Driver’s License in Peru

Visitors who come to Peru as tourists or on another short-term visa can drive with their valid national driver’s license for up to 183 days. To avoid language barriers or discussions about which vehicle categories you are allowed to drive, it is highly recommended to obtain an International Driving Permit in your home country before traveling to Peru.

Foreign residents, however, are expected to get a Peruvian driver’s license once they receive their carné. While many residents continue driving with a foreign or international license and rarely face issues - even during routine traffic checks - this can become a serious problem in case of an accident. Police may consider you to be driving without a valid Peruvian license and assign partial or full responsibility, even if the accident wasn’t your fault. In such situations, insurance companies may also refuse coverage.

So yes, getting a Peruvian driver’s license requires some time and effort, but in the long run it is often the safer and smarter choice.

Table of contents

• Recognition and exchange of foreign driver’s licenses in Peru
• Driver’s license categories in Peru
• Requirements to obtain a driver’s license in Peru
• Step-by-step guide to getting a driver’s license in Peru
  
  • Step 1: Medical exam
  • Step 2: Written exam
  • Step 3: Driving exam
  • Step 4: Applying for your driver’s license

Recognition and exchange of foreign driver’s licenses in Peru

Peruvian law allows foreigners to exchange a driver’s license issued abroad for a Peruvian one. This process is handled by the Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones (MTC) in Lima or its regional offices.

On paper, the requirements look simple:

• Original and copy of your carné
• Original and copy of your foreign driver’s license
• Medical exam
• Passing a written exam

However, there are additional requirements that often complicate the process. The foreign license usually must be apostilled or legalized - embassies of some countries in Lima are willing to authenticate that the foreign driver's license is valid - and the license categories must be matched to the Peruvian system - the first hurdle difficult to overcome.

Even though not on the official requirement list, in many cases, authorities also request a driving record extract from the country where the license was issued, showing accidents and traffic violations. This document must also be apostilled or legalized. In some countries this is impossible, difficult, expensive, or very time-consuming to obtain.

For this reason, many foreigners find that starting from scratch and getting a Peruvian license in Peru is actually easier, faster, and cheaper than exchanging their foreign license.

Driver’s License Categories in Peru

If you want to drive a private car, station wagon, SUV, or pickup (up to 5 tons), you need a:

Clase A - Categoría I (A-1) driver’s license

This is the standard license for private vehicles.

Information about all other license categories is available on the Peruvian government website. Note that you must first hold an A-1 license before upgrading to higher categories.

Note that you must first hold an A-1 license before upgrading to higher categories.

Requirements to obtain a driver’s license in Peru

To get a Peruvian driver’s license, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Pass a medical exam
• Pass a written exam
• Pass a driving exam

You are not required to attend a driving school or complete a minimum number of lessons, although practice is of course highly recommended.

Step-by-step guide to getting a driver’s license in Peru

Step 1: Medical exam

The first step is passing a medical exam at an authorized clinic. The cost is usually around S/ 200 - 400.

Required documents:

• Peruvians:
  DNI
• Foreigners:
  Carné

The medical exam includes:

• General health check (brief interview, heart and lung check, blood pressure, balance, lifting a weight)
• Hearing and vision tests
• Blood type test (finger prick)
• Psychological test (drawing and personality questions)
• Reasoning test (logic and basic math)

If you pass, your fingerprints are taken and the results are transmitted directly to the MTC. You receive a receipt valid for 6 months.

Step 2: Written exam

The written exam covers Peruvian traffic rules, infractions, penalties, efficient driving, and first aid. At the moment it is only available in Spanish; no translators or tramitadores are accepted during the test. The format is similar to many countries.

• 40 questions
• 40 minutes
• Minimum 35 correct answers to pass

All possible exam questions are published by the MTC. Before taking the official written exam, take the online trial test to see if you are ready. Just choose the category and get started.

Requirements 

• Identification
  • Peruvians:
    DNI
  • Foreigners:
    Carné
• Medical exam receipt
• Payment receipt (S/ 74.80) (1)
• Appointment confirmation

Explanatory notes:

(1)
Lima:
You can pay during the appointment-making process using a Visa or MasterCard or the payment app Yape. You can also pay before making the appointment at Scotiabank, BanBif, BBVA, or BCP. Be aware that the processing time for payments made at a bank can be 24–48 hours.
Provinces:
The Dirección Regional de Transporte Terrestre of regional government is in charge and payments can usually be made at the evaluation center.

Where to take the written exam

In Lima, the Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú conducts the exams. You can take the written exam at their evaluation centers in:

• Lince, Av. César Vallejo N° 651 (Monday to Saturday 08:00 am to 05:40 pm), or
• Villa El Salvador, Av. Panamericana Sur km 21.5, Conchán (Monday to Saturday 07:00 am to 03:00 pm)

In the provinces, the Peruvian Ministry of Transport (MTC) has evaluation centers in larger cities (see the list here). Please check with the evaluation center for their specific process.

Booking an appointment for the written exam (Lima)

If you are in Lima, you must book an appointment to take the written exam. Go to the website of the Centro de Evaluación of the Peruvian Touring and Automobile Club. Click on the large red arrow Continuar, confirm that you have read and understood the information, and accept the terms and conditions. Click on Aceptar.

Fill in the requested fields:

• Delegación: Lima
• Clase: Clase A
• Tipo: Evaluación oficial

Then enter your DNI/carné number and your personal information, followed by the application details (here choose under Tipo de examen Reglas), and select the evaluation center (Lince or Conchán). Next choose a date and time. 

On the following page, select whether you want to pay online (a code will be sent to your registered e-mail address) or indicate that you already paid at a bank. Follow the required steps and then download and/or print your appointment confirmation.

If you have trouble making the appointment online, call (01) 615-9315 and choose option 0.

On exam day

On the day of your appointment, arrive 30 minutes early at the evaluation center with all the above-mentioned documents. If you don’t arrive on time, your appointment will be canceled. If you need to reschedule, you can usually do so up to 48 hours in advance (sometimes 24 hours is still accepted) by calling (01) 615-9315, option 0.

During the exam, you must answer 40 questions within 40 minutes. If you are unsure about a question, you can skip it and return to it later. Once you finish, proceed to the Módulo de entrega de resultados.

To pass, you need at least 35 correct answers. This means that 6 wrong answers result in a fail. If necessary, you can retake the written exam once more with a new appointment. If you fail again, you must start from scratch, pay the full fee again, and book a new appointment.

If you pass, the result is automatically registered in the MTC system. You should also receive a receipt as confirmation.

Step 3: Driving exam

The driving exam evaluates your practical driving and parking skills, usually on a dedicated test course designed specifically for the exam.

Requirements

• Identification
  • Peruvians:
    DNI
  • Foreigners:
    Carné
• Proof of medical exam
• Proof of written exam
• Payment receipt around S/ 45 (1)
• Appointment confirmation

Explanatory notes:

(1)
Lima:
You can pay during the appointment-making process using a Visa or MasterCard or the payment app Yape. You can also pay before making the appointment at Scotiabank, BanBif, BBVA, or BCP. Be aware that the processing time for payments made at a bank can be 24–48 hours.
Provinces:
The Dirección Regional de Transporte Terrestre of regional government is in charge and payments can usually be made at the evaluation center.

Where to do the driving exam

In Lima, the exams are conducted by the Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú. The driving exam can only be taken at their evaluation center in:

Villa El Salvador, Av. Panamericana Sur km 21.5, Conchán
(Monday to Saturday 07:00 am to 03:00 pm)

In the provinces, the Peruvian Ministry of Transport (MTC) has evaluation centers in larger cities (see the list here). Please check with the evaluation center for their specific process.

Booking an appointment to practice on the practice course

If you plan to take the driving test in Lima, it is highly recommended to practice beforehand on the practice course located near the official test course at km 20 of the Panamericana Sur in Villa El Salvador.

This practice course is a replica of the actual exam track and gives you a realistic idea of what to expect. It also lets you practice diagonal and parallel parking - and yes, the parking spaces are really tight. Many applicants say this practice run makes a big difference in feeling more confident on exam day.

You can book a practice session either with or without an instructor.

Go to the website of the Centro de Evaluación of the Peruvian Touring and Automobile Club. Click on the large red arrow Continuar, confirm that you have read and understood the information, accept the terms and conditions, and click Aceptar.

Fill in the requested fields:

• Delegación: Lima
• Clase: Clase A
• Tipo: Practica calificada (without instructor) or Practica no calificada (with your own instructor or an on-site instructor)

Then follow the required steps, choose your date and time, and pay around S/ 20–30 (plus car rental, if applicable). Considering the experience you gain, this is usually money well spent. Download and/or print your appointment confirmation.

If you have trouble booking online, call (01) 615-9315 and choose option 0.

Booking an appointment for the official driving exam

To book the official driving exam in Lima, go again to the website of the Centro de Evaluación of the Peruvian Touring and Automobile Club.

Click the large red arrow Continuar, confirm the information, accept the terms and conditions, and click Aceptar.

Fill in the requested fields:

• Delegación: Lima
• Clase: Clase A
• Tipo: Evaluación oficial

Then enter your DNI or carné number and your personal details. In the application details section choose Tipo de examen Manejo, and select the evaluation center (Conchán). Choose your preferred date and time.

On the next page, select whether to pay online (a code will be sent to your registered e-mail) or indicate that you already paid at a bank. Follow the required steps and download and/or print your appointment confirmation.

If you encounter issues booking online, call (01) 615-9315 and choose option 0.

On exam day

On the day of your appointment, arrive 30-60 minutes early at the driving evaluation center in Conchán (km 21.5 Panamericana Sur, Villa El Salvador, Lima) or at your local provincial testing center with all required documents.

For the exam, you can bring your own car or rent one on-site. Bringing or renting a small car is strongly recommended, as it makes the parking tasks noticeably easier.

After your documents are checked, a driving examiner will join you in the vehicle. You’ll demonstrate your driving and parking skills for about 20–30 minutes on the test course.

Once you finish, you wait for the results.

If you pass, the result is automatically registered in the MTC system, and you will receive a receipt.

If you fail - which happens more often than people admit - you can take the test one more time. If you fail again, you can pay a fee of around S/ 80 for two additional attempts.

Step 4: Finally, applying for your driver’s license in Peru

Once you have passed the medical exam, the written exam, and the driving exam, you can move on to the final step: applying for your Peruvian driver’s license.

Requirements for applying for a Peruvian driver's license

• Minimum age 18
• Medical exam passed
• Written exam passed
• Driving exam passed
• Payment receipt 
• Passport photo

Payment

First, pay the fee for issuing your driver’s license. In Lima, you can pay online via pagalo.pe or at any Banco de la Nación branch. In the provinces, payment is usually only possible at Banco de la Nación.

• Authority: Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones (MTC)
• For an electronic driver’s license
  • Code: 01601 - Licencia de conducir electrónica
  • Concept: Expedición de licencia de conducir de clase A categoría I – electrónica
  • Fee: S/ 6.70
• For a physical driver’s license
  • Code: 01602 - Licencia de conducir física
  • Concept: Expedición de licencia de conducir de clase A categoría I – física
  • Fee: S/ 14.70

As you have likely already paid other fees before, you’ll be familiar with the process. If not, you can find detailed instructions in our article Paying administration charges and processing fees in Peru.

Where to apply

In Lima:
Centro de emisión de licencias - Av. César Vallejo N° 603, Lince
Centro de emisión de licencias - Jr. Antenor Orrego N° 1923, Chacra Ríos, Lima city center

In the provinces:
Check with your local evaluation center where licenses are issued in your city.

Online:
In Lima, Arequipa, Cajamarca, and La Libertad, Peruvians only can also apply online via the MTC website and then simply pick up the license at the selected branch.

Applying for the driver's licence

Congratulations! You made it! For the next 10 years, you now can legally drive in Peru.

 Please note: We from LimaEasy are not a Peruvian government agency, a public authority or (immigration) lawyers. All information is published to our best knowledge and should be seen as general guidance introducing you to Peruvian regulations and procedures. All information is subject to change, as regulations, requirements, and processes can change quickly without prior notice! Therefore, we recommend checking the current regulations and requirements with the Peruvian Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Peruvian Touring and Automobile Club shortly before starting the process.

And if you find something wrong on this page, please help us to keep this guide as up to date as possible and contact us either below with a comment or use our contact form. Thank you!