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GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTS

Buying a car in Taiwan as a foreigner: documents, licence, insurance and yearly costs

By FUN CAR, Hsinchu · Updated November 2026 · Official sources are linked at the end. Rules change, so check with the motor vehicles office before you rely on a detail.

Short answer

  • Yes, foreigners with an ARC can buy and register a car in their own name. The motor vehicles office accepts the Alien Resident Certificate (居留證) as ID; a Gold Card counts as an ARC.
  • Every car must have compulsory insurance in the new owner's name, with at least 30 days left, before the transfer.
  • To drive: an International Driving Permit from a reciprocal country covers your first 30 days; after that it must be registered at a motor vehicles office (valid up to one year). Long-term residents are expected to get a Taiwan driver's licence, and many foreign licences can be converted without a test.
  • Yearly running costs for a typical 2.0-litre car (1,801–2,400 cc): NT$11,230 licence plate tax + NT$6,180 road maintenance fee = NT$17,410 a year, before insurance, fuel and servicing.
  • Before you leave Taiwan, sell or transfer the car while your ARC is still valid.

1. Can a foreigner own a car in Taiwan?

Yes. When a car changes owner, Taiwan's Highway Bureau accepts a national ID card, a military ID or a residence permit (ARC, 居留證) from the buyer and the seller. The official Gold Card website states that the Gold Card is a type of ARC and can be used wherever an ARC is required.

Documents for a used-car transfer:

When a licensed car dealer handles the transfer, no extra documents are needed from you. Cars 10 or more years old must pass an inspection before the transfer, unless they passed one within the last three months. The new registration certificate costs NT$200.

Any unpaid licence plate tax, road maintenance fee or traffic fines on the car must be paid before the transfer can go through. A good dealer checks this before you pay.

2. Driver's licence

First 30 days: International Driving Permit

If your country has a reciprocal agreement with Taiwan, you can drive with a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) for up to 30 days after entry.

After 30 days: register your IDP

To keep driving, register the IDP at a motor vehicles office. The registration lasts up to one year, or until your home licence, IDP or residence permit expires, whichever is first. Bring your passport, ARC, home licence, IDP and a photo.

Living here long-term: get a Taiwan licence

The Taipei City motor vehicles office tells residents staying more than six months to get a Taiwan driver's licence. If you hold a full (not provisional) licence from a country or US state on the Highway Bureau's reciprocity list, and you have permission to stay at least six months, you can usually convert it without a driving test. You need your ARC, passport, home licence with an authentication from a Taiwan overseas mission (plus a Chinese translation if it is not in English), a health check form, your entry and exit record and three 1-inch photos.

Eligibility depends on where your licence was issued, and for the US it differs by state. Check the Highway Bureau's country list (linked below) before you apply.

3. Insurance

Compulsory car insurance (強制汽車責任保險) is required for every car. From 1 July 2026 it pays up to NT$3 million for death or the most serious disability, and up to NT$200,000 in medical costs per person, with a maximum of NT$3.2 million per victim per accident.

It covers injury and death only, not damage to cars or property. For that you need optional insurance, such as third-party liability cover and cover for your own car. Driving without compulsory insurance can be fined NT$3,000–15,000.

When you buy from us, we arrange the compulsory insurance as part of the transfer.

4. Yearly costs of owning a car

Two charges are billed every year by engine size for a private passenger car: the licence plate tax (使用牌照稅, billed 1–30 April) and the road maintenance fee (公路使用養護安全管理費, billed 1–31 July). The road maintenance fee was called the fuel usage fee (汽車燃料使用費) until 2026; the amounts did not change with the new name.

Engine sizeLicence plate taxRoad maintenance feeTotal per year
1,201–1,800 ccNT$7,120NT$4,800NT$11,920
1,801–2,400 ccNT$11,230NT$6,180NT$17,410
2,401–3,000 ccNT$15,210NT$7,200NT$22,410
3,001–3,600 ccNT$28,220NT$8,640NT$36,860
3,601–4,200 ccNT$28,220see official table—
Electric carExempt until end of 2030 in Hsinchu City and CountyNot charged at present—

Example: a MINI John Cooper Works with a 2.0-litre engine falls in the 1,801–2,400 cc band, so it costs NT$17,410 a year in plate tax and road maintenance fee. A Mercedes-AMG 43 or Porsche Macan with an engine between 2,401 and 3,000 cc costs NT$22,410 a year. The electric car exemption does not apply to hybrids.

5. Car loans

No law stops banks or finance companies from lending to ARC holders, but approval depends on the lender, your job and your residence permit. Ask us and we will check what is available for your situation.

6. Selling your car when you leave Taiwan

FUN CAR buys used cars in Hsinchu. Selling to a dealer a few weeks before you leave is usually the quickest way. Get a price for your car.

7. Motor vehicles offices in Hsinchu

Hsinchu City Motor Vehicles Station
新竹市監理站		No. 10, Ziyou Road, Hsinchu City (新竹市自由路10號) · 03-532-7101 · Weekdays 08:00–17:00
Hsinchu Motor Vehicles Office
新竹區監理所		No. 58, Sec. 3, Wende Road, Xinpu Township, Hsinchu County (新竹縣新埔鎮文德路三段58號) · 03-589-2051

If you buy from us, we handle the visit to the motor vehicles office for the transfer.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner register a car in Taiwan?

Yes. Taiwan's motor vehicles offices accept an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) as ID for car registration and transfers, and the Gold Card counts as an ARC. The car needs compulsory insurance in your name with at least 30 days of cover left.

Can I drive in Taiwan with an International Driving Permit?

Yes, if your country has a reciprocal agreement with Taiwan: for up to 30 days after entry. After that you must register the permit at a motor vehicles office; the registration lasts up to one year or until your licence, permit or residence permit expires.

How much does it cost per year to own a 2.0-litre car in Taiwan?

For a private car of 1,801–2,400 cc: NT$11,230 licence plate tax plus NT$6,180 road maintenance fee, or NT$17,410 a year, before insurance, fuel, parking and servicing.

Do electric cars pay licence plate tax in Hsinchu?

No. Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County exempt electric cars from licence plate tax until 31 December 2030. Hybrids are not exempt. Electric cars currently pay no road maintenance fee.

What happens to my car when I leave Taiwan?

Sell or transfer it while your ARC is still valid, after paying any plate tax, road maintenance fee and traffic fines. If you have already left, the transfer needs a power of attorney authenticated by a Taiwan mission abroad.

Does compulsory insurance cover damage to my car?

No. Taiwan's compulsory car insurance covers injury and death only. Damage to cars and property needs optional insurance.

Official sources