Getting a Mozambican Drivers License

as an American

Full list of requirements to turn in at INAV:

 US Embassy Authorized Copy of American Drivers License: $50 USD

 Registo Criminal: 10 MzN for forms + 30 MzN (If I remember right) for
report = 40 MzN
 Atestimento de Saúde: 220 MzN (If I remember right)
 Modelo 19 filled out: 5 MzN
 2 Passport Pictures, 35x45 MM attached to Model 19: 20 MzN
 Notarized Copy of DIRE: 10 MzN
 Officially Translated Copy of Authorized Copy of American Drivers
License: Negotiable depending on Translator, I used Sandra listed on the US
Embassy’s website
http://maputo.usembassy.gov/portuguese/english_translators_in_mozambiqu
e_may_2006.html
Sandra Marilia Tamele
Address: 1042, Amílcar Cabral Ave.
Postal Address: P.O. Box 2776, Maputo, Mozambique
Tel./Fax: +258 21 306 351
Mobile: +258 843 980 488
E-mail smtraducoes@yahoo.com
She charged me 500 MzN for mine.

 Once all of these things are compiled you must take them to INAV in
Baixa and submit them: 500 Mzn initial + 120 MzN + 500 = 1120 MzN

Getting Each Item:

 US Embassy Authorized Copy of American Drivers License
o Level of Difficulty: Low
Just make an appointment with the US Embassy on their website and
show up and ask for an authorized copy of your drivers license. They
make the copy there, stamp it and the vice-consul signs it, (Richard
Witten at the time of writing this).
 Registo Criminal
o Level of Difficulty: Low – Moderate
No appointment necessary. Go to the Rua das Flores as shown on
attached Map 1. I don’t remember what the sign specifically says but
it’s something about “Registo Criminal” so it’s pretty obvious. Go
straight in to the desk with two ladies behind it and buy the two forms
you need for 5 MzN each, fill them out putting “Carta de Condução
Ligeiro” as the reason for the pedido. Take both forms through the
small doorway to the left of the main entrance and go through the line
to pay the 30 MtN and then get your fingerprints taken. You will be
told to come back in 2-3 business days to pick it back up. Return to
the same desk you paid at and show your receipt and they will give
 you the form you filled out, now with some stamps on it and one on
the back saying you don’t have a criminal record (assuming you
don’t).
 Atestimento de Saúde
o Level of Difficulty: Moderate
You have to make an appointment to get this. The appointment is
made at the place you will have the exam done. Go to Avenida de
Maguigana as shown on Map 1. You will need to approach from
Avenida Amilcar Cabral because Maguigana is a one way in the
direction of the Central Hospital. After turning of Amilcar Cabral go just
one block and there will be a building on your left-hand side with a
large “Exames Médicos” on the corner of Rua Sol (again, see attached
Map). Go in the small gate and up the little stairs to your left and
make an appointment for a drivers license test at the little reception
desk there. Your name will be entered to a list on the day you make
the appointment and you will have to show up that morning at or
before 7:30.
The morning of your appointment make sure you’re there by 7:30
because they will read the names off the list of appointments once and
put you in the order the list says you’re in, as long as you’re
present. If you miss the roll call, you will be bumped to the end of the
line, no matter where your name was on the list.
The doctor will get there at 8:00 and begin seeing people. She will
collect the ID’s of each person in line, in the order they are in. When
your turn comes you will go in to the docs office, she will write down
your particulars on the medical form, ask you to read the smallest two
rows of letters on a sight-test-board across the room from you and
you will be done. She will hand you your ID and form and you will go
back to the reception desk where you made the appointment and pay
220 MzN. You’re done.
 Modelo 19 filled out
o Level of Difficulty: Low
INAV itself should have these forms but they are often out. The easiest
and most likely place to get it is in the Livraria on the 25 de
Septembro side of the Impressa Nacional which is across Vladimar
Lenin from the Predio de 33 Andares in Baixa. It’s very easy to find.
See attached Map 2. Just go into the Livraria and ask for Modelo 19 de
INAV. It’s 5 MzN. Just fill it out and you’re done. Easy Peasy.
 2 Passport Pictures, 35x45 MM attached to Model 19
o Level of Difficulty: Low
Go to any picture printing place and ask for passport pictures. 20 MzN
and a quick pic, they print it and you’re done. Easy Peasy.
 Notarized Copy of DIRE
o Level of Difficulty: Low
Go to any public notary and bring a copy of your DIRE. 10 MzN and a
few minutes and a few stamps and signatures and you’re out of there.
Easy Peasy.
 Officially Translated Copy of Authorized Copy of American Drivers
License
o Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Get in contact with one of the official translators on the U.S. Embassy
website and get the authorized copy of your drivers license to them to
have translated. For me it took 3 days to get mine translated and back
to me from the translator. She charged 500 MzN.
Steps for when you have all of the above items

 Go to INAV in Baixa
o Level of Difficulty – Hard
 See attached Map 2 for an idea of where it is. It’s across the
little street from the large mCel headquarters building next
to a MozBank branch. There is a main (ground floor) level
where a lot of people are inside on seats in a pretty
confusing mass of humanity. Go inside and go to the
“Recepção” desk. This is the desk on the far left, next to
Procesamento 1. There should be a guy there named Moisés
who needs to put his signature on your packet of docs
saying it is complete. He will then send you up to the
second floor (1o Andar) to talk to Stella.
 Go back outside, hook around to your left and pass a large
glass pane where endless lists are posted (remember where
this glass pane is, it will be reference later) and turn left up
the stairs. Go up one flight of stairs and go into the set of
double doors on your right with a sign above them saying:
“09 Sector de Segurança Rodoviária Atendimento as
Escolas”
and a paper on the door saying “Sector de: Segurança
Rodoviária Porta 13”.
Just go right on in that door, no need to knock. There are a
few chairs in a room inside. Go knock on the second door on
your right where Stella should be working. She will probably
give a cursory look at the docs Moisés signed then send you
with them up one more level to the 3rd floor (2o Andar)
where you will go into the double doors on your left.
 There is a large wooden desk on your left. Show the lady
behind it your docs and pay her 500 MzN and get the
receipt she gives you for your payment.
 Take your docs and your receipt back out the door you just
came in and cross the 3rd floor (20 Andar) landing and go
through the doors there. The first door on your right has
two desks in it and the lady behind the desk on the left will
accept and keep your docs and tell you to come back in 2-3
business days with your receipt.
 When you go back DO NOT go back to the lady who took
your packed on the 3rd floor (2o Andar). Go to Stella on the
2nd floor (1o Andar). She will have your packet of docs with a
couple new stamps on them, ready to go back down to the
ground floor to room 15.
 Go down to the ground floor with your packet of docs. Once
back inside the main floor, on your far right there are two
rooms. Room 15 is the one furthest from you, opposite
Caixa 1 and 2. Go get in line for Room 15 where you will
have your picture taken. Be ready to show your American
license and your DIRE to the man who will take the picture.
 Once you’ve had your picture taken you will receive a print
out with your picture on it and some blanks to fill out. Fill
these out, go out and over to Procesamento 1 and give the
lady there your packet of docs with this new filled out form
 with your picture on it. She will tell you to wait for a few
minutes while she inputs it into her system and then will call
you back up when she’s done. If she doesn’t call your name
within 10 minutes go back up and ask if she’s gotten to
your packet yet. When she does she will give you your
packet and print out and send you over to Caixa 1 or 2.
 Go to Caixa 1 or 2 (both work) and pay 120 MzN. The
person at the Caixa will keep the packet of docs and give
you a receipt with your picture on it. Don’t lose this
receipt. It is your temporary license until you get your
actual card.
 Take your receipt BACK UP to the 2nd floor (1o Andar) to
Stella and show her. She will schedule you for a written
driving test (Teste Teórico) on a Saturday. She will tell you
what time your test will be will tell you to come back on the
Friday before your test to find out where it will be.
 Driving Test Day
o Level of Difficulty: Hard
 Remember that glass pane you passed on your way to the
stairs in the beginning of your trip to INAV? Go back and
look at those lists. Your name is on one of them. It’s pretty
hard to find your name buried in there so look at the third
column under “Class”. This lists the driving school of each
person on the list. You didn’t go to a driving school so you
are listed as “Troca” for “exchange”. There should only be a
couple other names with “Troca” in these lists so it’s a LOT
easier to find than just searching for your name among the
hundreds. Find your name and look at the hand written Sala
number and Hora at the top of that page.
 Go down the road to the Escola Nautica. See Map 3 for
reference. Make sure you get there by or before 8 AM.
Bring your receipt you got from the Caixa (your
temporary licence) and a blue or black pen. There will
be a bunch of other test takers out front standing around
acting confused not knowing what to do or where to go. Just
be cool and wait until 8. Someone will come out the main
entrance (to the right of the gate) and gather everyone up.
They will explain how to take the test and if/that there are
any test room changes. Pay attention because your test
room has probably changed.
 Follow the crush of people up to your test room and sit
down at a desk and fill out the test response form, wait for
roll call to be taken, wait for the tests be handed out, and
hope for an easy test. Fill in all your responses in the
response form and leave it, along with the test, on your
desk. Go home and hope you did well! You’re done!
 Getting Your Test Results
o Level of Difficulty: Easy
 That same glass pane where you checked your room
number has the test results. Go back there the Thursday
after your test and check. If it’s not up yet it should be up
the following Tuesday.
It’s not as easy to find since the results aren’t separated by
driving school so you just have to find your name on one of
 the lists for “Teste Teórico” with the date you took it on top.
Find your name and look for the word “Aprovado” on the
right side. Hope it doesn’t say “Reprovado” because then
you need to go schedule and take the test again. If it says
“Aprovado”; Congratulations! You passed!
 Getting Your License
o Level of Difficulty: Easy
 Once you have passed the Theory Test take the receipt you
were given from the Caixa that you took with you to the
driving school and go back to the Caixa. Pay (another) 500
MzN and give them your American License. They will keep
your license in a file up on the 1a Andar (2nd floor) in the
office where Stella works, where you scheduled your test. If
you ever leave the country and go back to America and
need your license, you can go up to that office and hand
them your Mozambican license and they will give you back
your American license.
Alternatively, you can simply have your state make a
duplicate license for you and leave your license there at
INAV permanently while you hold your Mozambican license.
The Caixa will print off a REAL Temporary License and tell
you that after 90 days you can come back and get your
plastic card.
Congratulations! You’ve completed the process to trade
your American license for a Mozambican one!

Jonathan Heller
Missionary Serving the Sick and Dying in Maputo, Mozambique
www.jonandlayne.com
Missionary Sent by Voices of the World Missions
www.votwmissions.com