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By KELIN DILLON

In a majority vote on Wednesday, Oct. 30, members of the Mexico City Chamber of Deputies approved reinstating the issuance of permanent driver’s licenses in the Mexican capital – a type of license that was eliminated from the metropolis in 2008.

The proposal, spearheaded by Mexico City’s Head of Government Clara Brugada, passed through the legislative chamber with 41 votes in favor and 13 against.

The opportunity to acquire a permanent license will only be available for one year, from November 2024 to December 2025, and applicants will have to pay 1,500 pesos to receive the document.

Likewise, eligible drivers who already have a license can apply for the permanent change automatically. In contrast, those who have never held a license will be required to take a knowledge test before issuance.

According to the changes made to the Fiscal Code of Mexico City, resources derived from the acquisition of these permanent licenses will be used to fund public transportation and mobility infrastructure throughout the city.

Opponents of the initiative argued that the proposal has minimal regard for road safety and only in favor of financial gain due to the lack of required practical driving exams, while proponents rebutted by saying that road safety issues linked to the issuance of driver’s licenses have already been addressed in Mexico City’s Mobility Law.

Now passed into law, the permanent license process is expected to generate between 1.2 and 1.5 billion pesos in revenue and double the amount of driver’s license applications seen in the Mexican capital during the upcoming year.