Driver license in Taiwan

In Taiwan, driver licenses (駕駛執照) are issued by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to a qualified motor vehicle driver. The number of the driver license in Taiwan is the same as the ID number of the license holder's household registration in Taiwan. In Taiwan, the driver license sometimes accepted as a valid identity document, since the information on a driver license replicates most of those on a National Identification Card.

Driver license
Traditional Chinese	駕駛執照
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jiàshǐ Zhízhào Wade–Giles Chia⁴-shih³ Chih²-chao⁴ Hakka Pha̍k-fa-sṳ Ka-sṳ́ Chṳp-cheu Southern Min Hokkien POJ Kà-sú Chip-chiàu Tâi-lô Kà-sú Tsip-tsiàu
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	駕照
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jiàzhào Wade–Giles Chia⁴-chao⁴ Hakka Pha̍k-fa-sṳ Ka-cheu Southern Min Hokkien POJ Kà-chiàu Tâi-lô Kà-tsiàu

Format

Front and backside of a Taiwanese driver license

The driver licenses in Taiwan are only issued in Chinese. For comparison purposes the table below is shown in bilingual form.

中　　華　　民　　國 Republic of China (Taiwan) 交通部制發汽車駕駛執照 Driver license					照片 Photo
駕照號碼 License No.	A000000000		性別 Sex	◯
姓名 Name	◯◯◯◯◯
出生日期 Date of birth	YYY.MM.DD	駕照種類 Type	◯◯◯◯◯◯			持照條件 Condition	X
住址 Address	◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
有效日期 Date of expiry	YYY.MM.DD		管轄編號 Control No.	8000000000000
發照日期 Date of issue	YYY.MM.DD		審驗日期 Date of inspection	YYY.MM.DD

Notes:

• License Number is identical to the National Identification Number.
• All dates are written in Republic of China calendar, the year is in three(3) digit format.
• Conditions:
  • A – Unlimited
  • B – Automatic transmission cars only
  • C – Other conditions on reverse side
• Date of expiry: Since July 2013, all the license are valid until the holder's 75th birthday. A citizen who is elder than 75 has to renew their driver license every 3 years.
• Date of issue: the date that the holder passed the driver test of the type
• Date of Inspection: date for taking driver's physical examination, for commercial driver's license only.

Categories

Taiwan International driver Permit

Driver licenses are categorized pursuant to the Road Traffic Security Rules (道路交通安全規則) in Taiwan. These 15 categories are:

Ordinary automobiles				Business automobiles				Motorcycles
No.	Name	Chinese		No.	Name	Chinese		No.	Name	Chinese
1	Driver license of ordinary light vehicle	小型車普通 駕駛執照		5	Driver license of business light vehicle	小型車職業 駕駛執照		11	Driver license of small light-duty motorcycle	小型輕型機器 腳踏車駕駛執照
2	Driver license of ordinary large truck	大貨車普通 駕駛執照		6	Driver license of business large truck	大貨車職業 駕駛執照		12	Driver license of ordinary light-duty motorcycle	普通輕型機器 腳踏車駕駛執照
3	Driver license of ordinary large passenger vehicle	大客車普通 駕駛執照		7	Driver license of business large passenger vehicle	大客車職業 駕駛執照		14	Driver license of ordinary heavy-duty motorcycle	普通重型機器 腳踏車駕駛執照
4	Driver license of ordinary container truck	聯結車普通 駕駛執照		8	Driver license of business container truck	聯結車職業 駕駛執照		15	Driver license of large heavy-duty motorcycle	大型重型機器 腳踏車駕駛執照

• 9. International Driving Permit (國際駕駛執照): A multilingual translation a Taiwanese license for international use, issued after Vienna Convention on Road Traffic 1968. As the Republic of China has lost diplomatic relations with most countries since the 1970s, certain countries do not honour international driver permits from Taiwan.
• 10. driver license of light-duty motorcycle (輕型機器腳踏車駕駛執照): Formerly used, now splits into 11 and 12.
• 13. driver license of heavy-duty motorcycle (重型機器腳踏車駕駛執照): Formerly used, now splits into 14 and 15.

Licenses and Motor vehicles

Type	Vehicle		Definition	Licenses allowed to drive
				1, 5	2, 6	3, 7	4, 8	11	12	14	15
Auto- mobiles	Light vehicle	小型車	Motor vehicles having a permissible maximum weight not exceeding 3,500 kg and not more than nine seats including the driver's seat.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
	Large truck	大貨車	Motor vehicles used for the carriage of goods and whose permissible maximum weight exceeds 3,500 kg.	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
	Large passenger vehicle	大客車	Motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and having ten seats or more including the driver's seat, e.g. city bus, tour bus.	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
	Container truck	聯結車	Tractor coupled to a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg, e.g. Link Truck, Tractor-Full Trailer, Tractor-Semi Trailer.	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Motor- cycles	Small light-duty motorcycle	小型輕型 機器腳踏車	Electric motorcycles with power not exceeding 1.34 HP.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Ordinary light-duty motorcycle	普通輕型 機器腳踏車	Motorcycles with a cubic capacity not exceeding 50 cm³, or electric motorcycles with power between 1.34 HP and 5 HP.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Ordinary heavy-duty motorcycle	普通重型 機器腳踏車	Motorcycles with a cubic capacity between 50 cm³ and 250 cm³, or with power between 5 HP and 40 HP.	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
	Large heavy-duty motorcycle	大型重型 機器腳踏車	Motorcycles with a cubic capacity exceeding 250 cm³, or with power over 40 HP.	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes

Driving tests

The minimum age pursuant to Article 60 is normally 18, but one must be at least 20 to get a professional license or a license for an ultra-heavy motorcycle. A professional license must be converted to an ordinary one at 60 years old, but a professional small vehicle driver may keep the license until they are 65 years old when passing annual physical examinations. Since driver jobs are not open to foreigners, foreigners cannot get professional driver licenses.

International Driver's License

Republic of ChinaInternational Driving Permit

The Republic of China is a signatory of the 1968 "Vienna Road Traffic Convention" and recognizes the international driving licenses of all countries. However, due to the Republic of China's withdrawal from the United Nations in 1971, some countries did not recognize the status of Taiwan as a signatory state, nor did they recognize its international driving license. The Republic of China and these countries reciprocate in the mutual recognition and renewal with test exemption for driving licenses.

In Asia and Australia, this includes Japan, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia (a total of 6 states and 2 territories: Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Australia Capital Territory, Northern Territory) , Brunei, Palau, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Papua New Guinea.

In Europe, this includes the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Italy, Hungary, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, Slovakia, Portugal, and Poland.

In North America, a total of 28 states and regions in the USA participates: Maryland, Idaho, Florida State, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Delaware, Washington State, Mississippi State, West Virginia, South Carolina, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Alabama, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Nevada, Tennessee, Colorado, Puerto Rico. Canada list includes these 8 provinces: Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan.

In Central and South America, the list includes Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Saint Christopher, Guatemala, El Salvador, Saint Lucia, Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominican Republic, Mexico.[1]

Implementation date	Country	Content
November 1, 2002	Italy	The two sides completed the agreement on mutual recognition and exemption of test driving license exchange based on the principle of equality and reciprocity.
January 1, 2003	Finland	An agreement between the two countries on mutual recognition and exemption of test-exchange driving licenses for passenger cars based on the principle of equality and reciprocity.
June 14, 2007	Japan	The Japanese Congress passed the "Road Traffic Amendment Act" to allow those with a Taiwanese driver’s license to apply for a translation of the Driver’s License to drive in Japan. From October 1, 2008, the driver's license renewal measures will be further opened. After staying in the country for 3 months, one can take the original and translated driver's license issued by the government-approved units of both countries to apply for a driving license after passing the eyesight, hearing and other physical fitness tests, without a road test.
June 2, 2008	CanadaQuebec	Based on the principle of equality and reciprocity and respective traffic laws, mutual recognition of driving without test is exempted.
September 3, 2010	Ireland	Based on the principle of equality and reciprocity and respective traffic regulations, mutual recognition of driving without test is exempted.

To exchange a foreign driver’s license for a ROC driver’s license in Taiwan, the foreign driver’s license must be verified by the ROC’s foreign affairs office or the foreign ministry in Taiwan,[2] such as the US Driver's License notary service of the American Institute in Taiwan.[3]

Exchanging foreign license into Taiwan driver's license, for foreigners (Reciprocality Agreement)

Holders of a valid full driver’s license issued by a foreign, mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau government who obtained a certificate of permit to stay or stay for more than six months in Taiwan can be exempted from the test and reissued a Taiwan driver's license to an equivalent vehicle class upon entry, based on the principle of equality and reciprocity.[4] This only applies to licenses from certain participating authorities (see above).[5]

Exchanging foreign license into Taiwan driver's license, for Taiwanese

Holders of a valid foreign full driver’s license who has Republic of China nationality can be exempted from taking the test and be issued a Taiwan's driver's license for the same type of vehicle. This is applicable to countries not in the reciprocality agreement.[6]

References

1. Directorate General of Highways, MOTC: Table for Driving License with Our Reciprocal Countries
2. "Road Traffic Safety Rules" Article 50 section 6
3. American Institute in Taiwan: Driving in Taiwan
4. Taipei City Vehicle Office, Directorate General of Highways, MOTC, ROC
5. Article 50 of the "Road Traffic Safety Rules"
6. Article 50 of the "Road Traffic Safety Rules"