Driver's license in Taiwan

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A driving licence (Chinese: 駕駛執照 / Chinese: 駕照) is a document that allows the holder to drive on any roads in the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan). It is 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.

Driver's license
Traditional Chinese駕駛執照
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinJiàshǐ Zhízhào
Wade–GilesChia⁴-shih³ Chih²-chao⁴
Hakka
Pha̍k-fa-sṳKa-sṳ́ Chṳp-cheu
Southern Min
Hokkien POJKà-sú Chip-chiàu
Tâi-lôKà-sú Tsip-tsiàu
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese駕照
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinJiàzhào
Wade–GilesChia⁴-chao⁴
Hakka
Pha̍k-fa-sṳKa-cheu
Southern Min
Hokkien POJKà-chiàu
Tâi-lôKà-tsiàu

Format

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Front and back of a Republic of China (ROC) driver's license

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

中  華  民  國
Republic of China
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:

Categories

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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:

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

Licenses and motor vehicles

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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 No No No 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. Yes Yes No No 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. Yes Yes Yes No 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. Yes Yes Yes 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. No No No No Yes No No No
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. No No No No Yes Yes No No
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 Yes Yes Yes No
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 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Driving tests

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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.


International Driving Permit (IDP)

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International Driving Permit of the Republic of China (ROC)

The Republic of China (ROC) is a signatory of the 1968 Vienna Road Traffic Convention and recognizes the international driving licenses of all countries. However, ever since the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971 which replaced the representative of "China" at the United Nations (UN) from the ROC to the People's Republic of China (PRC), many countries do not recognize the status of the ROC as a signatory state, nor do they recognize its international driving license. As a result, the ROC and must often reciprocate in the mutual recognition and renewal with test exemption for driving licenses of countries individually.[1]

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 Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China,[2] such as the US Driver's License notary service of the American Institute in Taiwan.[3]

Exchanging a foreign license for a ROC driver's license for foreigners (Reciprocity Agreement)

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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 ROC 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 a foreign license for Taiwan driver's license for residents

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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 ROC driver's license for the same type of vehicle. This is applicable to countries not in the reciprocity agreement.[6]

References

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  1. ^ [1] Directorate General of Highways, MOTC: Table for Driving License with Our Reciprocal Countries
  2. ^ [2] "Road Traffic Safety Rules" Article 50 section 6
  3. ^ [3] Archived 2020-10-17 at the Wayback Machine American Institute in Taiwan: Driving in Taiwan
  4. ^ [4] Archived 2020-10-25 at the Wayback Machine Taipei City Vehicle Office, Directorate General of Highways, MOTC, ROC
  5. ^ [5] Article 50 of the "Road Traffic Safety Rules"
  6. ^ [6] Article 50 of the "Road Traffic Safety Rules"