Mexico City brought back the permanent driver’s license last last year. For once, the bureaucracy actually did us a favor: pay $1,500 pesos once, and you’ll never have to renew your license again.
This isn’t really a gift out of kindness. CDMX is broke, and this little cash-grab is meant to fund public transport upgrades and road safety projects. The good news? You can take advantage of it before the window closes in December 2025.
If you already had a Type A license for 3+ years, you can convert it automatically through the CDMX app or at any SEMOVI module.
If it’s your first license, you must take a mandatory theory exam covering road safety, vehicle basics, and regulations.
The test can be taken online or in person
You have to be a resident to do this.
It sounds simple — but since this is Mexico, the process comes with quirks, slow websites, and modules that love to waste your time.
Since I recently did the process and realized the websites are scattered - I built this step-by-step guide for expats and locals
Why You Should Get a Driver’s License (Even if You Already Have Residency)
In Mexico, the driver’s license is a universally accepted ID. It’s more practical than a residency card or foreign passport. Banks, delivery services, landlords, and even airport staff will accept it without blinking.
There’s also the practical redundancy: residency cards are notoriously slow to replace if lost or stolen. Having both a plastic license and a digital license in the CDMX app gives you backup ID for travel, banking, and day-to-day interactions.
And then there’s the investment angle. Some financial institutions, fintech platforms, and even crypto agencies block accounts based on your passport country. A Mexican driver’s license can slip through as acceptable proof of identity.
Step 1: Pass the Online Exam
If you’ve never had a CDMX license before, you’ll need to log in with Llave CDMX and take the online exam. You’ll probably need to make an account.
20 questions
25 minutes
Passing grade: 8/10
Up to 2 attempts per day
⚠️ The site is slow during the day. I “failed” the test the first time because you click next, the timer doesn’t stop, but the pages each took 45 seconds to load. Solution: Take the test early morning or late night when traffic is lower.
Selectc “Nuevo Trámite” “New Procedure” option. Then, select the”Nunca he tramitado una Licencia Tipo A" “I have never applied for a Type A License” button. This will open another window where you can select “Realiza tu evaluación en línea” “Take your online evaluation.”
Pro tip: If you can already drive, you likely know the basic laws. But the spanish wording may throw you off. Since the website is slow, I suggest opening up the Google translate camera on your phone so you can just point it at the screen instead of trying to copy and paste the test. You only get 25 minutes to take the test and if you don’t answer all the questions before the timer, you automatically fail. It doesn’t matter if all the questions are correct.
👉 Start here: Licencia Permanente Portal
Step 2: Pay the Fee
Once you pass, the system generates a línea de captura (payment reference). Download the PDF and pay online, at a bank, or at OXXO.
Keep/Save both:
Línea de captura (before payment)
Comprobante de pago (after payment clears)
Payments can take 24–72 hours to reflect.
👉 Verify or re-download receipts here: Tesorería CDMX – Consulta de Pagos
* I have a Mexican Bank Card, so I paid online. I am not 100% sure if the website accepts foreign credit cards. I would select the BBVA button and enter your foreign card number because BBVAs system is usually more lenient. If it doesn’t work, then you have to take that PDF and payment reference to a bank or OXXO and pay that way.
Payments can take 24–72 hours to reflect, but you can log back into that account and check. It was instant for me.
Once you have paid, you’ll get a Exam Certificate and a Receipt. That receipt number is what you will need to schedule an appointment.
Step 3: Collect Your Documents
For the appointment you’ll need:
Official ID (INE, passport, or residency card) Make a copy of your residency card. For some reason it’s not specifically mentioned online, but when you get there, they’ll ask you for a copy, and sometimes instead of just making one for you, they’ll tell you to go across the street to a copy shop and do it
Constancia de aprobación (exam certificate)
Comprobante de pago (Receipt)
Proof of address (CFE/Telmex/water/bank, issued within 3 months)
Proof of address doesn’t need to be in your name. Landlord’s bill works. Assuming your pay utility bills where you live, you can just take any utility, light, water, or Telmex cable bill with you. It has to be the original copy. I figured you could make a copy of the bill and they wouldn’t and they wouldn’t accept it.
Step 4: Book (or Hunt) a SEMOVI Appointment
The appointment portal is a whole different website.
https://app.semovi.cdmx.gob.mx/citas/
All appointments must be scheduled. I happened to get an appointment 2 weeks out. Tried to go in the day after I took the test and hope they would let me go in early. But of course, there’s no critical thinking in Mexican government. Despite there being like 4 people in the office, the said I needed to wait for my appointment date.
Pro tip: Again…Check the portal around 11PM–1AM and 6–8AM. That’s when cancellations free up earlier slots if you don’t want to take an appointment 2-3 weeks out.
Closest modules to Condesa/Roma:
Módulo Central Insurgentes (Av. Insurgentes Sur 263, Roma Norte)
Módulo Del Valle (Av. División del Norte 2353)
Tesorería Benito Juárez (Av. Universidad 740)
Step 5: Appointment Day
Bring your docs. If you’re going to Módulo Central Insurgentes, just walk straight up to the 1st floor ( One set of stairs) or ask the security guard to direct you.
They’ll check you paperwork and tell you to sit down and wait to be called
Take your photo, fingerprints, and digital signature
Print your plastic license card on the spot
Afterward, you can also dowload the App CDMX and either upload your card number or have it scan the QR code. I was in and out of the office in less than 20 minutes.
