How to Obtain a Driver's License in Ethiopia

Be aware of the licensing requirement to drive in Ethiopia. Know that you cannot rent and drive a car in Ethiopia just because you have a home driver’s license issued in your country and perhaps did so several times in another foreign country. The same holds true even if you are holder of an International Driver’s permit. In other words, you are required to acquire an Ethiopian Driver’s License.^[1]

Decide how you wish to acquire an Ethiopian driver’s License. If you are already issued a license driving in your country, it will only cost you a paper work to acquire an Ethiopian license in exchange. In this way, you can acquire the license at any time and whether you are granted a work or resident permit as investor or foreign employee of a new or existing establishment. If you would like to take this option, continue reading this article to the end and follow the next steps. If you do not have a home driver’s license and choose to begin from the scratch, then you have to go to a car driving school in Ethiopia and qualify to get the license. That will require taking a medical exam and one written and two practical exams (Auto Driver Club 2014). However, you can do that only after you obtained a residence permit if you wish to acquire permanent/renewable license.

Examine your home driver’s license. You need to examine your home driver’s license to make sure it will be valid by the time you travel to Ethiopia and process your application for Ethiopian license. If not, renew your license online or at your local driver’s license office and have the renewed one with you. If you do not have a valid license, you will never be issued an Ethiopian license.

Have your home driver’s license translated / notarized. As holder of driver’s license issued in a foreign country, you need to first get your license translated into Amharic or English by the Embassy of your country in Ethiopia. If the license is in English, the Embassy will notarize it. To get this done, locate the Embassy office in Addis Ababa and if possible contact the embassy prior to your visit to check its working hours and requirements. Normally the requirements are:^[2]

• Foreign driving license;
• Passport
• Service fee

Get your foreign license authenticated. Once your license is notarized or translated, you should get the approval of same by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The requirements are as follows:

• Foreign driving license;
• Translation / notarization of the Embassy (If US citizen this is no longer an option and must be started with the US State Department before you travel to Ethiopia)
• Service fee

Apply for an Ethiopian Driver’s License. Now you can file application with the Ethiopian Road Authority. Locate the authority on Haile Gebreselassie Street in Addis Ababa (around Megenagna area) and fill in the application form. Provide the required documents and pay fees follows:^[3]

• Completed application form for driver’s license
• Translation / notarization with approval/authentication stamp
• Passport-size photograph;
• Photocopy of the foreign driving license;
• Photocopy of passport;
• Foreign/original driving license
• Stamp (to be bought at issuing office)
• Service fee
• Stamp fee

Relearn to drive in Ethiopia. It won’t harm to learn the standard when driving in Ethiopia. You may practice with the assistance of one knowledgeable and well experienced in driving in Ethiopia.

Learn to benefit from the road traffic rules. This will help you a great way as you are now about to start driving in Ethiopia. The general rules include the following:^[4]

• Driving is on the right-hand side of the road.
• To drive, a person needs to be 18 years old
• The speed limit for cars and motorcycles in towns and villages is 30-50 km/h and outside towns 100 km/h
• Drivers are not permitted to use their mobile phones while driving
• Motorcyclists must wear crash helmets
• Pedestrians must use zebra crossings to cross a road
• It is not permitted honking a horn when not necessary
• Children under 7 years of age are not permitted to be in the front seat
• Seat belts are compulsory for a driver and front seat passenger
• It is required to have a first aid kit in each car
• The third party insurance is mandatory. All vehicles must have a windshield sticker displayed as proof of insurance

Be more informed before you drive. In addition to the above rules, the Auto Driver Club outlines important additional information that appears to be useful particularly for a new foreigner driver in Ethiopia like you. Some of these are:^[5]

• Drivers must be spatially careful and honking is often necessary to avoid accidents.
• Drivers must be very careful when going through town and villages as people tend to cross the roads without looking, and animals may be present in the road.
• In Ethiopia, riders insurance is not provided; therefore foreigner visitors must have their own medical / emergency insurance.
• If a driver has an accident, he will have to pay for any damage caused.
• In Ethiopia, there are different types of off-road pavements. These include good condition off-roads, gravel off-roads, sand off-roads, and off-road with bigger stones.
• Emergency services are non-existent in many parts of the country so drivers should always carry spare tires, fuel, and tolls on long trips.