Ecuador Vehicle Registration Process

Registering a vehicle in the country is a process that’s pretty easy to navigate, though there are limits on both price and engine size that restrict what types of vehicles may be brought into the country. Different regulations apply depending on whether it’s a temporary or permanent import, both of which we’ll discuss in the section below. One thing you may find, however, is that administrative processes in Ecuador move a bit slower than in the U.S.

Vehicles brought into the country are initially granted 90 days for temporary imports, which incur heavy fines for each day after the period that the vehicle is unregistered. You can apply for an extension if necessary, but you should give yourself plenty of time to allow for the process to get completed before the 90 days are up.

Getting A Driver’s License In Ecuador

Getting a driver’s license in the area requires both a written test and a driving test (the written test being available only in Spanish the majority of the time). The easiest way to go about getting a local license is to enroll in a local driving school, many of which can also help with other aspects of licensing and the enrollment process.

Recent regulation changes have made it so that licensing can be done through government offices, allowing some U.S. citizens to skip the driving test if they have a current license in good standing.

In order to register a vehicle, it is required that drivers have liability insurance, which is called “SOAT” in reference to the Spanish acronym for Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes de Transito. As with other Spanish-speaking countries, the registration itself is referred to as “matricula” or more broadly, the “documento de matricula.”

If you’re a reader who’s considering shipping a vehicle to Ecuador and getting it registered, you can find more information on our international transport page. We encourage readers to contact our staff with any questions you may have.

Enrollment Process

Talk about how it’s pretty straightforward and a good shipper will be able to help you with certain aspects of it, answer questions

• Vehicle safety check
• Vehicle Identification Number Check
• Requirement kit check (fire extinguisher, first aid kit, reflectors, etc.)

There is typically a small payment assessed for printing out the registration (also referred to as the “matricula”). In addition to the steps listed above, you will also need the following documents to register a vehicle:

• Passport
• Registration documents
• Driver’s license
• Entry stamp for Ecuador

It is also important to note that you will need both originals and copies of the documents listed above, except the entry stamp.

Vehicle Registration Resources

U.S. Department of State, Ecuador - The U.S. Embassy is a very helpful resource for anyone traveling to the country, on either a permanent or temporary basis. Their office is located in Quito, the nation’s capital.

ANT Website & Exam Questions - If you’re getting a license, you’ll have to pass a written exam, which you can find questions and study aides for on this site.