Driving Permit for Chile

Chile recognises the International Driving Permit under the 1968 convention, and it is one of the more straightforward South American countries for foreign drivers. Tourists can drive on a valid home-country licence for the length of their tourist stay — generally up to 90 days — provided the licence is in Spanish or accompanied by an IDP or certified translation. Traffic drives on the right, signage follows international conventions, and the paved Ruta 5 (Pan-American Highway) backbone makes long-distance travel practical from the Atacama down to the Lake District.

In practice, an IDP is strongly recommended even where it isn't strictly demanded. Rental desks in Santiago and other major hubs frequently ask for one at pickup, and Carabineros (the national police) run routine document checkpoints where a Spanish-language translation of your licence smooths things considerably. If your licence is not in a Latin script or lacks a photograph, an IDP is effectively mandatory. Whenever you drive, carry your passport and proof of tourist status — the tourist card or the entry stamp in your passport.

A few local rules catch visitors out. Headlights must be on at all times on highways and rural roads, day and night. Santiago's urban expressways use a mandatory electronic toll transponder (TAG) — rental cars normally include one, but confirm before driving into the capital, and budget for frequent toll plazas on intercity routes. Chile's Zero Tolerance law sets a near-zero blood-alcohol limit, right turns on red are prohibited unless signed, and speed limits generally run 50 km/h in town, 100 km/h on rural highways and 120 km/h on motorways.