I became aware of a new law, effective as from August, that requires a year-long ARC to get a driver’s license of any kind in Taipei city. Sadly, I waited until after August to apply for a license. They aren’t concernced with who issued your ARC, just that it is valid for a full year. My problem is that my employer messed up some paperwork when applying, and there was a delay in my ARC processing. It’s valid for 11.5 months, only two weeks shy of that requirement. Even with this explanation, they wouldn’t allow me to test. They did accept my money for the eye/hearing/height/weight test. :fume:
Make damn sure you get a full-year ARC if you sign for a full year!
Now that all Taiwan’s problems are solved, the government has nothing to do but find ways to take revenge on foreigners living here whose governments don’t accord them full diplomatic recognition. Not petty and childish at all.
Appeal.
I mean, launch an administrative appeal, that is. Get to Richard Hartzell for details.
He’s right. They tried to limit our licences to less than six years a while back, and that has been overturned by the courts. I’m quite sure this latest nonsense is illegal too.
Get a written copy of the ruling and keep it with you while you are driving/riding. If you have an International license already and get pulled over, simply show both to the police and ask them “Now what?”
Did they mean 12 months from the day it was issued, or 12 months valid from the day you take your test? It’s hard to believe they wouldn’t accept your explanation…Maybe you could go back with your paperwork, explain again the foulup and ask to speak to someone higher up?
If this is true, 80% of the newcomers are going to run into this problem…How often do people actually get their ARC’s ontime?
I fail to see the logic…Can you even get a shorter than 12 month ARC?
:loco:
Sure if you can get a written denial, then you use it for your administrative appeal. I did that when they only wanted to give me a drivers license for 9 months, in line with the expiry of my ARC. I (Richard) appealed, and I got my 6 year license.
As far as I know they still issue driving licenses linked to your ARC expiry date, unless you appeal.
[quote=“MJB”]Did they mean 12 months from the day it was issued, or 12 months valid from the day you take your test?[/quote]Seems like the former.
[quote=“Taipei City Motor Vehicles Office ( tcmvd.gov.tw/north/main/new_page_20.htm )”]Documents Required When Applying for Driving License Test
(1)Alien Residence Certificate [ARC] with validity of over
one year.( the issued day to expired day must be over one year.)
Example : date of issue : 2004.05.05 ~ date of expiry: 2005.05.04[/quote]So the problem must be with the ARC.
Not be long now before we have to wear little stars on our jackets and start every conversation with “I am obliged to tell you, Sir, that I am a foreigner”. You can bet they are planning that for SEA women and Chinese spouses.
Can anyone give information on how to appeal, or indeed where to get this copy of the law that we may carry around with us. My driving licence expires in three years, but I am sick of the crap they give foreigners here. I would appeal if I knew how??
Anyone??
Please??
Try here:
[url]Oct. 1st Coordination Meeting for Six-Year Drivers' Licences
Richard used to charge a bit for the paperwork, I think he set up a special deal when becoming moderator of this forum.
[quote=“Taipei City Motor Vehicles Office ( tcmvd.gov.tw/north/main/new_page_20.htm )”]Documents Required When Applying for Driving License Test
(1)Alien Residence Certificate [ARC] [color=red]with validity of over
one year.( the issued day to expired day must be over one year.)[/color]
[color=red]Example : date of issue : 2004.05.05 ~ date of expiry: 2005.05.04[/color] [/quote]
Is it me, or is the example they give invalid as it is not ‘over’ one year. I thought that the majority of ARCs are for 1 year only and so are not useable as they are not valid for ‘over’ one year.
I love Taiwan. 
I made two visits to the DMV to be certain that there was such a law, and on the second visit I spoke to someone higher up. He was polite, and I in turn was very polite, but he kept repeating the one-year rule. I asked him what options were left for me.
Option 1: extend ARC. I informed him that this isn’t possible (is it?) He also mentioned an IDL. Ha, roundtrip to the USA for a temporary license. That’s an expensive license.
I concluded that the only viable option was to drive illegaly. He heard me say this, but just of stood there, hands tied.
Funny, not much later, I was hit by a taxi driver. Eyewitnesses convinced him to “let me go”; man, was he ever pissed off. Yes, I would much rather be the one trying to collect the money than the one who pays, at fault or not. Or I could go back to the MRT life. 
Or, get a written refusal out of them. Then you launch an administrative appeal.
they still only offer driver’s licences up to the expiry date of your arc … i was never told anything different b4 stumbling onto this thread.
a year ago, or so, when i got mine, my arc was only good for about 6 months at the time.
however, gotten married in the meantime, and they did give me the 3 year one (marriage arc) right away, so i guess i lucked out there … and the d.l will be good for three years when i have to renew …
[quote=“xtrain_01”]they still only offer driver’s licences up to the expiry date of your arc … I was never told anything different b4 stumbling onto this thread.
a year ago, or so, when I got mine, my arc was only good for about 6 months at the time.
however, gotten married in the meantime, and they did give me the 3 year one (marriage arc) right away, so I guess i lucked out there … and the d.l will be good for three years when I have to renew …[/quote]
Wrong.
My license runs out in 2008. I got it in 2002, when I was on a 1-year arc.
Our admin folks at work have checked into the license deal over the past couple of months. My only conclusion is that they make this stuff up as they go…
Well, when you can win an appeal in a matter of weeks, then well yes, they are making rules and regulations for foreigners up.
The problem is this. You win an appeal now and get a licence for 6 years, but they told me that once that one expires you’d have to appeal yet again to get another six years. They were like, hey, it’s your money, do what you want. So, the cost of winning an appeal for 6 years only to have to do it again, or renew every three years, was a no brainer. To me it seemed like winning just for the sake of winning, but it costing so much and changing nothing.
All these people have won appeals but nothing has changed.
[quote=“Bassman”]The problem is this. You win an appeal now and get a licence for 6 years, but they told me that once that one expires you’d have to appeal yet again to get another six years. They were like, hey, it’s your money, do what you want. So, the cost of winning an appeal for 6 years only to have to do it again, or renew every three years, was a no brainer. To me it seemed like winning just for the sake of winning, but it costing so much and changing nothing.
All these people have won appeals but nothing has changed.[/quote]
If you win and win again, then sooner or later, well, you will get the rules changed. Enough cases on the table will make them change their ways - eventually.
BTW, when did it become law that you had to have an ARC to get a driver’s license? I had my first car and bike licenses years before my first ARC…