Panama Driver’s License

Panama Driver’s License

Fee: $200 per hosehold

 

Required Documents:

Driving School Certificate Option:

  • Purchase Driving School Certificate $65, transfer to GCCC account, takes 3-5 days
  • Send photo of temp visa, perm visa or cedula and photo of your passport
  • Selfie photo with white wall background
  • Email address
  • Appointment for driving exam is usually a week from receiving certificate
  • All testing is in Penonome, parallel parking is required
  • Exam consists of 10 questions from a possible 133, we supply all the questions and answers in English
  • Blood test certificate from approved clinic ($5-$15) Dr. Levy in the Machetazo plaza
  • Total time is 3-4hrs, license fee is $36, expires in 4yrs
  • Temp visa, license is good for 6 months, then renew online
  • People 70yrs or older require a certified geriatric letter from an approved geriatric physician (add. $40) Dr. Levy has a doctor come out once or twice a month, the next closest is Penonome, we can arrange transport at an additional charge

Certified License via Embassy

  • We can assist you
  • Requires appointment with Embassy to certify license
  • Appointment required to have license apostilled by Ministry of Affairs
  • Difficult to get appointments in the same day requiring two trips to the City

Driving School Certificate Option

We will issue you a driving school certificate (add. $65) picture of your cedula and a headshot of yourself (use a white wall as a background) are required and can be WhatsApp’d to David Marquez 6531-3089, takes 3-5 days. You will need to deposit or transfer the money to him, he will supply the details.

We then schedule you for your driving Test and Exam

  • Exam consists of 10 questions from a possible 133, we supply all the questions and answers in English
  • There is also a simple vision and hearing test

What to Expect:

 

The whole process takes less than 3hrs from start to finish not including studying for the exam. Our bilingual staff will literally be by your side the whole time. Once you have your driving certificate and blood type letter will will schedule a day usually a week later at the offices located in Costa Del Este. This is the only location that offers the exam in English. Please note it is Google translated and not perfect but you can easily figure it out. We first start with the driving test which is in a dirt lot off the Corredor Sur. You check in at the trailer with your driving certificate and cedula, if you are Jubilado or look close you can go to the front of the line. You then get in your car by yourself and follow the signs for the entrance to the test track. The test begins with parking head into a parking space with cones on either side. You will exit there and drive 20ft to a stop sign, make sure not to stop on the white marker in the dirt. Continue in a semi circle to another stop sign, make right, make another right and back into a parking space and pull out, you are done! There is English speaking staff to instruct you, they all have tablets to record your progress.

 

From here we take you a few blocks away to the Setracin office, again if you are Jubilado you can go to the front of the line. Your driving certificate and cedula will be copied (add.20 cents) and issued a wait ticket. When your number is called you meet with a service member who will log in all your information. See attached copy of info required, it will go faster if you print it out for them in Spanish. Once complete you wait to be called for your vision test, there were 3 simple slides. Next wait to be called for your hearing test and exam done in a separate room. We will instruct you on how to do the hearing test, you simply click on the corresponding arrows on a computer. The exam is next which takes 5-10mins and then you pay for the license and wait till they process it and you’re done!