Newcomer US or AR Drivers license

[GerardoNets]

Hello,

While I've had no issues renting a car and driving with my US driver's license, I'm curious if an Argentina driver's license is necessary if you own your own car.

 

[Jimson]

As a permanent resident without an Argentine license, I've owned a car for three years without encountering any issues. After contacting my insurance company, La Segunda, they confirmed in writing that they don't require an Argentine license for coverage or claims, but other companies might have different policies.

During a routine check in Puerto Madero, Prefectura agents expressed concern about my New York driver's license. I explained that in previous controls, the Comisaría had accepted my US license without any problems. The Prefectura responded by stating that while an Argentine license isn't mandatory for driving, having at least an International License is recommended. I apologized and later obtained one from the AAA, which is considered seriously by authorities here.

Although my international license has been requested once by the Prefectura, the Comisaría generally accepts my New York license during routine checks. After a minor accident in December, I filed a claim with La Segunda, and my New York license sufficed for documentation purposes.

The attorneys who helped me obtain my resident's visa mentioned the legal requirement to get an Argentine license if I intended to drive here. However, the process seemed cumbersome and involved making an appointment at an inconvenient location in the city, deterring me from pursuing it.

It's important to note that licenses are issued only for the term of residence, requiring temporary residents to renew their Argentine driver's license annually along with the DNI until achieving permanent status. While I share my experiences, I'm looking forward to Sleuth's post for more insights, and I don't recommend neglecting the process of legitimizing one's license.

 

[ElianQues]

I frequently receive threats about my car potentially being impounded, which can be more of a hassle than an actual occurrence. While I can't guarantee they won't impound it, I've only experienced it once when my car was towed for parking in a disputed spot.

For various trips, including crossing the border to Paraguay, I've used my Texas driver's license without any issues. I've encountered routine checkpoints and even received a speeding ticket once, all with no comments on my license.

I understand that getting an Argentine driver's license is a requirement, and I acknowledge that I should do it. However, I find the process, known as "tramite," quite tedious and avoid it when possible.

Notably, I bought my car nearly three years before obtaining residency. During that time, I traveled across the border with Paraguay using my passport, insurance papers, license, and the "cedula verde" (the car's registration document) without any problems.

However, an incident occurred when I presented my temporary residency papers at the border. The law didn't allow me to cross with my car unless I had a DNI, as the precaria (temporary residency) wasn't considered sufficient. This situation happened in Clorinda, and I had to spend several stressful hours figuring out a solution. Eventually, a helpful immigration officer suggested a nearby ferry, and with some pleading, I managed to cross.

This experience prompted me to expedite the process of obtaining my DNI upon my return.

 

[earlyretirement]

I lived in Argentina almost a decade and had a car most of that time. The car was in my name, I had a DNI and permanent residency. I NEVER had any problem at all not having an Argentine driver's license. I never even bothered to get one.

I just used my US driver's license and I also went to AAA and got an International Driver's License that included Argentina in one of the countries. They have one for South America. The best thing is that AAA never put a date in the International Driver's License (It's just a white booklet with your photo and stamp in it).

I got pulled over several times and I just pulled out my US driver's license along with the International Driver's License and NEVER had any problems.

I didn't have any problems with insurance either. And I left the country many times and never had any issues either with my US license.

I doubt anyone is going to have any problems having a US license but it's probably a good idea to get the International Driver's License to accompany it. It was only like $10 at any AAA office in the USA.