Driving in Chile as a foreigner in your first years is fairly easy under a foreign drivers license either as a tourist or temporary resident. Where things get complicated is when you finally receive your permanent residency in Chile. Under Chilean law you  MUST have a Chilean license to drive, if you are a full permanent resident ( Residencia Definitiva ).

Drivers license exams are administrated by local city governments in Chile. How they administer the exam may be slightly different from city to city, but there are some basic requirements they all must comply with across Chile.

Typically to get a Chilean drivers license you need to complete the following:

1. Present a diploma or transcript proving you have at least an 8th grade education or more.
2. Complete an eye exam. This is typically is done on a machine by a optometrist and will test your spacial relationship, night vision, ability to see colors, and so on. Bring your glasses.
3. Complete a written exam in Spanish with about 35 multiple choice questions demonstrating knowledge of the laws and driving theory.
4. Complete a driving test in a car on the street.

Now that sounds simple in theory, but there are few special issues that foreigners face. One of the more surprising issues we have encountered is many foreigners simply do not have a copy of their diploma or an easy way to request a copy. In which case, there is an education equivalence test that is conducted by the regional governments. Finding out how to schedule one can be more difficult than the driving exam.  In any case, it will be in Spanish. Best to get a copy of your diploma or transcript as early as possible, when planning to stay in Chile.

The written exam in Spanish is what often causes the most anxiety among foreigners. There is some good news in this regard. Across Chile all regional governments use the same pool of about 250 questions and answers. The questions are available in advance, and are exactly as they appear in the 35 questions selected for your particular test. Even better, we have had the completed pool of questions translated to English with answers. A copy of the Chilean driving exam questions in English translation can be found on our Chile Wiki at www.allchile.net, along with other information about driving, owing cars, and much more.

One final tip, there are some municipalities that may accept your valid foreign driver's license and allow you to skip the written test. Just be aware that not all municipalities will allow this, so plan accordingly. It also can not be an expired license, so check on this before your license expires.