Driving in Uruguay: Licence, Cars and Apps

Updated 1 time · Latest: 4 October 2026

Driving in Uruguay is straightforward once you know the basics: keep right, carry the right licence, respect the strict drink-driving rule, and plan for cars costing more than you might expect. A first Uruguayan licence can take as little as a week and cost under US$100, and getting around without owning a car is genuinely easy in the city.

Driving on Your Foreign Licence

As a visitor you can drive on your home-country or international licence for a limited time after arriving, which is plenty for your first trips. Keep your passport and licence together in case you are asked for them at a routine checkpoint.

This grace period is ideal while you are still finding your feet and viewing neighbourhoods. It lets you explore the coast and compare areas before you commit to a home or a car.

Once you become a resident, though, you are expected to switch to a local licence rather than keep relying on the foreign one. Treat the change as part of settling in, alongside your cédula and your other early paperwork.

Getting Your First Uruguayan Licence

Licences are issued by your departmental intendencia, the local government, so details vary a little between departments. Maldonado, home to Punta del Este, publishes its rules on the national portal gub.uy, last updated in May 2026, and they are a good guide to what to expect.

You need a valid identity document with a photocopy. Maldonado's official list names a Uruguayan ID card or Uruguayan passport, or a Mercosur passport. Passports from other countries are not listed, so if that is all you have, confirm with the licensing office first. You also need a certificado de aptitud psicofísica, a medical fitness certificate from an authorised clinic, which is valid for 60 days. Any unpaid traffic fines must be settled first, and the minimum age for a car licence is 18.

The procedure runs in four steps: book an appointment online or in person, attend a defensive-driving talk, pass a theory exam and then a practical exam. For the practical exam, the car you drive needs its compulsory insurance, the SOA, up to date. You have 180 calendar days to complete it all; after that, you start again from the beginning.

The fee is set in UR, Uruguay's inflation-linked unit, and scales with the term of the licence, up to a full rate of 1.25 UR. The UR changes every month; in recent months, 1.25 UR has come to between 2,400 and 2,430 pesos (about US$60). First licences are provisional for up to two years, so ask the office which rate applies to you.

What It Took in Maldonado This Year

Alexander Zakalsky, a reader who lives in Maldonado, wrote to us with his wife's experience of getting her first licence (category A, for cars) in 2026. From the defensive-driving talk to the practical exam, it took her one week, and she passed both exams at the first attempt.

The bill came to about 3,400 pesos (about US$85) before any lessons. The medical certificate cost 990 pesos (about US$25), and clinics in the area charged between 870 and 990 pesos. The licence fee of 2,404.30 pesos, exactly the full 1.25 UR rate, covered both exams. A lesson with a driving instructor, which is optional, cost another 1,600 pesos (about US$40).

The theory exam was 30 questions on a computer, and the practical exam combined manoeuvres on a closed course with a drive in traffic. She holds a Russian passport but applied with her Uruguayan cédula as a legal resident, and she was never asked for the passport. That matches the official list, which names Uruguayan documents and Mercosur passports. He has written up the whole process, with photos and prices, at licencia.uy.

Converting a Foreign Licence

If you already hold a valid licence from home, you can apply to have it revalidated instead of starting from scratch. In Maldonado only the amateur categories can be converted: cars (A), mopeds up to 50 cc (G1) and motorcycles up to 200 cc (G2). Professional licences for trucks or buses cannot.

You need a Uruguayan or Mercosur identity document and your current foreign licence, translated into Spanish where necessary. You also need a certificate of your driving-licence history from the authority that issued it, legalised, apostilled or certified by a consulate, and a medical fitness certificate. From age 75 a practical exam is compulsory. Under the national rules, a licence that cannot be legalised can still be recognised if you pass the theory and practical exams.

Because both routes ask for a Uruguayan or Mercosur document, most newcomers from outside South America are best placed to sort out their licence once their cédula is in hand. Holders of Spanish licences have a separate exchange procedure.

Rules of the Road and Safety

Seatbelts are required for everyone in the car, speed limits are lower in towns than on the open road, and using a handheld phone while driving is not allowed. None of this will surprise anyone who has driven in Europe or North America.

The rule newcomers must take most seriously is alcohol, because Uruguay applies a zero-tolerance approach for drivers. The simplest plan is to leave the car at home and take a taxi or ride app whenever you are going out for the evening.

On open highways you are expected to keep your headlights on during the day, and you should watch for slower farm vehicles on rural stretches. Drive calmly and defensively, and the country's well-kept main roads make for genuinely relaxed journeys.

Buying and Owning a Car

Cars cost more in Uruguay than in many countries because of import taxes, so it is worth setting your budget before you start looking. Both new and used vehicles command relatively high prices, and good used cars hold their value.

When you buy, a notary handles the transfer so the change of owner is properly recorded and there are no nasty surprises later. Budget for that step, and always check the vehicle's papers and any unpaid tax before you hand over money.

A reputable dealer or a careful private sale both work perfectly well; the key is to take your time over the paperwork. A quick independent mechanical inspection before buying is a small cost that can save you a large one.

Tax, Fuel and Tolls

Every vehicle pays an annual road tax, the patente, which the SUCIVE system standardised so the amount no longer jumps between departments. Keep it up to date, because it is checked whenever you sell or transfer the car.

Fuel is sold through ANCAP, the state energy company, and tends to be pricier at the pump than in several neighbouring countries. Build a little extra for petrol into your monthly figure, especially if you plan longer drives.

On the main intercity routes you will pass peajes, the toll booths, so keep some change or an electronic tag handy. Basic third-party insurance is also required by law, and fuller cover is well worth considering for peace of mind.

Getting Around Without a Car

Ride-hailing apps work well in Montevideo and are a simple, cash-free way to move around without driving at all. City and intercity buses are inexpensive and reach the great majority of towns, so many residents rely on them happily.

The coastal route linking the main towns is in good condition and a pleasure to drive on the days you do want your own wheels. Comfortable long-distance coaches are also a popular way to reach Punta del Este, Colonia or the interior.

For everyday city life, plenty of people go car-free and simply rent a vehicle for the occasional weekend away. Try the city for a while before deciding whether you really need a car of your own.

Parking and Everyday City Driving

In central Montevideo, street parking is managed in certain zones, so watch for the signs and pay where required to avoid a ticket. Private garages and lots fill in the gaps near busy areas, and the modest fee is often worth it for peace of mind.

City traffic is calm by regional standards, though roundabouts and one-way streets reward a little patience while you learn them. Give yourself a few unhurried trips to map the main routes before you tackle the morning rush.

Distances within the city are short, and the seaside rambla makes for an easy, scenic drive on a quiet afternoon. Keep an eye out for cyclists and pedestrians along that stretch, especially at weekends when it is busy.

For the shortest hops, walking or cycling through the leafy neighbourhoods is genuinely pleasant most of the year. Many residents end up keeping a car only for trips out of town and getting around on foot the rest of the time.

More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Sources: Intendencia de Maldonado on gub.uy, first driving licence and revalidation of foreign licences (both updated May 2026); Congreso de Intendentes, national licence rules (PUNC); Ministry of Economy and Finance, UR value for July 2026; first-hand account by reader Alexander Zakalsky in Maldonado (licencia.uy); exchange rate: EODHD, 4 October 2026.

Clarification — 4 October 2026: an earlier version of this update said the reader's wife applied with her passport. She applied with her Uruguayan cédula.

Frequently Asked Questions