Driver’s license in Argentina

Do I need an international driver’s license in Argentina?

Is my European or American driver’s license valid in Argentina?

Australian driving license valid? Canadian driving license valid?

If you come to Argentina as a tourist, you can drive a car with your national driver’s license for the duration of your tourist stay. An additional international driver’s license is not mandatory, but it is useful. The international driver license is held in several languages ​​and can therefore be read by a “village policeman”. In fact, an international driving license is only valid in connection with a national driver’s license. This is foolish, but unfortunately a bureaucratic requirement. In addition to your international driver license, you also have to bring your home driver’s license with you and keep it with you. Driving with a national driving license and the international driving license is only valid in connection with the national one? You naturally ask yourself immediately: What is the international driving license good for? If someone has an explanatory answer, please email us.

If you are not a tourist or not any longer one, e.g. because you received a long-term work permit or the permanent residence, then you have to get the national driver license of your jurisdiction. This is the Municipalidad of your home address in Argentina. The national driver license in Argentina has a validity period of 3 or 5 years. You can choose the validity and the only difference is the fee.

Conclusion: with an international driver’s license + national driver’s license you are driving on the safe side.

P.S. The “safe” side is the right side in Argentina, because there is right-hand traffic in Argentina. Read our blog post on the Argentine traffic regulations.