2014 Driver's License Renewal in Chapala

This past Tuesday my husband and I renewed our Mexican driver’s licenses in Chapala with a minimum of bloodshed.  As this wa s a euphoric outcome for us we thought we would share with you how to accomplish this feat.

First you proceed to the Recaudadora in Chapala (payment office) on Calle Degollada # 306.  Degollada is the first street running east past the main market in Chapala.  The fee is at the moment $420.00 pesos for a car, $500.00 pesos for a chauffeur and $210.00 pesos for a motorcycle. The phone # is (376) 765 2064.  The receipt you get is good for 6 months to apply for your renewal.

This office is open from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.  I suggest that you check the information on your receipt.  I did not and had to return to have it corrected as they had failed to put my last name on the receipt but just my two first names.  This, of course, was summarily rejected at the next step.

Receipt in hand you then go the the Transito Office on Flavia Romero 405A which a 2 storey brick building on the NE corner of Flavia Romero and Guerrero.

You will need the orginal and 1 black white copy of the following:

CURP

Passport

Legal Status (i.e. permanente, temporale or inmigrado cards, FM 2 or 3)

Proof of Residence (either a phone bill or CFR bill with your name on it.)  If you are renting, for example,   and do not have a phone bill or CFE (electric) bill in your name you can go to the City Hall, in Chapala, a couple of doors down from Bancomer and go to the second floor to the Director General and ask for a letter of “constancia de domicilio”.  You will need your passport, legal status card, and a phone or CFE bill and it costs $34.00 pesos which you pay on the ground floow after submitting your request. It usually takes 30 minutes to procure said letter.

You should also know your blood type.

The Transito Office is open from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and the phone # is (376) 765-4747.

Once you have handed in all of your documents and they have been approved you sit an wait.  When your name is called you will be photographed and finger-printed and in about 10 minutes you will have your new driver’s license in your hot little hand.

We managed to get the entire process successfully handled in three and 1/2 hours and were jolly pleased with ourselves.

A note about your CURP.  If you cannot find your original CURP document you can go online and print out an official CURP document which will be acceped. Also your driver’s license has to be either expired or not more than 15 days until expiry.

This is the correct information as of September 30th, 2104 but I cannot vouch that this information will be accurate in the future.  It is always a good idea to phone and check to see if anything has changed but even if is has chances are by the time you reach the Transito Office something new will have been implemented.

Such are the joys of paperwork in paradise.