Driver’s License Information

Tourists and temporary visitors are allowed to drive for 30 days in Ecuador on a valid U.S. driver’s  license and the passport showing the entry date stamp.  Permanent residents of Ecuador need to apply for an Ecuadorian driver’s license in:

Authentication of a U.S. Driver’s License

Please be advised that the U.S. Embassy is not allowed to provide any type of letter or certification on a U.S. issued driver’s license as these documents are issued by every state.

The issuing state is the only one that can certify the driver’s license; therefore, you must obtain a letter/certification from the state’s motor vehicle department.
Once the certification has been obtained, it should be submitted to the Secretary of State of the issuing state for an apostille in order for the document to be valid in Ecuador.

You can also follow the normal procedure to request a driver’s license instead of certifying the validity of your current one.

We remind you that the Ecuadorian Government entities are the ones that regulate the process, and they can change the process any time.