How do you convert a driving licence in Paraguay in 2026?

Hold a Paraguayan cédula from Identificaciones after Migraciones residence approval: Get a cédula and Apply for a residence permit. Obtain a Certificado de Vida y Residencia for the same municipality where you will apply, typically through Policía Nacional channels. Bring the original valid foreign licence, cédula copies, a blood-type certificate from a local lab, and cash for municipal fees that often land near a couple of hundred thousand guaraníes depending on category and city.

Complete vision, hearing, and medical checks on-site when the municipal desk directs. Holders of a valid foreign licence commonly avoid a full theory and practical exam when the municipality accepts the exchange file; people without a foreign licence face the full local exam path. Apostille or embassy certification of the foreign licence can still appear on some municipal checklists, so confirm your exact city hall list before you travel papers across town: Living in Asunción.

The municipality issues the Paraguayan licence once checks and fees clear, often same day or within a short window when the dossier is complete. Keep the plastic with your cédula for traffic stops. Tourists may rely on a home licence for roughly 90 days; once you are a resident, plan the exchange rather than stretching the tourist window.

A local licence matters more outside walkable Villa Morra weeks: Luque, San Lorenzo, Encarnación river trips, and rainy-season logistics often need a car: Utilities, internet, and transport. Model fees, labs, and Vida y Residencia trips outside ordinary living bands: Monthly budget and How expensive is Paraguay. Spanish-only counters are normal; bring a bilingual helper. Insurance and safe Interoceanic habits still sit beside the plastic card: Paperwork after moving.