Having discovered – to my amazement – that there is only one place in the MegaGuadalajaropolis that issues driver licenses to foreigners, I decided to rise bright and early the day I set out for Transito, imagining I was at the start of an arduous and lengthy trial: the quest for my very first Jalisco licencia de conducir.
The main office of Jalisco’s Secretaría de Vialidad y Transporte is on the corner of Alcalde and Circumvalación and when I reached it, I expected to see a long queue circling the block, but such was not the case.
Inside, I found a line of only three people. After a mere four-minute wait, a clerk asked to see my documents (passport, FM2 or FM3 and utility bill/bank statement – plus a copy of each) and then asked for my blood type, which I couldn’t recall. “No problem, we have a mini-clinic here where they’ll give you a blood test.”
No one at all was in line for the blood test, which took only five minutes and cost 60 pesos. Save time, money and a finger prick by getting this info before you go!
Next I was sent to a window where a clerk types out the data that will go on the licencia. Foreigners beware: It’s really important that you clarify exactly what your name is, in terms the clerk can understand. For example, if your name is Robert Louis Stevenson, you could easily end up as “Mr. Louis” for the rest of your life in Latin America. To avoid this, you must strongly insist that Stevenson is your family name and “Robert Louis” is your first name.
What? In Mexico my first name consists of two words? Sí, sí! It took me many years to discover this. In fact a “nombre” in Spanish can be composed of any number of multiple parts. “María de la Piedad” and “Juan Pablo” are first names here. So, if your passport shows what English speakers might call a first and middle name, just lump them together and hand the clerk a slip of paper showing something like the following:
Nombre: John Jacob JingleheimerApellido: Schmidt
By the way, in my opinion, you should avoid using or even mentioning your mother’s last name: that just opens another can of worms!
I couldn’t believe it, but getting my name straight was the most difficult aspect of obtaining my driver’s license. Everything else went down as smooth as Carmesí Tequila. The multiple-choice exam was easy to pass with no preparation whatsoever, only now you do it on a computer, so, if you need special glasses to view a monitor, don’t forget to bring them along (and the same goes for just about any bureaucratic procedure you have to undergo in Mexico these days).
Now, one good thing about this test is that it works as a teaching tool. If you choose the wrong answer, the program won’t let you proceed to the next question until you click on the correct one. Unfortunately, whoever programmed the computer slipped up a few times and several “right” answers are logically wrong. For example, you are asked what might cause your engine to overheat. Your choices: A) Not enough water or a loose fan belt, B) Faulty speedometer, C) Low oil in the differential. The obvious answer is A, but according to the computer, the correct answer is C. Once I got back home, I found a website (www.scribd.com/doc/88967866/Guia-Examen-de-Manejo) listing all the exam questions (in Spanish) with answers and there the correct response to the above question is, of course, A.
Some details of Mexico’s traffic rules are a bit surprising and may be beyond guessing by foreigners and Mexicans alike. For example, what do you think the punishment is for driving drunk the first time? The choices are voiding of your license plus fines, suspension of your license plus fines and 36 hours in jail plus fines. My Mexican wife and I both got this one wrong: the correct answer is 36 hours. Better stay sober!
I was told it is possible to take the multiple-choice exam in English, but it is available only on paper. Whatever your choice, I’d say it’s a good idea to review the questions and answers on the website above. If your Spanish isn’t good enough you can go over them with a bilingual friend or sign up for Spanish lessons with my super-teacher wife Susy!
The Road Test was not much of a test at all. You only have to drive once around a circle on their parking lot (with your seat belt fastened, of course), remember to stop every time you come to a crosswalk, and parallel park without knocking anything over.
Finally, there is supposed to be an Eye Test, but they skipped it for both my wife and me, with no explanation. All in all, the whole procedure was quick, easy and as smoothly coordinated as Disneyland.
Some Mexicans have voiced their disapproval of the whole procedure on the internet. Someone who calls himself or herself El Diamante says “Now they’re giving driver licenses to people who can’t drive! That’s why we are the way we are. The only requirement is having enough money to pay the fee!” That fee, by the way, is 435 pesos which you can pay in cash right on the spot.
If you live in Guadalajara and you’ve been thinking about getting a Mexican driver license, I suggest you do it very soon, while the rules are relaxed and the lines are short. Once the new administration takes over, things may change.
The Guadalajara Transito office is located at Av. Prolongación Alcalde 1351, corner of Av. Circunvalación, Colonia Jardines Alcalde, open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It also opens on the first and third Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Tels: (33) 3819-2425 and 3819-2426. Buena suerte!
Editor’s note: Lake Chapala area residents may use the SVT headquarters in Guadalajara to obtain their permits. However, the Chapala SVT office on Calle Flavio Romero in Chapala issues licenses and is a more convenient option, especially now that the new commandant has assigned a bilingual officer to assist foreign residents (see story in last week’s Reporter). It should also be pointed out that the exact procedures for obtaining licenses in Guadalajara may be slightly different than branches in other parts of the state, although the fees are the same. See above Driver’s License Application Guide for Chapala Residents.
Driver’s License Application Guide for Chapala Residents
Jalisco driver permits are issued at the Chapala SVT office, Calle Flavio Romero at Guerrero. Apply for new licenses Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; renewals 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Foreign residents will be asked for the original and one full-size, black and white photocopy of the following documents:
- Valid immigration document for permanent (FM-2) or temporary (FM-3) residence.
- Valid passport.
- Proof of address: current receipt for telephone, CFE, property tax or water bill, bank statement showing applicants surname, or a letter of residence issued at city hall.
Also required:
- Receipt of fee payment; pass eye exam.
- For first-time license: Pass written and driving tests.
- For renewals: present expired license.
Payments:
Accepted at Chapala’s state tax office, Calle Degollado 306, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by deposit at Banamex, Avenida Madero 222, to Cuenta 55534-9, sucursal 870, referencia.
Types of licenses & fees:
Licencia de Automovilista (automobile driver’s license) New, $435; Renewal, $364.
Licencia de Chofer (chauffeur’s license, obligatory for driving stake bed and pickup trucks or other vehicles with capacity for hauling up to 3,500 kilos of cargo) New, $494; Renewal, $435.
Licencia de Motociclista (motorcycle driver’s license, obligatory for driving motorcycles and ATVs on public roads) New, $239; Renewal $185.
All of the above are valid for four years from date of issuance.
Permiso Para Menor (driving permit for minors, age 16-18) New or Renewal, valid for 6 months, $270; valid for 1 year, $541.
To replace a lost or stolen Jalisco license:
Start by soliciting certification of issuance from the state registry via Chapala SVT office-procedure usually takes 3-5 days.