Chile Driver’s License Extensions Continue Amidst Municipal Capacity Issues
Santiago, Chile – Extensions allowing drivers with expired licenses to remain legally on the road will continue after being approved by Congress, despite opposition from the Executive Branch. The measure authorizes documents nearing expiration to remain valid until December 31, 2026, a response to ongoing collapses in the capacity of municipal transit departments.
The debate surrounding license validity has resurfaced due to persistent difficulties municipalities face in meeting the high demand for renewals, a situation that began during the pandemic and has not been resolved even with the implementation of a digital system in 2025.
Why Municipal Transit Departments Remain Overwhelmed
Municipalities continue to experience bottlenecks in in-person service, currently required for driver’s license renewal in Chile. The process involves scheduling an appointment, submitting documentation, undergoing medical and psychotechnical exams, paying the required fee and waiting for the new document to be issued – a process users describe as slow, and cumbersome.
This situation prompted public criticism, including a letter titled “Extension that Legalizes Collapse,” sent to El Mercurio by Alejandro Lizana, who questioned the structural origins of the problem. In the letter, Lizana argued that the extension in the renewal of driver’s licenses cannot continue to be attributed to the pandemic. It is the consequence of a poorly designed system, based on distrust and an outdated administrative logic.
Lizana added that in Chile, renewal requires standardized in-person exams for all drivers, forcing them to repeatedly demonstrate skills already accredited, without distinguishing between those who maintain an impeccable driving record and those with a history of risk.
This, he believes, creates a permanent saturation of the system.
International Alternatives for License Renewal
The debate has also focused on international experiences where license renewal is conducted remotely, provided there are no relevant alerts. Countries like Sweden, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the Netherlands, as well as some regions of Australia, Canada, and the United States, allow online renewal if the driver has no serious violations, medical problems, or background issues requiring further evaluation.
In these cases, in-person exams are only applied when risk factors are present. Lizana stated that the international experience demonstrates that there is a reasonable alternative: to separate administrative renewal from re-evaluation of competencies,
emphasizing that in modern systems, the license is renewed remotely unless there are objective alerts.
Expert Concerns Regarding the Extension
Carlos Larravide, General Manager of the Automóvil Club de Chile, strongly criticized the extension approved by Congress, calling it a decision lacking all logic.
He argued that a new extension of the validity of driver’s licenses was approved, despite knowing the devastating consequences this measure generated in the past,
warning that the administrative imbalance could persist for years.
Larravide emphasized that these controls are not a mere bureaucratic procedure,
as they allow for the certification of the cognitive, psychological, and motor conditions necessary to drive.
He believes that opting for quick administrative solutions represents an unacceptable sign of political negligence.
Is Automatic Renewal Viable in Chile?
Alberto Escobar, a specialist in road safety, explained that in countries like Germany, the license does not expire, but the driver is subject to continuous monitoring by the state. He detailed that every activity associated with mobility is permanently monitored by the State,
allowing for effective and continuous oversight.
Escobar warned that Chile does not have that level of institutional integration or data exchange, stating that applying a similar measure would be risky,
as it could mean decades without formal driver evaluation.
Álvaro Miranda, Director of the Transportation and Logistics Program at UTEM, expressed a similar view, stating that automatic renewal could be a contribution, but we are far from it.
In his opinion, immediate solutions should focus on short- and medium-term measures, such as outsourcing medical and psychometric exams to certified centers, allowing municipalities to concentrate on the administrative process.
Miranda concluded that automation is a good idea, but today we cannot implement it,
emphasizing that it is first necessary to build integrated databases and information systems that currently do not exist.
