International Driving Permit Chile

Rental agencies in Chile, particularly in Santiago and Punta Arenas, commonly require an International Driving Permit alongside your original licence, so it's worth carrying one even though Chilean law doesn't strictly mandate it for short stays.

• Tourists can drive in Chile on a valid original licence for up to 90 days from entry.
• Chilean practice expects your licence to be in Spanish, or accompanied by a certified translation or an International Driving Permit.
• Rental agencies frequently require an IDP at pickup regardless of your licence's language, especially in Santiago and Punta Arenas.
• An IDP only works together with your valid original licence — it's a translation aid, not a replacement for it.
• Chile drives on the right, with the driver's seat on the left side of the vehicle.

Santiago's urban highways run on an electronic-only toll system with no cash option, road conditions shift dramatically between paved highways and remote gravel routes, and drink-driving is actively enforced.

• Santiago's main urban highways operate exclusively through the electronic TAG toll system, with no toll booths, cash lanes, or card payment at the gantry.Commonly reported
• Most rental cars already carry a working TAG device, billed to you afterward as a flat daily fee rather than per-trip charges.Commonly reported
• Toll roads are increasingly common on intercity routes beyond Santiago as well.Commonly reported
• Speed limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h on rural highways, and 120 km/h on motorways.Commonly reported
• Drivers are considered under the influence at a blood alcohol level between 0.3 and 0.8 g/L, with 0.8 g/L or above treated as a more serious offence.Commonly reported
• Carabineros (national police) set up routine roadside checkpoints across the country, including random checks.Commonly reported
• Winter weather between June and September can temporarily close Andes border crossings into Argentina.Commonly reported

Self-drive car rental is available at Santiago's international airport and across Chile's main tourist regions, with most providers setting age requirements above the legal minimum.

• The legal minimum driving age is 18, but rental companies typically require drivers to be at least 21, often with a young-driver surcharge.
• Santiago's Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport has rental counters from major providers reachable from the arrivals area.Commonly reported
• Adequate insurance, including windscreen coverage, is worth confirming given the cost of repairs on gravel routes like the Carretera Austral.Commonly reported
• Taking a rental car across the Chile–Argentina border requires advance notice to your rental company, commonly at least two weeks, to prepare the necessary documents.Commonly reported
• Typical documents requested at pickup include your original licence, an IDP if applicable, your passport, and a credit card for the deposit.Commonly reported

Keep your original driving licence, and your International Driving Permit if you're carrying one, together as your standard document set any time you're driving in Chile.

• Your original licence, your IDP if you're carrying one, and your passport should be kept together and accessible at all times.
• Carry proof of your tourist status, such as your entry stamp or tourist card, alongside your driving documents.
• Emergency services across Chile can be reached on 133 for police (Carabineros) or 131 for ambulance.Commonly reported

Driving a rental car from Chile into Argentina is common on routes like San Pedro de Atacama, but it requires advance notice to your rental company and extra insurance, and Andes crossings can close in winter.

• Rental companies require advance notice before allowing a car across the Chile–Argentina border — commonly two weeks, sometimes longer for remote crossings like San Pedro de Atacama.Commonly reported
• Crossing usually means extra insurance charges, since standard rental cover often doesn't extend across the border automatically.Commonly reported
• Winter weather between June and September can temporarily close Andes mountain crossings, including popular routes near Santiago and Mendoza.Commonly reported
• Your IDP requirement, where it applies, covers driving within Chile — Argentina has its own separate licence and document rules.