How to get a Chilean Driver´s License

March 24, 2017 SouthAmerica

Securing a driver´s license in Chile takes organizing documents and a wealth of patience, especially as an expat living in Santiago. We were living in la Comuna Las Condes and we could apply for a license in the municipal building and obtain all the information there. First you need to have a RUT Number (Rol Unico Tributario) that is the equivalent to the SSN in the USA. When we were there in 2014 we found out that their system was going to change to an even harder ordeal than what it already was. According to the law if you are a Chilean resident you shouldn´t be driving with a foreign or international driver´s license because you are basically Chilean, even if a temporary one. Another very important fact is that in Chile they use a metric system along with the rest of the world besides the USA, Liberia and Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). For distance purposes one has to think in meters and kilometers.

Requirements to get a Driver´s License:

Be at least 18 years or older
ID (Rut Number)
Proof of residency from your comuna. You have to go to the Carabineros office (police station) with a utility bill and your rent´s contract to get a certificate.
High School diploma or similar indicating that you have completed at least the 8^th grade (we figure they want to make sure you can read the test and the street names). Let´s take into consideration that this has to be in Spanish in order to be valid; involving, translation, legalization, and finger printing. It is not as easy as it sounds. They also require everything to be an original document. Once you have collected the documentation, you can set up dates for the tests, involving:
Pass the physical test
Pass the psychometric test
Pass the medical interview
Pass the written test
Pass the driving test (you do need a car with all the proper documentation for this test)

It´s complicated and at the same time less effective. Besides the long list you also have a booklet to read that is hard to understand sometimes. The written test is taken on a computer and consists of 35 random questions selected from a pool of 250 questions. They decided to change the system because people would memorize all the questions and answers so they could pass the written test. The new book has 169 pages covering car mechanics, health issues, physics, etc… and the test draws from a pool of 800 questions. You still have the 35 random test questions, but there is no longer a booklet for sale at any kiosk like before. I guess they considered it is harder to memorize 800 questions.

If you ever decide to drive in Chile, I think the below terminology would be a good start.

Autopista: is “Highway” in Chile, there are some highways that have an automatic toll via cameras and you should have the special device named “TAG”, provided by the different highway services. We used the “Costanera Norte” System. In order to get the TAG, you need to bring “El padron” which is the car´s title, then proof of purchase of vehicle (registered of course) and the application form in case of a brand new vehicle (if it´s a used car more requirements are needed).

You install the TAG on your car´s windshield and when in use it will make a beeping sound. There are 4 different beeping sounds. You only need one beep to make sure it is working properly when you pass the televia (area of control) and you will be fine, if you get more than one beep it is not working as it should. Later on you will get the bill in the mail and you can even pay online, which is nice.

This TAG is linked to your vehicle and its owner, it is not transferable so keep this in mind for when you don´t need it anymore (you should return it to the place you got it from). Also if you are renting a car, be aware of the TAG and make sure it is working fine.

Placa Patente: is what we called license plates, and in Chile they are organized by colors. The license plates in white and black letters are given to any individual. The orange plates with black letters indicate public and private taxi service. Yellow with black lettered plates are for public transportation services called “colectivos”. They offer public service similar to a bus service but they are mini buses more like vans or mini vans. Finally orange with white lettered plates indicates vehicles that offer tours also known as “taxi turismo”.

Permiso de Circulacion: This is basically a tax that every person who owns a vehicle has to pay to their respective Comuna. There is a list of documents that you should bring to your municipal building to get it. You will need the circulation permit from the prior year, mandatory insurance or SOAP, vehicle inspection, smog check, padron (proof of ownership), and certificate of no pending fees or tickets.

Revision tecnica: An inspection to ensure your vehicle is in working order. It is the medical exam for your vehicle. It happens on specific months of the year and it´s based on the last digit of your license plate.

SOAP: (Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes Personales) is the mandatory insurance for personal coverage. It’s meant to cover any death or injuries to the drivers, passengers, or a third person. You are supposed to get this insurance every year along with the policy number from your insurance company.

How long is the license good for? This is good for an indefinite time while you keep all your documents up to date, but you should pass the test every 6 years in order to confirm your physical and mental capacity.

Pistas con transito reversible: Understanding reversible traffic lanes is very important if you decide to drive in Santiago. There are several ones, based on the rush hour (in different areas through the Region Metropolitana). Some avenues for example will have the reversible traffic from 17:00 to 21:00 hours like Tobalaba Avenue. In Chile, they use the 24 hour notation.

Presidente Riesco Avenue changed to one way traffic from 7:30 to 12:00 hours, but only on specific sections of the avenue. You can always check the UOCT.CL (Unidad Operativa de Control de Transito – Traffic Control) for more accurate updates and current restriction areas.

Restriccion Vehicular: Vehicle restriction: In Chile, especially Santiago due to congestion, contamination and pollution, there are several driving restrictions that apply according to the license plate number. You must get a green sticker as soon as your vehicle is registered. It always goes on the windshield. The sticker indicates if your car meets the regular emission standards. Other type of vehicles will get either a yellow or red sticker. Most of the new cars meet the smog standards so you will get the green sticker. The second control is the final digit numbers on your license plate. The regulations alternate odd or even plates, prohibiting one for driving on certain days.

Santiago is well organized. They have the regular restrictions scheduled for the whole year in advance to help with traffic congestion. It is applied from April through August of each year.

Vehicle restrictions are based on how bad the current air pollution is. There are three different types of restrictions in this area: Alerta ambiental, Pre-emergencia ambiental, and Emergencia ambiental (Environment alert, pre-emergency environmental alert, and environmental emergency). These three types of restrictions will be announced before they take effect, usually the night before around 9:00 pm. Always make sure to check online at uoct.cl for updates or early in the morning before you start your commute. When Santiago gets the environmental alert and pre-emergency environmental alert even the schools suspend all outdoor activities. Besides having all these regulations you will see the smog with your own eyes when the contamination level is high.

https://www.southamericatotheworld.com/ — Santiago de Chile

Santiago´s pollution or Smogtiago

When you register your car in Chile it can only have one name for the ownership. In the USA we have both our names and same goes for car insurance. In Chile the “titular” is the only person who owns the car, being similar as with the bank account.

If driving in Chile, especially in Santiago, you should be aware that there are only certain streets that allow a left turn. This could be complicated due to having big streets, always have a route in mind before adventuring to the roads. A GPS will come in very handy.

Chile has the below emergency numbers that could be very useful at any given time; only the ambulance number is set for Santiago area or Region Metropolitana (RM) all other numbers work nationwide:

Ambulancia: Ambulance 131 (RM)

Bomberos: Firefighters 132

Carabineros: Chilean Police 133

PDI: Police investigation 134

Fono drogas: Drug related issues 135

Cuerpo de Socorro Andino: Andean rescue team 136

Unidad de rescate costero: Coastal rescue unit 137

Servicio de búsqueda y salvamiento aéreo: Air search service and salvage 138

Informacion policial: Police service information 139

Incendios forestales CONAF: Forestal fires 130

Violencia domestica: Domestic violence 149

Emergencia comuna Las Condes: Las Condes emergency number 1402