Getting A Driver's License in Panama
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- čas přidán 20. 07. 2024
- This video goes step by step through the entire process of getting a Panamanian driver's license NOT using the embassy route! I'll discuss driving school, blood tests, studying for and taking the written test, and take you on location to describe every part of the driving portion of the test! Best thing- I'll show you a little known website so you can easily study for the written test online- in Spanish AND English! The link is www.daypo.com/examen-teorico-...
Here are the Sertracen approved labs to get your blood test done: www.sertracen.com.pa/laborato...
Forgot to put it in the video, but the driving school cost us $125 each. Frankly, I think we got ripped off. I've heard of people getting it in David for $80. So heads up! 😀
Brian went back for his license again and there was a MAJOR change!! This second video tells you all about it and tells you how to make your appointment at Sertracen. • MAJOR UPDATE!! Panama ...
UPDATE: Thanks to the person on the facebook expat group that told me to pronounce Changuinola WITHOUT the U- Changeenola!! Everytime a gringo learns a little Spanish, an angel gets its wings. 😇
Have questions? Come over to the I Go Panama facebook group at facebook.com/groups/igopanama and I'll be more than happy to help you out over there!
I made the test 2 month ago in David. It is just in Spanish. Recommendation is to use this as Spanish lesson. Translate every Q + A .... go through the internet based test. I figured out that I was able to answer without any more really need to read the questions. Our short term memory can do this greatly. Don’t be frustrated .... it is just the start at your new home .... keep up the great videos!
Thank you Mary for going into that level of detail regarding the process. You have answered all of my questions. I'm confident that I will successfully pass the on the first try....en Español.
Fantastic video !! Thank you so much! I have a British license so for me in Panama they drive 'on the wrong side! ' so I was getting stressed about my license application but having watched your video I'm now chilled about the process. 😁
Nothing to stress about! Good luck!
Thank you. That was very detailed and helpful. I feel much less nervous now. Thanks so much for the link to the website!
You're welcome! :)
Great information and congrats on getting your driver's license.
Thanks! Now, we have to get Brian's!! :)
Hello, to renew the DL, I believe it can be done online. I don't know if in Bocas del Toro is different, but it is available as far as I know due to covid-19. Congratulations on passing your test.🙋🤗
Oh! That is very interesting information, Isabel! Thank you, and I'll look into it!
Very, very helpful!!!! And funny too. 🙂
Good info, cause I am planning on going to Panama very soon and why not get my driving license too. Hearing what you are saying about the process to get the license it sounds very easy!.
I think you have to have residency though- not just be there on a tourist visa. But yes, it's really not that difficult of a process.
Very helpful, Thank you Mary!
I check out the link to the test and it's Spanish only. Having a hell of a time trying to find an English version. Any other help you can offer is most appreciated. Getting the driver's license is easily the hardest thing to get done here. Your videos were most helpful in getting me prepared to move to Boquete, keep it up!
You have to use Google translate, then it's all magically in English. 😊
@@IGoPanama ah, thanks heaps
@@IGoPanama got it now. what's up with question 27? exterior lights on from 6am to 6pm? yeah, right. Also love the one where the first answer is 'none of the above'. glad we get tested on herding cattle down the road too. thanks.
Thanks for the informative video. You have helped take the fear out of taking the test. Recently, I attempted to get my license but it had just "expired" in the U.S. So, now I need to take the test. Again, thanks for showing me how to prepare. Adios!
You'll do great! Just study, study, study!
Love your videos
Thank you!
Good morning. I went to the link for the exam and it presented only in Spanish. How do I see the English version? Thank you. I appreciated this information.
Open it in Google Chrome and use Translate.
Mary, we are in Panama City waiting for the escuela de manejo to reply back to us after we paid the $60 each to take the test. Since we have both studied the 133 questions in English, we are ready to take the written test. So, when we hear back (it's been 29 hours of their 24 hours for a reply from them :) ) can we take the test immediately or do we need to wait the two weeks you were talking about in this video? Was the two weeks you mentioned for study time or was the two weeks the time it would take to transmit the certificate to sertracen?
The 2 weeks is waiting for the driving school certificate. GOOD LUCK!!
Very, very helpful! Thank you for sharing. Our son will be going through this process. He did the Zoom session that covers the question portion. Soon he will start the driving portion that consists of 16 practice hours of driving. Then he would go through the entire process of getting a Panamanian driver's license that you stated. My husband and I did the embassy route 5-6 years ago.
My question is, did your husband have to pay each time?
No, he only paid when he actually got the license. Best of luck to your son!!
@@IGoPanama Thank you, I'm loving your videos, I just find your channel today.
The cost no always is the same. A few drivers School are around $150- $250. always depends what packs they are offering
I've heard as low as $80, so I guess it really just depends on the place.
I have to say that if you are moving to another country, their rules apply. That includes their language - learn it. If you want things to be as they are in your home country, you need to stay there. The rules in Panama dont need to change to accommodate you.
No where did I say that the rules in Panama need to change to accommodate us. And although we are actively learning Spanish, no one is going to learn enough Spanish in 1 month to be able to take a written test in Spanish. I assume you're referring to the situation with the translator. If you watch the 2nd part of the driver's license video, you'll see that they actually had the written test in English all along! My husband went back, took it in English, and now has his license.
Hi buddy! 👋
I have a question unrelated if that's ok :)
I have a friend asking about the quality of the broadband there. Panama is still on megabytes not gigabytes, so its very slow. Is this accurate?
It really depends where you are in Panama. I live in the middle of the jungle, off grid, and my internet is mb. But the only time I really notice that it's a little slower than my internet in Los Angeles is when I'm uploading videos or downloading files. I work online, so internet is my life.
@@IGoPanama
Oh ok. He works online as well. Do you know if gigabytes is available there?
@@theconfessionsofahebrewisr2975 I don't know. I only know what is available where I am.
@@IGoPanama
Ok, thanks
Isn't an international driver's license from AAA good for 1 year?
An international driver's license is nothing but a translation of your driver's license. It will expire right along with your regular license after 90 days if you're on a tourist visa or immediately upon receiving your temporary residency in Panama.
So is drivers test in English when you take official test?
Going to have an update about this in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!
3:20 maybe it's because the DL is a state document.
Not really sure.
Has anyone been able to find an OS friendly version of the App? It seems to only be available for Android users
It's not an app. It's just a website.
When I go to Theoretical Exam Sertracen it tells me to download app on android. Is there a link to the website available. I couldn’t find it on your post
As stated in the video, the links are in the description.
I didn’t realize that if I tapped on the description, that the links would show up. Thank you, this is so helpful. Now I study.
Is the drivers school route better than the embassy route?
For us it was, because getting an appointment at the embassy was impossible.
@@IGoPanama Thanks for responding!
Test practical test is crazy easy
Ok just got to where you explain
One you are in the system, renewal is easy but it will cost you $40 every time.
Ugh. So I should have waited until I got my permanent card. Live and learn!!
@@IGoPanama no you shouldn't have waited because as you said as soon as you got your temporary residency your foreign license is no good. You would have been illegal driving if you waited for your permanent...
@@sushipanama Yes, but with the situation I was in, I could have waited and been fine.
@@IGoPanama I drove in Los Angeles CA for 6 months without a license, sometimes you just have to chance it.
Very helpful however, I'm exhausted just listening to what you had to go through just to get a DL 😒
When you compare it to what you have to do to get your license for the first time in the US, it's quite comparable. Study for the test, hearing exam, eye exam, written test, driving test, done. Really the only major difference is that Panama requires a blood test as well (which I think is really smart to have your blood type on your license).
GUE,GUI in those cases U no have sound if they type GÜE, GÜI them u have sound ü in Spanish is the way you can read it when is in the middle of G and E or I, is like what? in Spanish QUE? YO NO READ U and QUI (aquí-here) you no read u as Changuinola you don’t have to read u
So it should be pronounced Chan-gee-nola?
Yes that’s correct
@@saltaligthro8212 Thank you SOOOO much!!! I'm learning a little Spanish every day, and it's very helpful when people correct me instead of letting me say things wrong! Muchas gracias!
Very Informative, but pleeeeease at least make some resemblance of effort to pronounce Spanish words in Spanish.
EverytIme you said the word "Chanqueenola" I wanted to throw something at the TV. 😆
That video was actually made several months ago. I have figured out the correct pronunciation already. And I do put in a lot of effort to pronounce Spanish words in Spanish, but as someone who is constantly learning I don't always get it right. But at least I keep trying and learning. And if you want to correct someone, instead of just criticizing it would be nice if you would include the correct pronunciation to educate instead of just trying to make someone feel bad. In fact, that's how I learned the correct pronunciation- someone put in a youtube comment on another video that it's pronounced more like changWEnola. From that I was able to correct myself.
@@IGoPanama I'm just jealous cause I'm not there yet.😉
Milton is not that deep!