Getting a Mexican Driving License

When it comes to acquiring a Mexican drivers license, you just need to take along your passport and your FM-2 or FM-3 and you will be issued a license within an hour at the Secretaria de Transportes y Vialidad. Or depending on what part of Mexico you arrive in the procedure will be you can get a driver's license from the Transit Department at each of the 16 "delegaciones" throughout the city.

Location:

Transito Chapala: Av. Hidalgo No. 92, Fracc. Riberas del Pilar, Chapala, Jalisco.

Monday to Friday:  9 to 2 p.m. (is better be there before 1:00 pm because the place where you pay for the licenses close at 2:00 pm.)

Bring your own car.

Even if you have the driver's license of your home country you need to take the following:

• driving test
• eye test
• written test (In Spanish)*
  

You will also need the following documents:

• Passport
• FM2 or FM3
  
• Proof of address (telephone or electricity bill, with your name on it)
  • You can also use a local bank statement with your name on it
    
• Know your blood type
• know your ZIP CODE
  
• You need to pass the driving test

Prices (as of March 2010)
New Licenses:
Automovilista: 400.00 pesos
Chofer: 450.00 pesos

Refrendo (Renew)
Automovilista: 330.00 pesos
Chofer: 400.00 pesos

Lost Licenses
Automovilista:360.00 pesos
Chofer: 430.00 pesos

 Tourists may drive with an international license or the driver's license of their own country. Check and make sure your license doesn't expire while you're out of the country.

*State of Jalisco, Mexico Driver's License Written Test

If you live in Jalisco, these are the questions you'll see on the written test. However, depending on where you live, you may only see 20 of the 103 questions. The test, of course, will be in Spanish, but you can request an English version. If you're not fluent in Spanish, be sure to take an interpreter with you. When I went to get my license, there were several people there who spoke no Spanish. I can't tell you how confused and frustrated they were. Though they have been working on streamlining the process, be prepared to hurry up and wait. It took 3 days when I got mine.

Both tests have the correct answer to each question. On the English version, the correct answer is in bold italic text. On the Spanish version, the letters for the correct answer are listed at the end of the test. I've tried to translate the English version into phrase that you can understand. However, the Spanish version is the only one I will vouch for. You can download the study tests in PDF format, but you will need Adobe Reader to open them. If you don't already have it, you can download it free here. You may wonder what in the world some of the questions have to do with driving a car. Nevertheless, you may see one or two of them on your test. Know the correct answers. If memory serves me, you have to get 16 of the 20 questions correct in order to pass. Happy studying and I really hope this helps you out.

Please Note: In the English version, question 66, answer C, I had a very difficult time translating this one. Though, if you check C on the answer sheet, you'll get it correct, you should know what they're talking about. Please replace the word "cloths" with the word "blanket". I'm not exactly sure if that's what they're referring to, but it makes more sense than cloths.

Spanish Version

 English Version

Source: www.lrafferty.net