Driving license in Paraguay

Wouldn't mind seeing this bumped up, since it wasn't answered.

Also, does a driver's license from somewhere else work? For instance, my British Columbia driver's license doesn't expire until 2015... so would I be good until that expires?

Any valid "international drivers license" is good for Paraguay.  In the US you can get an international drivers license for around $30 at any American Auto Club office and it's valid for a year from issue.  Also acceptable in Paraguay are any valid US drivers licenses or European drivers licenses.  These are what either I or family members have used over the years and they all have been accepted by the police at checkpoints as well as the car rental agencies at the airport in ASU.  I would hazard a guess that ANY valid national drivers license is acceptable in Paraguay but don't know that for sure.

Hello. This topic is totally new to me, never saw it somehow.

OK, as far as I know ANY driver license form wherever as long as it was made into a International Driver License before leaving that country is at-least valid for 6 months here in PY. Maybe from North Korea not, but then I'm not sure.

*As for getting driver tests in driving as a foreigner here in PY, yes its possible right here in Asuncion,(At the Asu Municipality) but if you can drive that would just be about the stupidest thing to do in my opinion.

*Formalities - show your passport.

*Extra Documents -just show your passport PLZ!

*Cost - DEPENDS very much on where you do it.I have no idea what's the price here in Asu these days, and I have really no idea what its cost wherever in PY at the moment.Last time I helped a newly arrived expat getting a instant driver license (because they couldn't have been troubled in making theirs International before leaving their country of origin) was 2 years ago.Back then it cost something like US$30 for a car license 160km from Asu ( the only place I KNEW ABOUT to get it instantly, AND LEGALLY!)
I've heard from other expats that they've gotten the same done for more or less the same price much more closer with other local help. (Guess why I'm not in the expat-helping-business...) 
I'm sure anyone using a lawyer\local document maker will have no trouble getting a driver license through that person too.

So, there's me 2cents.Take or leave.Wherever.

Hi  Nic'oPY !

Thanks for your help

Armand

Just adding to my last post, expat or not, if you go to the Asuncion Municipality for a driver's license you're gonna do a drivers test either way.I do not know of any other municipality that requires the same, though I'm writing here under correction.
With those expat I mentioned above I first went to the Lambare Muni. and it was no problem, it was only going to take 14 days, after doing to normal dance in words (offering bribe) I was told it could be done in 10, so the END OF STORY was (they wanted their driver licenses very fast...) I took them to a place called Colonia Independencia where I lived for 8 years.Even to THIS DAY upon entering the Muni there there's this board hanging from the wall with all the drivers licenses prices for locals and Expats. Takes about 30min to do the paperwork and then you essentially just bought a PY Drivers license^^ Legal through out MERCOSUR.

Paraguay, you either love or you hate it.

Thank you Nic'oPY

If you have a drivers license :
Copy of driver's license
Copy of blood test ( to know type of blood )
Eye vision test

Sometimes, they will ask a proof of residency ( this document, you can get, going to the nearest police station where you stay, with two witnesses- with copy of their cedula ) pay for the paper - wait 10 minutes


If you don't have the blood card / eyetest, mostly you'll find these labo's near the municipality

paying some 40.000 Guaranies - waiting 2 Hours- ready

Oh , yes, it can be different in every municipality, but the list, with the paperwork needed, is mostly posted somewhere in sight, so, you could go take a look

My experiences in Fernando de la Morra.


Before I got my drivers license about a year ago I had literally 0 experience driving a car. I have a friend who knows the son of the head of the part of the municipality that arranges driving licenses, habilitaciones, etc. We made an appointment and I got the license in about an hour, I got the "Profesional B" version I'm not exactely that allows me to drive more than just a car (I'm not sure exactely what to be honest). My friend said I had to act like I didn't speak Spanish but I don't know if it really mattered.

Last week I went to renew the license, this time I also wanted a "motociclista" license. This turned out to be a bit more difficult. They needed a "Vida y Residencia"from Fernando wich I didn't have sincre I don't live there. 2 of the employees at the muinicipality gave me copies of their cedulas and a adress to use to get the Vida y Residencia at the police office. The lady in charge of Vida y Residencia told me it would be ready the  next business day at 9:00 am.

Of course when I got there the next day at 11:30 AM it wasn't ready and I had to wait about an hour, there now were 2 ladies just for the Vida Y Residencia and they probably worked for about 20% of the time they were there the other 80% of the time was spend chatting, texting on their phones, searching for a good radio station etc. Anyway the municipality closes at 13:00 so I had to come back again the next day.

Anyway the next day I just had to do the eye test and had my picture taken. My moto drivers license has the same adress on it as my Profesional B drivers license since my name is connected to that adress in the system, so I don't really know why they needed the Vida Y Residencia this time.

Both times i paid about 2 the price to get the license faster, I think normally you have to wait a few days to pick it up. Both of the licenses are the normal version and not the expat version, so you can use them for 5 years by renewing every year for about 20.000 gs.

For the International driver's license you go to the Touring Club.
REQUISITOS PARA LA OBTENCIÒN DEL REGISTRO INTERNACIONAL:

1. Cédula de identidad paraguaya.

Los extranjeros que no posean Cédula de Identidad paraguaya deberán presentar:
-Carné de residencia permanente
-Carné de diplomatico u oficial.

2. Licencia de conducir paraguaya.

3.Certificado de O.P.A.C.I: dicho documento se obtiene presentando la Licencia de Conducir vigente y la cedula paraguaya en la oficina de O. P. A. C. I. (Organización Paraguaya De Cooperación Intermunicipal) en el horario de 7:30 a 13:00 hs de Lunes a Viernes
Dirección: Mariscal Estigarribia 1080 c/Brasil Tel. 208-460/62

4. 2 fotografias actualizadas tamaño carnet. (4x4 cm. a color)

Obs: La solicitud para la obtención de dicho documento deberá ser llenado y firmado por el autorizado en presencia del funcionario autorizado, no se admiten gestores.

My drivers license was in the OPACI system, I was a bit worried since the drivers license from Fernando is just a laminated piece of paper with some data and a photo on it. So that assured me that it all was legit.

I also got my habilitacion from Fernando, it was really easy. I filled out the form gave it to some gestor guy who did some running around and got the habilitacion in about 30 minutes. Nobody checked anything on my car, in fact they didn't even see it. That was last year maybe things have changed now with the ITV law.

Thank you for sharing Pman!

Aurélie

Hi there.  I just got my licenses for motorcyles and cars in Mariano Roque Alonso.  The licenses are the new, hard laminated types.  However, there is a series of numbers along the bottom representing the years that the licenses are valid:  18, 19, 20, 21, 22.  How and when does one renew the license?  Or is the license valid for all 5 years?  I still don't understand why Paraguay has separate licenses for cars and motorcycles.  It seems to me that they could save money by just creating one license with the appropriate endorsements. 

Anyway, just curious as to how one goes about renewing the license.  Also, is there a way to do it electronically or do you have to go in person to renew the license?