[quote=“Ben”]I think we’re talking about 2 different things here. On the one hand, is using your home country/state’s license to exchange for a Taiwanese license. This is subject to reciprocity. If your state/country does not allow Taiwanese to exchange their licenses for a local one, then you also do not have that privilege in Taiwan.
Now, the other thing, which I think is the subject of this thread, is if you have an international driving permit issued in your home country. You can drive with those in Taiwan for 30 days. If you stay longer than 30 days, then you can go down to the Taiwan DMV, and have it stamped, and a little piece of paper stuck in it, at which point, it becomes valid for the term of the permit. I was in Taiwan for 2 years, and I did this with no problems. After the first time, all I did was bring in my old IDP along with the new one, and show them the paper and the stamp, and they understood immediately what I needed, and took care of it with no hassle.[/quote]Ben, it seems to me that both home country licenses AND international driving permits are subject to reciprocity, at least in some cases.
If the information on this table; tcmvd.gov.tw/d2k/english/ben … _table.htm
is correct, then the vast majority of places are OK either for using/validating their IDP or for using/exchanging their license for an ROC one. With some places, both options are OK.
But with a few places, you can neither use their IDP nor their regular license here;
Argentina
Japan
Pakistan
Nigeria
Ghana
Bahamas
Florida
South Carolina
[quote=“ironfist”]where do I go in Kaohsiung to get international driving license stamped?[/quote]I don’t know the address of the DMV in Kaohsiung. Perhaps someone else can provide an address or directions.
[quote=“ironfist”]Can I use that to get a driver license in tw? but needs to take written test or something?[/quote]Unlikely with the IDL itself. Where are you from? If the US/Canada, which state/province? Check the beneficiary table I linked to above. That gives clear information on which places’ driving licenses (NOT international driving permits) can be “exchanged” for ROC ones.
[quote=“ironfist”]The international license is it good for 500cc bikes? if not up to how many cc is ok?[/quote]There are some other threads with this information. Basically, if your IDL states clearly the cc it’s good for, you may be OK. If it doesn’t, I think you’re out of luck.
[quote=“Ben”]I think we’re talking about 2 different things here. On the one hand, is using your home country/state’s license to exchange for a Taiwanese license. This is subject to reciprocity. If your state/country does not allow Taiwanese to exchange their licenses for a local one, then you also do not have that privilege in Taiwan.
[/quote]
I think this is because I started a thread on the 1st or it could be the 2nd different thing but it was morphed in here as its also about reciprocal rights so quite rightly it should be in the one thread but now does not quite read so smoothly.
Anyway, if we don’t like them they don’t like us. If we can get this above preschool level thinking and apply that at the state goverment level it should all smooth out eventually.
The DMV have a book of all the countries (and provinces if you happen to come from Canada). Take your passport, your home country license, your IDL, ARC, and 2 photos (always take photos here evertime you go to the government just in case). You’ll get a stamp, or an inserted piece of paper that allows you to drive until your limit.
This is the exact procedure that i followed. I was allowed to keep using my IDL for 30 days, as I’m from Ontario, Canada, and then needed to take the actual test for my Taiwanese license.
If any of this is redundant i’m sorry. All of this info is accurate as of April, 2005, when I got my car licence. Also, if you take the car licence examination first, you don’t need to write the test for the scooters.
[quote=“mfaass”]…This is the exact procedure that i followed. I was allowed to keep using my IDL for 30 days, as I’m from Ontario, Canada, and then needed to take the actual test for my Taiwanese license.[/quote]Thanks for the info mfaass. Normally IDLs are stamped as valid for 12 months from date of issue.[quote=“KawasakiRider”]I’m from Ontario and didn’t have any problems with my international license.[/quote]Was this at the same DMV office? Perhaps the rules for Ontario have changed.
The reciprocity table on the Taipei City Motor Vehicles Office website; tcmvd.gov.tw/d2k/english/AMERICA.htm
looks regular with no special notes for Ontario. But the Ministry of Transport website; thb.gov.tw/english/north_america.htm
states that neither the Taiwan IDL nor the regular Taiwan driving licence are recognised in Ontario. The following unusually lengthy note is included in the Ontario row of the table;
"If a driver holds a driver
[quote=“European”]I was looking at my old international driving permit and saw that I am allowed to ride a motorcycle that doesn’t exceed 400KG or 900lbs in weight.
I haven’t got a clue how heavy a 125 is.
Does anyone know what size engine a bike of 400KG would represent?[/quote]A Honda Goldwing is around 830lbs dry. Does that help?
Went today to the Motorvehicle Office in Taoyuan to let them stamp my IDL. Was a very convinient thing. Took me about 5 min, filling out 2 forms giving them one foto and the ARC and the IDL, done.
It is also possible for me (Austria) to take the test at any time. The medical check can be done there. They were very nice and trying to help and also answer my questions.
Oh, and if anybody in the future need to go there I give a short discribtion of the way here:
-go off the freeway 2 at Taoyuan exit and head towards Taoyuan
-follow the road till it crosses the road nr. 110 (local road, white, don’t know how you call them) and turn on to that to the right
-follow this road till you cross the nr. 4 / nr. 1 (how you call them? the green ones, big) and go on them to the right
-follow the route 4, it will go over a bridge and cross the train line, few hundret meter after that you will come to a big crossing, just follow the route 4
-few hundred meters further is on the right side in the building of the taoyuan motorvehicle office
Sorry, hope the discribtion helps. I also have a printout of a map but no scanner and the street names are written on there in chinese.
I (German) was told the same at Taipei’s MVD in Bade Rd. - but when I wanted to register at a driving school to do the test I was told that I still have to ride a bike <= 250cc for 1 year before I can upgrade to the real big bike license. That’s ridiculous, considering that I have the permit to ride bikes with unlimited performance capacity for some 20 years and that I was legally riding such big bikes for some 2.5 years in Taiwan on my stamped IDL. :fume:
[quote=“Maoman”]I had the same experience. I had my license stamped/validated for free at the DMV on Bade Road. One time a cop stopped me and told me that my license wasn’t valid.
Me: Are you sure?
Him: Yes, it is not valid in Taiwan.
Me: Are you really, really, sure?
Him: It is against the law to drive in Taiwan with one of those things.
Me: Well then, what’s this all about? (I show him the validation clearly stamped on the inside of it.)
He then took out his gun and pistol-whipped me for being a smartass. (Well, ok, he didn’t.) But judging from the expression on his face, he was thinking about it. After much muttering and back-pedalling he let me go.[/quote]
Same thing happened to me on a number of occasions. Never had a problem, even with the few traffic accidents that I was involved in.
I’m sorry, I’m a bit unclear. If I take my Australian (ACT) drivers license in, do they change it for a Taiwan license, or can I get one in addition to my Australian license?
[quote=“gcat”]I’m sorry, I’m a bit unclear. If I take my Australian (ACT) drivers license in, do they change it for a Taiwan license, or can I get one in addition to my Australian license?[/quote]I don’t think so. According to the table of reciprocity on the Taipei City Motor Vehicles Department website, Australians need a valid International Driving Permit. When you have that, you take it (within one month) to your local Motor Vehicles Department office, show them your ARC, fill in a form, and they’ll stick a bit of paper in the IDP that permits you to use it for its full period of validity.
[quote=“Ironman”]For the first time ever (4th year here) I went to get my International driving permit stamped as I read somewhere that after 30 days it needs a stamp.
They asked what state in Aus I am from. Funny question I thought. They then told me that I can not drive in Taiwan. I tracked down the manager and got a photocopy of a document that says if you are from Canberrra or Western Australia you have reciprocal rights. So, obviously the same thing would work in reverse off a Taiwan issued international licence being used in Australia.
Note that I have no ARC and come in on a 90 day visa as thats plenty of time before a trip out for whatever reason.
So, I still do not believe this. There has to be a communication/ interpretation error. Anybody know about or heard about this?[/quote]
Sorry, I think I got confused by the whole reciprocal rights thing in this post. So, I need an International Drivers License, and, because I have a Canberra license I can get it stamped and use it. If I was from any state that is not the ACT or WA, then I couldn’t even use an International Drivers License. Is that right?
I have an ARC, and have been here for a year and a half (almost 6mths since last entry).
[quote=“gcat”]Sorry, I think I got confused by the whole reciprocal rights thing in this post. So, I need an International Drivers License, and, because I have a Canberra license I can get it stamped and use it. If I was from any state that is not the ACT or WA, then I couldn’t even use an International Drivers License. Is that right? [/quote]I don’t think so. I think you should be able to get an International Driving Permit stamped whatever state you’re from.
I think what Ironman may have been talking about was full reciprocity – i.e. you show them your Canberra license and they give you a Taiwanese one. I have no idea about this and to be honest I’m not sure whether most Motor Vehicles Department staff have either. The reciprocity table on the TCMVD site justs lists “Australia”, not individual states. It shows that you need an international driving permit.
But why not just do the local license test, if you’re going to be driving quite a bit?
How long is a international driverlicense valid when I don’t have the stamp?
Is it 3 mounts from I entered the country or is it 3 mounts from the license was ishued?
I arived in January, but I just had a internatioal one shiped to me this week.
Do I have to get the stamp right away? And can I do it in Lou Dong or Y-lan/ So-Au?
[quote=“Stian”]I would like to clear one thing up.
How long is a international driverlicense valid when I don’t have the stamp?
Is it 3 mounts from I entered the country or is it 3 mounts from the license was ishued?
I arived in January, but I just had a internatioal one shiped to me this week.
Do I have to get the stamp right away? And can I do it in Lou Dong or Y-lan/ So-Au?[/quote]One month. I’m not sure about whether that means from when you entered the country or from when it was issued, but it would be sensible to get the “stamp” (actually a bit of paper stapled in the IDP) right away. Any DMV office should be able to issue this. Go there with your ARC and the IDP, and a couple of passport-sized photos – I can’t remember how many they need; maybe just one.
I think that depends on nationalety.
I’m quite shure that in my case it’s 3, but I’m not able to find out if it’s from the license ishue date or the stamp in my passport or ishue off ARC.
My ARC is for some reason only valid for 11month and 20days so I could not take the local driving license. Dos this mean I can’t get the stamp eather?
Do I have to just hope that next years ARC get 12months on it?
Why don’t you just go there and try to get the stamp in your International Driver License.
If they notice the difference of dates, just tell them the buraucracy is so slow back home, with long waiting list to get it issued.
After much muttering and back-pedalling he let me go.[/quote]