On May 15, 2024, Scott Lai, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco and Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Jess L. Anderson signed the "Memorandum of Reciprocity of Driver's Licenses between the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Taiwan and the Department of Public Safety of Utah" at the state Capitol, and Stuart Adams, President of the State Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Schultz who supported the promotion of the Taiwan-Utah driver's license reciprocity case, Jerry Stevenson, Chairman of Utah-Taiwan Friendship Caucus, Candice Pierucci, Co-Chairs Candice Pierucci, Walter Brooks, and representatives of our overseas Chinese community witnessed and watched the ceremony.
Taiwan is the first foreign government in Utah to negotiate a driver's license reciprocity agreement with Utah after the state passed the Foreign Driver's License Reciprocity Act in March 2023. The leaders of both sides who attended the signing ceremony affirmed that this agreement can further strengthen the 43-year-old sister state friendship between Taiwan and Utah, and help promote bilateral cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Utah in the fields of economy, trade, investment, education, culture, religion, and tourism in the future, and continue to enhance the Taiwan-US partnership.
At the signing ceremony, Director General Lai, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, expressed his sincere gratitude to the leaders of the Utah State Assembly and other leaders for their assistance in promoting the case, as well as Department of Public Safety and other departments for their cooperation and efforts. According to the San Francisco office, the "Taiwan-Utah Driver's License Reciprocity Memorandum" will take effect from the date of signing, and Taiwanese who are at least 18 years old, legally residing in Utah, and holding a valid driver's license issued by the Highway Bureau of the Department of Transportation, can apply to the Department of Public Safety for a non-commercial driver’s license without a road test after preparing the relevant documents and passing the state's driver's license written test and vision test.
The San Francisco office also pointed out that Utah is currently the 37th state government in the United States to promote and sign a reciprocal driver's license agreement with Taiwan. This reciprocal measure will provide convenience for Taiwanese and Utah enterprises to send personnel, international students, Chinese language exchanges, religious exchanges, and people from all walks of life to work, study and live abroad, and help continue to deepen the cooperation and friendship between local governments and people in Taiwan and the United States.
In addition, after the signing ceremony of the "Taiwan-Utah Driver's License Reciprocity Memorandum", all distinguished guests and 60 members of the state legislature attended the celebration cocktail party to celebrate the swearing-in of President Lai and Vice President Hsiao on the upcoming May 20, praising Taiwan's achievements in democratic development and affirming Taiwan's contribution to the prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific.
