Get Your Car License with ADor-Biker
❗We are sorry to inform you that upcoming course sessions at the Beitou Driving School have been temporarily closed due to staffing shortages. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee a definite timeline when we will be able to be ready to open our services and programs again this year. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding. We will keep you posted once we are ready to assist you every step of the way.
Thank you for showing interest in ADor-Biker ❗
For foreigners who might not have mastered Chinese yet or are not confident in their driving abilities, this can be a confusing and time-consuming process. We have partnered with an official Taiwanese driving school, so you will benefit from our structured program, language assistance, and personal support in addition to their knowledgeable instructors and small English class.
Program Structure:
1. 1.5 hours program overview at the ADor-Biker office, including filling out paperwork, taking license photos, and completing a necessary medical evaluation
2. 5 weeks of class for practice and coaching in English at the driving school
3. Take the 3 tests needed in order to get a car license:
a. Written Test at the DMV in Shilin (士林)
b. Driving Course Test at the school where you’ve been practicing
c. Practical Road Test out on the road around the driving school
4. Receive your car license 7 business days after you pass the tests!
※ Before registering, please read the below FAQ and send us a message at FB messenger, email, or here:
- If you have any questions (there's a lot of information!)
- Your desired class start date & time (or ask about the next available dates if you are unsure) so we can confirm they are available with the driving school
-
We recommend registering as early as possible since classes tend to fill up quickly, but please note Step 1 above (the meeting at our office) HAS TO BE COMPLETED at least 1 week before your class start date - if class starts Saturday you'll need to complete Step 1 on Monday at the latest.
Car License Program
FAQs
Q: What are the requirements for the program?
A: In order to participate in the program, you only need 2 things:
1. An ARC that has been issued for at least 6 months or longer
a. (Ex. Issued: 08/04/2021 Expires: 02/28/2022)
※ Gold Card Members MUST HAVE Taiwan’s address on their card and have Taiwan’s phone number before registering for the program
2. Over 18 years old
Q: When are the class times?
A: You can choose between weekday classes (Mon./Wed. OR Tues./Thurs.) or weekend class (Saturday - Limited).
· There will be 2 two-hour classes/week if you are taking weekday classes and 1 longer four-hour class/week if you are taking weekend classes.
- Ex. Classes on Mon. & Wed. from 14:30 - 16:30 OR class on Sat. from 13:00 - 17:00
· Classes always START Wednesday, Thursday, or Saturday
- Ex. Tues. & Thurs. classes - Thursday is the first class, not Tuesday)
Class Schedule Options |
Class Time Options |
1. Monday & Wednesday |
a. 06:00 am - 08:00 am
b. 08:00 am - 10:00 am
c. 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
|
2. Tuesday & Thursday |
3. Saturday |
a. 08:00 - 12:00 (Limited)
b. 13:00 - 17:00 (Limited)
|
Q: How long is the program?
A: You will have the class for 5 weeks (including tests):
- The 'Class Schedule' registration options at the top of the page are the car license class sessions announced by the driving school. The first date is the date that classes start for the week and the last date is the 2nd day of tests (there are two days of tests).
- Ex. 'Class Schedule' April 25 - May 31: You first class will be on 4/27, 4/28 or 4/30 depending on if you chose M/W, T/TH, or SAT. classes. Your Written Test will be on May 30 and your Driving Tests will be on May 31.
- 3 safety classes announced each month by the school
| Example Schedule for Tuesday/Thursday |
| Date |
Time |
Class |
Location |
| 28-Apr |
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm |
Driving |
Driving School (in Beitou) |
| 3-May |
| 5-May |
| 10-May |
| 12-May |
| 17-May |
| 19-May |
| 24-May |
26-May
|
| 30-May / 31 May |
Announced each month |
Written & Driving Tests |
DMV / Driving School (in Beitou)
|
Q: Are classes for manual or automatic cars?
A: You can choose between driving an automatic OR driving a manual car for your classes/tests. The default program is for automatic, so please let us know if you wish to use a manual car and we will add a $1,000 NTD fee to the program cost.
Q: What about the tests? What are the tests like?
A: There are 3 tests for the car license, divided into 2 days of tests (the last 2 days of the class schedule)
- Test Day 1: Written Test at DMV (usually early morning)
- Test Day 2: Both Driving & Road Tests are taken at the driving school
Test Type |
Location |
Written Test |
Shilin DMV |
Course Driving Test |
Driving School |
On the Road Test |
Roads around Driving School |
Q: When will I receive my license?
A: Your license will arrive at our office 7 business days after you pass both the written and driving tests. We’ll notify you to come to pick it up.
Q: How many spots are in each class?
A: Each class is capped at 2 students to ensure everyone has time to practice, receive personalized attention from the coach, and be ready for the tests.
Q: I want to get a license eventually, but I am a complete beginner. Is this a good program for me?
A: New beginners are welcome, no need to worry!
Q: What happens if I don’t pass the tests?
A: There are 3 tests: 1 written test and 2 driving tests:
| Test Re-take Info & Fees |
| Test Type |
Waiting period before you can re-take the test |
Re-take Fee |
| Written Test |
2 weeks |
$2,000 NTD |
| Course Driving Test |
2 weeks |
$2,000 NTD |
| On the Road Test |
2 weeks |
NO FEE |
| *Please note that if you do not pass the written test, you cannot move on to the driving tests |
Q: Where is the driving school located?
A: The school is located in Beitou (北投), Taipei City.
-
About 15 mins walk from the MRT Qiyan Station (奇岩 - red line)
Q: I already have a car license in my home country – doesn’t that count?
A: Yes, if you’re lucky, your home country can have a reciprocity agreement with Taiwan so that you can convert your existing car license to a Taiwanese one! You can message us to find out if your home license is eligible – we also have a license conversion program that walks you through the whole process if you don’t want to worry about it yourself.
Q: I’m an experienced driver, but I’ve failed the driving test! Why is it so hard?
A: The driving tests do not test general driving ability, they test specific skills with strict scoring rules. From our observations, the more experience a driver has, the easier it is for them to fail. This is because the driving test DOESN’T ALLOW any corrections or revisions while driving, which is different from our everyday driving habits. So if you go to the DMV by yourself 1) without practicing 2) not knowing the scoring 3) not being used to the car you’ll use THEN it will be very hard to pass the tests even if you are experienced.
· Ex. for the ‘S curve’ you only have 1 try to complete the skill - if you back up or need to adjust as you go, you fail.
Q: I have had a car license for a long time, why should I spend 5 weeks ‘learning how to drive’?
A: The 5-week course through a driving school is now the shortest and easiest legal way to get a car license (if you choose to go to the DMV to apply for a self-learning license, the wait is 12 weeks to take the test and you won’t be able to practice beforehand at the DMV). The driving school program is government designed & approved to practice skills needed for the driving test, so every school offers the same program.
Q:I heard from my friend that they joined a short program or talked a driving school into letting them practice for a few hours to get their car license, why can’t you provide that?
A: While this was possible a few years ago, it is now illegal for any driving school to offer such a program or services. The government is tightening regulations to help improve driving safety in Taiwan, so the standard 5-week course is all that is legally available now. Most schools do not want to break their relationship or trust with the DMV, who directly monitors them.
Q: Can I only practice the driving test part? I can pass the written test.
A: There are no public driving practice areas like there are for scooters, so the only place to ‘practice’ is a driving school. If you can find a school willing to break the law to let you practice for a few hours instead of the government approved course, then it will remain workable. We do not recommend this since it can get the school in major trouble, along with the workers there.
Q: I don’t want to spend that much time/money on getting a car license – what are my options?
A: If you’re not eligible to convert your home license and you don’t want to spend the time/money for a car license, then maybe you can enjoy exploring Taiwan the Taiwanese way… by scooter! Getting a scooter license only takes a week and if you’re able to ride a bicycle then it’s quite easy to learn. Otherwise, if you’re focused on getting a car license, the 5-week program is your best legal option right now.
Q: You seem like a great company! Is there a way I can get more involved or learn more about what you are doing?
A: Our goal is to be a go-to resource for our foreign friends in Taiwan! We’d love to have you message us or even come see our office and meet our team. We can help with any questions you have about Taiwan, suggest fun experiences or show you what projects we’re currently working on to help our foreign community. Our FB page is https://www.facebook.com/liveintaiwan101
We hope this information about the program was helpful! If you have any additional questions, we’re happy to provide answers. Send us a message on our Facebook Messenger or email us. https://www.facebook.com/adorbiker ・ service@adorbiker.com
