I tried to take the car driver’s license test at Shilin and indeed the questions have changed. There are many that don’t show up on the internet practice test, no matter how many times you take it online.
The practical was also very tough for me and I failed the S-curve even though I have driven left-hand drive, manual transmission cars for over 15 years in the United States. It’s no cakewalk on the first shot.
Anyhow, I thought the US was not considered a “reciprocating country” for direct license exchange, but I had my California driver’s license authenticated by a notary at the AIT on Hsinyi Rd., took it to Shilin, and was able to get a Taiwanese driver’s license with no hassle.
Because California licenses don’t restrict you based on manual or automatic transmission, I received a manual transmission license.
Straight after I got the vehicle license, I tried the motorcycle practical since you can skip the written portion if you have a car license. Again keep in mind this is Shilin (Taipei DMV, north branch). The course is under a covered area so it stays dry, so no worries about rain. I used the scooter and helmet they provided. The scooter they have is small (50-100cc, I don’t recall) and quite easy to handle, so no worries there unless they change it. You don’t have to start off right at the line, so start well back so you can get stable. The first time I didn’t notice the digital counter (duh) so I went too slow and touched the ground counting a looong 7 seconds in my head. Make sure to look up at the red digital counter…it’s really easy.
Where I really made a dumb mistake was trying to run the flashing green light after the curve. Flashing green lights don’t exist in the US, so I didn’t know whether to stop or gun it. Well the hesitation made me trip the alarm, so I must take the test again next week.
It seems however that the Chinese internet practice test is consistent with the actual questions in English, so one option is to get someone to help you run through that one a couple of times beforehand …
I’ve spoken to the offices in Taipei AND Taichung about this and they agree that it’s the VALIDITY of the ARC which matters - they never heard of someone having to stay for one year to get their license.
I took my ‘normal heavy motorcycle’ test recently in Taipei (BaDe? I don’t live in Taipei and I’m not well up on the geography) after about 3 months on a 3 year ARC. My license is also valid for 3 years which I argued briefly about, but at least I have it better than you one-year-ARC guys.
So… WTF?
[quote=“plasmatron”]I’m no authority, but it looks like you’re out of luck until at least Feb if your Indian license wasn’t authenticated by the embassy/consulate in India…
Taiwanese beurocrats eh?
It’s like yesterday at the DMV, my mate didn’t bring his passport since at first he didn’t think he needed it… they insisted on seeing it so they told him to go home and get it… on a scooter… we were there applying for a scooter licence… [/quote]
[quote=“mingshah”]The people in the motorvehicle office in Taoyuan gave me a paper with the following link on it when we talked about how I can attend the test:
[quote=“matchgrade”]Anyhow, I thought the US was not considered a “reciprocating country” for direct license exchange, but I had my California driver’s license authenticated by a notary at the AIT on Xinyi Rd., took it to Shilin, and was able to get a Taiwanese driver’s license with no hassle.
Because California licenses don’t restrict you based on manual or automatic transmission, I received a manual transmission license.
Where I really made a dumb mistake was trying to run the flashing green light after the curve. Flashing green lights don’t exist in the US, so I didn’t know whether to stop or gun it. Well the hesitation made me trip the alarm, so I must take the test again next week.
Thought this information could help somebody out.[/quote]Thanks - is this right about the Cali licenses?
Is this the same island wide now?
I’m not sure about the island wide policy on exchanging a California driver’s license in exchange for a Taiwanese one, but I can confirm only that Shilin accepted my CDL which I had authenticated and notarized at the AIT. By the way, I asked the window clerk at AIT if notarize licenses often and she said they did it all the time.
[color=green]GREEN LIGHT !
blinking[/color]
…Taiwan pi joe time!
Thanks for the info Matchgrade. I may cruise down to the AIT in Kaoshiung and get mine notarized and see if they can give any onfo on the reciprocity here in Tainan or in Kaoshiung deal.
Great SN, is that 7.62mm, Match, M852 or 300 WIN. ?..
Just had a look at the table of reciprocity. It seems that my HK, Vietnam and UK license are all good here. Given that I leave every 30days I should be ok not to take a test ever for motorbike or car!!! Never thought my Vietnamese bike test would come in handy.
Dragging this thread back from the depths - I want to take my test. However, my ARC is valid for two weeks less than a year (for stupid, bureaucratic reasons) and so I’m being told I can’t take the test or hold a Taiwanese licence. I asked the woman on the phone what I should do, as it looks like I have no option but to drive illegally. Her reply: just be careful. :loco:
What the hell is this? When the woman at the Motor Vehicle Bureau is telling me I should just drive illegally and make sure I don’t crash or get pulled over, it seems that evidence of the lunacy of the laws is at hand. According to the letter of the law, there is no way I can legally drive.
:wanker:
I had both of them 10 years ago when I lived here last. They had expired since then. But the Motor Vehicles Office still had my old information in their database, and with my ARC as my ID (I haven’t been able to find my old licenses) they simply renewed both licenses, requesting two photos for each license and a total of NT$400. They printed them up, laminated them and issued them right there. No need to take tests or anything.
The licenses expire when my ARC expires, which is also when my passport expires.
I got my license today! Yeah! I was so happy I almost cried. Why?
Last Tuesday I went to get a license in anticipation for my planned motorcycle trip around Taiwan, starting Sunday morning. Nope, the DMV said, your ARC is only for 355 days. Of course I was upset because this is ridiculous. They said if I went to the police station and extended my ARC they’d give me a license.
I switched jobs in June, 10 months into my original contract at Kojen and ARC. So I amended the ARC in July. At that time, they wouldn’t let me extend my ARC, because I had to do that within one month of the originial expiration date. So I went to renew my ARC on Thursday (because this week was within one month of my original ARC expiration). I was able to extend my ARC one year from when I switched jobs, thus from now to next July. I happily went back to the DMV, but was told NOPE, because I extended my ARC from now (august) until next July, which isn’t 365 days. I was MAD.
So I went back today and brought my new work permit signed June 26th. I showed them that was when they should consider my ARC as being issued, and since my ARC now expires next July 30th, that constitutes more than one year. They seemed ok with that – but I’m not sure they really cared, they just backed off because I was so insistent and was waving paperwork around. Taking the “physical”, written test and driving test took about an hour. I watched lots of Taiwanese mess that road test up bad – I can’t believe that’s who I’m sharing the road with.
Anyway, my point is that the DMV is looking for at least 364 days on your ARC; not REMAINING days, just total days, and they will issue you a license that expires on the same day as your ARC (and then you can renew both). Also, if you get turned away, keep going back, because I think the system is kinda arbitrary sometimes.
Someone needs to do something about the DMV and this stupid, stupid stupid 1 year rule…
Anyone know if Canada now has any reciprocal agreement with Taiwan for license equivalents. I have a Quebec driver’s permit. There’s this one guy that works at the DMV in Taichung and his so-called “reference” manual looks like it’s 100 years old with outdated information in it…but he insists on using it and telling me that nothing has changed in recent years!..he’s just a lazy f*ck and couldn’t be bothered to check…
Anyone here know if things have changed with Canadian licenses…It’s high time that I get a Tainese license!
[quote=“Captain Stag”]Anyone know if Canada now has any reciprocal agreement with Taiwan for license equivalents. I have a Quebec driver’s permit. There’s this one guy that works at the DMV in Taichung and his so-called “reference” manual looks like it’s 100 years old with outdated information in it…but he insists on using it and telling me that nothing has changed in recent years!..he’s just a lazy f*ck and couldn’t be bothered to check…
Anyone here know if things have changed with Canadian licenses…It’s high time that I get a Tainese license!
Cheers[/quote]I don’t think anything has changed. According to the most recent table I’ve seen, you can use a suitably validated Canadian IDP, but you can’t exchange a regular Canadian driving license for a local one.
So I’ve read this thread and a handful of other threads on getting a license to drive my scooter and I’m still confused. Here’s some background information.
I came into Taiwan on the 7th of August and got a job a couple of weeks later. Then my employer helped me apply for my work permit, resident visa, and ARC. The contract I signed is for the duration of one year (September 1st, 2006 - August 31st, 2007). However, for some reason it took nearly two months for my employer to finally get my ARC. Thus, the issue date on my ARC (and my resident visa as well) is October 16th, 2006 (a month and a half after I started working) and it expires on August 31st, 2007.
Now, I want to be legal but it seems that since my ARC is not good for one year total, I’m pretty much SOL for getting a valid driver’s license. Is this assumption correct? If so, is there some sort of work around for this? Would it be possible to get a copy of my work permit and take that in?
[quote=“PotatoPeeler”]Now, I want to be legal but it seems that since my ARC is not good for one year total, I’m pretty much SOL for getting a valid driver’s license. Is this assumption correct? If so, is there some sort of work around for this? Would it be possible to get a copy of my work permit and take that in?[/quote]I don’t know of any work arounds. But you could try taking your work permit in. Don’t get your hopes up, but it’s worth a try.
I was so happy I almost cried. Why?