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I just realized that I will need to renew my Panama Driver's license in a few days and it might be a little challenging to get it done on time.  So I have two questions I hope will be answered.

Is there some kind of penalty if I am a few days late with the renewal?

What documents do I need to bring other than current license?

I remember that getting the original license one year ago was smooth and fast at the David office, but all the documents I had to gather in advance was very time consuming and I hope that was a one time effort.  Thanks in advance for the help.  Dennis.

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Thanks again for the help, Keith.  i tried yesterday, but there was a little twist that I thought I'd share.  My car was purchased (from you) before I got my cedula and was linked with my U.S. Passport number.  When I tried to renew the driver's license yesterday, I was told I needed to go the the Municipio and have my records changed so that the Passport reference number would be replaced by the cedula number (I got my cedula in December and got the new license plate in January, so that's when the cedula number got into the system).  So I got the records changed and will go back to Sertracen tomorrow (30 minutes before they open).  I hope this info helps save others an extra trip.

Dennis

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3 hours ago, Dennis Philpot said:

Thanks again for the help, Keith.  i tried yesterday, but there was a little twist that I thought I'd share.  My car was purchased (from you) before I got my cedula and was linked with my U.S. Passport number.  When I tried to renew the driver's license yesterday, I was told I needed to go the the Municipio and have my records changed so that the Passport reference number would be replaced by the cedula number (I got my cedula in December and got the new license plate in January, so that's when the cedula number got into the system).  So I got the records changed and will go back to Sertracen tomorrow (30 minutes before they open).  I hope this info helps save others an extra trip.

Dennis

 

I know a couple of people who got caught in the same scenario.  It appears that once you obtain your cedula you must have pertinent government documents such as auto and property titles re-issued with the cedula number.

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5 minutes ago, Siempre Soluciones said:

It appears that once you obtain your cedula you must have pertinent government documents such as auto and property titles re-issued with the cedula number.

Any change of I.D. number, for example Passport renewal for folks without E-Cedulas

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57 minutes ago, Dennis Philpot said:

Thanks again for the help, Keith.  i tried yesterday, but there was a little twist that I thought I'd share.  My car was purchased (from you) before I got my cedula and was linked with my U.S. Passport number.  When I tried to renew the driver's license yesterday, I was told I needed to go the the Municipio and have my records changed so that the Passport reference number would be replaced by the cedula number (I got my cedula in December and got the new license plate in January, so that's when the cedula number got into the system).  So I got the records changed and will go back to Sertracen tomorrow (30 minutes before they open).  I hope this info helps save others an extra trip.

Dennis

I am getting my E-cedula in a couple of weeks.  What records do I need to change?  I have never had to show my car title when renewing my drivers license.

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What is the time deadline for updating after the cedula is issued? I should have mine June 15 but I am leaving for an international trip the next day. Can you move the registration from Panama City to David or Dolega at the same time? Drivers license and car license tag are due for renewal in August.

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53 minutes ago, JudyS said:

I am getting my E-cedula in a couple of weeks.  What records do I need to change?  I have never had to show my car title when renewing my drivers license.

It will be necessary to update the Registro Unico or Title of the vehicle at the Municipality of registration and the corresponding ATTT office. 

Required:

2 copies of the Passport the car was registered with

2 copies of E-Cedula

2 copies of current Revisado

Original of the Registro Unico or Title

Start at the Treasurer's office where the Plates are issued using one set of copies. At the same time purchase a Banco Nacional $20 deposit slip for $21.

Go to the ATTT office and use the other set of copies along with one of the receipt you will get from the Municipality transaction, the original Title, and the $20 Banco Nacional receipt.

Sertracen s.a.,  the contractor who issue Drivers Licences, are linked to the national vehicle registration system allowing them to know the status of the I.D. on your Title. They can also see if there are any associated outstanding fines.

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18 minutes ago, JRWsaxman said:

What is the time deadline for updating after the cedula is issued?  ... Can you move the registration from Panama City to David or Dolega at the same time? Drivers license and car license tag are due for renewal in August.

The Title or Registro Unico must be updated prior to Drivers License renewal. No other deadline that I'm aware of.

The registration for the vehicle can be moved to Chiriqui at the same time as Plate renewal, in August.

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21 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

It will be necessary to update the Registro Unico or Title of the vehicle at the Municipality of registration and the corresponding ATTT office. 

Required:

2 copies of the Passport the car was registered with

2 copies of E-Cedula

2 copies of current Revisado

Original of the Registro Unico or Title

Start at the Treasurer's office where the Plates are issued using one set of copies. At the same time purchase a Banco Nacional $20 deposit slip for $21.

Go to the ATTT office and use the other set of copies along with one of the receipt you will get from the Municipality transaction, the original Title, and the $20 Banco Nacional receipt.

Sertracen s.a.,  the contractor who issue Drivers Licences, are linked to the national vehicle registration system allowing them to know the status of the I.D. on your Title. They can also see if there are any associated outstanding fines.

Thanks Keith.  I did this when I got a new passport, but I forgot about the Banco Nat'l step.  Is ATTT the driver license office?  I don't have to do that until next year.  Plates are in July.

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41 minutes ago, JudyS said:

Thanks Keith.  I did this when I got a new passport, but I forgot about the Banco Nat'l step.  Is ATTT the driver license office?  I don't have to do that until next year.  Plates are in July.

Driver licenses are handled by Sertracen, which is located in Chiriqui Mall. The government has outsourced driver licenses to that company.

We have found the staff at Sertracen to be very friendly and helpful. More often than not there will be large numbers of people in process, but they seem to automatically move jubilados to the front of the line, without even requesting special treatment. We were there in January for Marcelyn's license renewal, and we were in and out in 12 minutes.

Don't forget to bring cash for the renewal fees. They do not accept credit cards or checks. I seem to recall it was ~$18.00.

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1 hour ago, JudyS said:

Is ATTT the driver license office?  I don't have to do that until next year.  Plates are in July.

The ATTT office that you're looking for is in the Municipio complex, same side of the building as the Treasurer's office.

You could do this update at the same time as you get your Pate in July. I try to avoid the first and last weeks of the month.

Edited by Keith Woolford
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4 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

The ATTT office that you're looking for is in the Municipio complex, same side of the building as the Treasurer's office.

You could do this update at the same time as you get your Pate in July. I try to avoid the first and last weeks of the month.

I'm confused.  I get my drivers license at Chiriqui Mall and my plates at Dolega Municipio.  Do I have to update my license a year before it expires?  I never did that when my passport number changed.  I just gave them the old and new passports when I renewed the license.

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  • 2 years later...

I had to renew my driver license this week. Interesting that I got an email reminder from Sertracen about a week prior. That was a first for me.

image.png.c8272ac639f1d2be55e39701013eb038.png

Anyway, the process was fairly quick even though there were about 35 to 40 people going through the process at Sertracen at the same time. We were the only gringos in the office, and I obviously was the only jubilado going through the process. I found all of the staff to be very professional, helpful, and generally not English capable but able to understand my Spanglish. Given my age I had to have the doctor's paperwork as to my competency, etc.

Total time in the office was about 25 minutes. Overall, rather pleasant experience. Total fees (as a jubilado) $16.00. I'm good to drive for two more years now.

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  • 5 months later...
On 6/1/2017 at 11:52 AM, Keith Woolford said:

It will be necessary to update the Registro Unico or Title of the vehicle at the Municipality of registration and the corresponding ATTT office. 

Required:

2 copies of the Passport the car was registered with

2 copies of E-Cedula

2 copies of current Revisado

Original of the Registro Unico or Title

Start at the Treasurer's office where the Plates are issued using one set of copies. At the same time purchase a Banco Nacional $20 deposit slip for $21.

Go to the ATTT office and use the other set of copies along with one of the receipt you will get from the Municipality transaction, the original Title, and the $20 Banco Nacional receipt.

Sertracen s.a.,  the contractor who issue Drivers Licences, are linked to the national vehicle registration system allowing them to know the status of the I.D. on your Title. They can also see if there are any associated outstanding fines.

2020 update:

You still take the two sets of documents that Keith outlines to the Treasurer's Office. They will enter all the data into their system. They keep one set of documents and charge you $5.00.  You then get a copy made of the receipt you are given (you may get one made at the end of the counter in that office, or if that is unavailable, take it across the street to get a copy made.

You take the copy of that receipt, and the other set of documents (which has the original title attached) to the adjacent ATTT office. They will charge you $20 there and issue you the new title to your vehicle. No Banco Nacional deposit slip is involved in the process.

This is the procedure at the Dolega offices, and I assume it's similar everywhere else.

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