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

Format

Front and back of a Taiwanese driver's license

Licenses are only issued in Chinese. For comparison purposes, the table below is shown in bilingual form.

Notes:

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

Categories

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

• 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 honor 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

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 the age of 60, but a professional small-vehicle driver may keep their license until they are 65 years old if they pass annual physical examinations. Since driving jobs are not open to foreigners, they cannot obtain a professional driver license.^[1]

International Driving Permit

Taiwan International Driving Permit

Taiwan 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 do not recognize the status of Taiwan as a signatory state, nor do 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 (including Pacific Islands), this includes Brunei, Japan, Hong Kong, Kiribati, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Thailand, Tuvalu, and Vietnam.

In Australia (a total of six states and two territories: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, and Victoria.

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

In North America, a total of 39 states and territories of the United States participate: Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, and the US territories of Guam, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico. Canada includes all 10 provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan.

In Central and South America, the list includes Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Christopher, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.^[2]

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,^[3] such as the US Driver's License notary service of the American Institute in Taiwan.^[4]

References