Getting a driving licence in Curaçao for the first time: exams, costs and where to apply
If your licence cannot be exchanged (for example because your country is not party to the Geneva Convention, or because you got it after moving here), the route is to take the exams in Curaçao. Before you start, check on our page whether you can register or exchange your licence, which is much faster.
Where to apply
You apply for the exams in person at Publieke Zaken, Sta. Rosaweg 36 branch (phone +599 9 736 2929), Monday to Thursday 8:00 to 11:30 and 12:30 to 14:30, and Friday 8:00 to 11:30. For the theory test no appointment is needed: you pay, bring the receipt and are given a date.
The steps and what they cost
- Theory test: XCG 105. From age 18 for car and motorbike (21 for truck and bus). Bring your sédula or passport and the deposit receipt. Once passed, the certificate is valid for 18 months.
- Practical test: with the theory test passed, you pay for the examiner's declaration (XCG 20) and the exam deposit. You can take it with a manual or an automatic gearbox.
- Issuing the licence: XCG 95. Once you pass, book an appointment at sita.gobiernu.cw and collect it at the Kranshi (Afdeling Rijbewijzen). Bring your ID, the statement signed by the exam committee and a medical certificate less than 2 months old. If everything is in order, you get it the same day.
How to pay
The office does not take cash: you deposit the money at the bank beforehand and bring the receipt. Exams are paid at Banco di Caribe, account 36 16 05 01 (Overheid Curaçao Rijexamen), and the licence at Banco di Caribe, account 36 15 86 01 (Kranshi / Overheid Curaçao Publieke Zaken). From abroad, the account is MCB 32 06 15 07.
If you fail the first time, you do not lose your payment: according to the official page, the deposit receipt is valid for 6 months and covers up to 4 exams, theory and practical combined.
Can I take it in Spanish or English?
The theory test is in Papiamentu or Dutch. The official page provides for an oral alternative, in Papiamentu, Spanish or English, but it has to be requested in writing with a medical reason: it is not a general option for people who do not speak the exam languages. If that is your case, start studying the material in Papiamentu or Dutch well ahead.
The car for the practical test
The government does not provide the vehicle. The usual way is to take the test in a driving school car (rijschool), which also prepares you. If you plan to use your own car, ask Publieke Zaken first what conditions it must meet.
Sources: the Government of Curaçao's Loket Digital, pages "Theorie-examen", "Praktijkexamen (Rijexamen)" and "Eerste afgifte rijbewijs" (loketdigital.gobiernu.cw). Reviewed on September 21, 2026.