Department of Motor Vehicles. I don’t know if its the same place, but the place you take your car to get emission-tested is close to you on the other side of Taichung Kang Rd, not too far from where XM used to live.
Department of Motor Vehicles
(usually)
One more thing … I hope the police pull over foreigners specifically to assure they have driver’s licences, for all of our safety! It would not be racial profiling. It’s following up on a known lead…
Especially if the boys in blue are behind on their quotas.
Such a move, though, would start adding demerits to a population that may not be able to afford them if they really screw up l8er.
For our SAFETY? Surely you jest? Get a license because its the law, but don’t for even a second harbour the idea that the hoops they make you jump through in ANY WAY WHATSOEVER makes you a safe driver. Testing here is a total joke.
Agreed! Having a license doesn’t eqaul safer or smarter riders. I think the requirements for getting a license in Taiwan is far too lax. It’s almost a joke. In most countries they would never give you a license to ride that easily or quickly. The biggest joke was the test for getting a big bike license (250cc+). Basically, if you can go in a circle around some stupid obstacle course then you are given a license to hop on a 1200cc bike. It’s more like a license to kill.
That is what my experience has been here on the island.
30 days and thats it.[/quote]
If you take your idl down to the police station for the eare where you live they will copy it and put their stamps on it and validate it for 12 months. But your supposed to get a local licence after 3 months of living here
You mean even I could get a licence to kill, um ride, a big bike. Then I could go speeding around like a mad man handing out my own form of justice (just like Batman). The cops wouldn’t catch me on my Bat-bike.
Beware illegal parkers, people who drive too slow (it’s not safe you know) and all those that jay walk. I’ll be out there ready to punish those who cross the line. If I see that you don’t recycle, yeah, I’ll cut open your trash bag with my pointy stick of tenacity and leave you to clean up the mess. Ah yes, I hear you say, that would be silly wouldn’t it, breaking the law to punish others… but, I operate at a higher level. 
But seriously, is it really that easy to get a big bike licence?
Ignore the stuff in the middle. 
I don’t know…50 cc scooters are not that popular in the U.S. but judging from the written test I took in the U.S., for a motorcycle license and car, the written test in Taiwan was basically the same as would be given in the U.S.
Naturally, each state in the U.S. issues it’s own licenses and they all have different requirements…in Az. a 14-year-old can get a license to drive a 50cc but in VA no way. (http://www.gmimotorsports.com/laws.shtml)
Also there are several states in the U.S., I believe, where KIDS can drive farm vehicles - trucks, tractors, etc. on secondary roads with no licenses.
I think the requirements are much more strict for Europeans.
I don’t know about Europeans, but in the UK, you’re taught how to actually drive by actual driving instructors rather than merely how to operate a car. You learn to drive on actual roads, to deal with actual traffic and are questioned on driving points that actually have some relevance to actual driving. Then you sit a driving test that actually tests your ability to actually drive.
Even then, insurance companies won’t consider you a “safe” driver until you’ve been accident-free for about three or four years.
So yeah, testing in Taiwan is a total farce.
[quote=“Satellite TV”][quote=“TainanCowboy”][quote=“sandman”]I always thought a stamped IDL was valid only for your first month in Taiwan or something. After that, you’re supposed to get a local license.[/quote]That is what my experience has been here on the island.
30 days and thats it.[/quote]If you take your idl down to the police station for the eare where you live they will copy it and put their stamps on it and validate it for 12 months.[/quote]Correct. See the “Foreign-issued International Driving Licenses/Permits” thread here;
[Foreign-issued International Driving Licenses/Permits
I’m a South African who took my IDL to Chengde Rd.They looked at the ARC and then gave me a IDL for Taiwan that will expire at the same time as my normal IDL.I did ask if it could be changed to a full-on Taiwanese license but the woman’s exact words were “only stay Taiwan forever”
Didn’t cost a cent and definitely worthwhile if you don’t like that heart in the throat feeling whenever you see anything wearing uniform.
’
What about if someone has no ARC? Can they get their IDL validated here?
don’t think there’ll be a problem with that.As you know you can only drive for 30 days on your normal IDL.If you stay longer you need to get the Taiwanese one
[quote=“European”]What about if someone has no ARC? Can they get their IDL validated here?[/quote][quote=“skywalker”]don’t think there’ll be a problem with that.[/quote]I presume Skywalker’s right. Please let us know for certain when you find out.[quote=“skywalker”]As you know you can only drive for 30 days on your normal IDL.If you stay longer you need to get the Taiwanese one[/quote]Incorrect. Please read my post on the previous page;
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi … 083#285083
I think you can ride/drive for 30 days without validating the IDL. But if you get it validated within that 30 days you can use it for the whole year.
According to this website you are correct. You can use the IDL issued in your home country for thirty days then you must take it in and get it changed to an IDL permit (or whatever they call it).
tcmvd.gov.tw/english/en_d2k_frm.htm
english.taipei.gov.tw/TCG/index. … cordid=175
To put this thread to the test, I drove by one of those road blocks the other night, slowed down and smiled right at the cop. He had plenty of time to pull my big nose over, but he just smiled back.
That said, watch me get nailed tonight.
I agree with “The King of Comedy” this crackdown is nonsense. Roadblocks smoadblocks. Never had a problem with them. Cops don’t care about foreigners, just like they don’t care about anyone else. I have been driving for about 8 years without a license here. “License? We don’t need no stinken license!”
If you get pulled over maybe you look like some hippy freak drug user and they unfairly profiling you. Maybe you need a haircut, shave and a shower?
[quote=“Hobart”]I have been driving for about 8 years without a license here. “License? We don’t need no stinken license!”
[/quote]
I did this for a long time as well and empathize with much of what you say…I’ve always felt your driving skills mean alot more than paper, but what happens if you have an accident?
This fear finally took me to the DMV. Last year I got rear-ended, totally the other persons fault. She tried to get out of it by mentioning to the cops that I was a foreigner and didn’t have a local license. I was happy to show them that I was driving legally and then I asked to see her license as well…
She didn’t have one. 
Drive safe.
This was my main motivation for getting the correct paperwork, as well. Heard too many stories of foreigners being in accidents that weren’t necessarily their fault and then getting pinned with it because they didn’t have the right papers.
As Mordeth pointed out previously, the law states that not having a license does not mean that a driver is automatically at fault.
Yet one never knows how things are going to work out in practice. There is also the serious problem that unlicensed drivers are unlikely to be covered by insurance (whether or not they have paid for an insurance certificate) so in any accident unless the other driver is found to be 100% at fault there is a very real possibility of having to pay out large sums of money.
I certainly sleep better knowing that I have all the necessary documents including license.
If you drive on a IDL and it’s not copied and stamped by the police you will not be covered by the insurance companies here.