

When I got back I started pushing real hard to get my DNI delivered...

 

[JWB]

Hi folks,

I´ve had no problem renting a car and driving it with a US drivers license, but if you own your own car, do you need an Argentina drivers license ?

I bought my car (in 2006) with only a US license. I would suggest getting an International License. This is where I got mine...it is 100% legit and accepted in Argentina.

http://www.international-license.com/?lang=en&gclid=CN781bKbha8CFQOEhwodcD-j1A

 

[jimdepalermo]

I bought my car (in 2006) with only a US license. I would suggest getting an International License. This is where I got mine...it is 100% legit and accepted in Argentina.
http://www.international-license.com/?lang=en&gclid=CN781bKbha8CFQOEhwodcD-j1A

As I described above, I've also had no problems with just the International license. But as others have pointed out, the law requires a foreign resident (i.e. someone with a resident's visa and DNI) to have an Argentine license.

 

[katti]

You need an argentine drivers license if you have an argentine DNI. So basically, if you don't have an argentine drivers license (and you do have a DNI), and you get pulled over by cops, just show them your passport and you are fine with your US drivers license. If the cops ask you about your DNI you just say you are in tramite. Up to now this worked for us.

 

[katti]

I often get threats of my car being impounded. It's often just a hastle. I can't say they won't do it, but the only time I've actually had my car impounded was when I parked in a spot others were parking in and mine got towed. Heh.

I've driven many times to Paraguay and back, crossed the border, went through routine checkpoints, even got a ticket for speeding once, issued from the checkpoint (oops, don't want to talk about that one).

I've always used my Texas driver's license and have never had a comment.

I know it is required to get one, and I should...but I HATE tramite.

BTW - I bought my car before I had residency, by almost three years. I used to travel acorss the border with Paraguay with just my passport, insurance papers, license and cedula verde (the car's in my name) no problem.

But once, I drove up and showed my temporary residency papers. Big mistake. The law wouldn't allow me to cross the border with my car unless I had a DNI since I was a resident and the precaria wasn't good enough.

This was in Clorinda. I spent a few terrible hours there trying to figure out what to do after a 15 hour drive and no entry possible. After awhile a nice immigrations officer told me about the ferry 25 klicks down the road and that they might have pity on me. I drove down there and sure enough, with a bit of pleading and cajoling, I got them to let me cross.

When I got back I started pushing real hard to get my DNI delivered...

You can only leave the country with an argentine car if you have permanent residency. We have our one year visa renewed for the 3th time and they won't let us pass. Even if you only show your passport, you are in 'the system' as having a temporary DNI, even if they would let you out of the country, they won't let you enter it again.

 

[slater]

The worst part was that guy seriously was a "low talker." My wife was with me for translation help if I needed it, and she couldn't understand him either!

Ha! This made me smile. Low talkers and mumblers...got to love them!

 

[Sleuth]

All I can say is make sure your insurance is going to cover you with an international license. After I got hit by the guy on the motorcycle and saw him on the ground (all ok), I was not going to take anymore chances.

For the few hours of hassle, it was worth it to me.

 

[ndcj]

From the conversation I had with an insurance broker a while back, the insurance companies don't have a problem with you driving on an foreign drivers license as far as covering you in an accident, but there is a big, big gotcha.

They do care about you being legally licensed to drive in Argentina. For a small accident, they won't dedicate much resources to it, but if you're involved in a serious accident, or one with injuries, and you are a resident or have overstayed your tourist visa, and are still driving on your foreign license, you're in for some serious drama.

You can expect a fairly high probability of your insurance not paying up, or worse, because you are not a licensed driver, you are likely to be charged with this, which will add weight to any other legal difficulties you might face in a serious traffic accident.

You can bluff the cop on the side of the road to accept your foreign license 9 times out of 10 and more likely than not pay a coima for the 10th time, but don't expect to bluff your way out of it when several police and a prosecutor potentially become involved in the event of a serious accident.

The tramite is very, very simple if you can read very basic Spanish for the written exam and know the letters of the alphabet for the eye test. Considering your chances of being involved in a serious traffic accident in Argentina is very high statistically, do you want to run the risk?

 

[jimdepalermo]

I'm updating an old thread to pass along a couple additional comments about obtaining an Argentine driver's license, which I did today.

My experience track's sleuth's almost exactly. I had some problems with the "psych" test because the schoolmarm didn't like my sketches. She made me erase them and draw 2 of the 5 again.

Biggest surprise was that they wouldn't give me a license for more than one year. I have to renew it again this time next year. (This is a much simpler process that can be done in any CGPC, without going out to the autódromo.)

The reason for the early vencimiento is that I am classified as a conductor principiante, one step beyond a student driver, because I had to renew my US license a few months ago and, since it doesn't show that I have at least a year's experience driving, my Argentine license is limited to one year. At least they discount the fee for the short vencimiento.

And one additional piece of information that was emphasized by 2 agents at different stages of the process today. Once you take the 30-question test and fail it, you're stuck. The only way to proceed is to take a 2-day class out there, at which point you can try the test again. So definitely do your homework and prepare!