By Marcos Chiluisa
While visas can be a headache for tourists in Ecuador, a driver's license is not a problem, at least not for the first six months of their stay. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to go through the process of getting a license or passing a driving test. We have good news; an international driver’s license is good to drive in Ecuador for a limited period of time.
According to Article 37 from the Terrestrial Transportation transit and Road Safety regulations, foreigners who enter Ecuador under any nonimmigrant and immigrant visas can drive using a license issued in their home country during the entire stay up to a maximum of 6 months. This means that you can use your own license no matter if you are a resident or a tourist, but only for 6 months.
Residents who have an Ecuadorian ID known as the “cedula” have the opportunity to obtain a driver license if it is their intention to drive in Ecuador regularly.