Panama reduces the validity of the drug test for driver's licenses from six months to 30 days

The change announced by the ATTT reduces the validity of the result from six months to 30 days, but does not incorporate the test as a new requirement for obtaining a driver's license. Courtesy: TRP Lab The Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) reduced the validity of the drug consumption test required for certain driver's license procedures in Panama from six months to 30 calendar days. The change began to be applied as of October 1, 2026, and affects applications as well as renewals, extensions, and juvenile permits, depending on the category. The institution clarified that it is not incorporating a new requirement for drivers, after the announcement generated doubts about the scope of the measure. The test was already contemplated in the Traffic Regulations for certain categories; what changes is the period during which its result can be used to complete the procedure. Until now, the negative result could be presented during the six months following its issuance, a deadline that still appeared published among Sertracen's requirements. The professional licenses included in the measure allow driving everything from taxis and buses to trucks, hazardous cargo vehicles, and heavy equipment, depending on the corresponding category. (Illustrative image Infobae) With the modification, the document must have a maximum age of 30 calendar days, counted from the date it was issued by a laboratory authorized by the Ministry of Health (Minsa). This represents a considerable reduction in the window available to complete the procedure. A test taken two months before the procedure, for example, was previously still valid, but as of October it will no longer be accepted. The driver will need to schedule the test closer to the date on which they will apply for, renew, or extend their license. The ATTT reported that the adjustment was coordinated after working meetings with the Minsa and Sertracen. The provision exclusively modifies the validity of the result and does not mean that the affected licenses will now have a duration of 30 days, a difference that authorities have emphasized in response to inquiries arising after the announcement. Juvenile permits for categories A, B, and C are also included in the modification announced by the transit authority. (Illustrative image Infobae) For those applying for a license for the first time, the change specifically affects category D, intended for driving light trucks of up to eight tons and private buses of up to 16 passengers. In this case, the negative result of the drug consumption test was already part of the requirements established to obtain that category. The scope is greater when it comes to renewals. Drivers with licenses E1, E2, E3, F, G, H, I, and J must present the current negative result, in addition to complying with the other corresponding evaluations. Category D does not appear among the renewals affected by this change, according to the clarification released by the ATTT. The E categories correspond to public passenger transportation and are divided according to the authorized service. E1 allows driving selective transportation vehicles, such as taxis; E2 corresponds to buses of up to 16 passengers, while E3 enables driving buses intended for public transportation with a capacity of more than 16 people. For the categories of larger vehicles, license F allows driving single-unit trucks of more than eight tons and buses of more than 16 passengers. G corresponds to combination trucks and H is intended for vehicles used to transport hazardous cargo, so they cover professional activities with additional responsibilities on the roads. The ATTT reported that the adjustment was coordinated with the Ministry of Health and Sertracen and began to be applied in October 2026. (Illustrative image Infobae) Category I, for its part, enables the operation of heavy equipment, while J corresponds to buses of the mass passenger transportation system of the metropolitan area. For these categories, the Traffic Regulations establish additional requirements depending on the type of license, in addition to the visual, auditory, and other applicable evaluations. The new deadline must also be observed when a person requests to extend their license to categories D, E1, E2, E3, F, G, H, I, or J. The extension allows adding a new category to an existing license, but the applicant must prove that they meet the specific requirements of the vehicle they intend to drive, including the corresponding tests. The provision also incorporates all procedures related to juvenile permits for categories A, B, and C. Within the classification used in Panama, category A corresponds to bicycles, B to motorcycles, and C authorizes the driving of cars and SUVs, although the conditions of juvenile permits depend on the applicable procedure. The new provision covers the first-time obtaining of license D, as well as renewals of categories E1, E2, E3, F, G, H, I, and J. (Photo: Casa Presidencial Honduras) The Traffic Regulations also establish that tests related to drug consumption must be performed by duly authorized institutions or laboratories. The requirements published by Sertracen specify that the result must be negative for marijuana and cocaine and contain the user's identification data, in addition to the laboratory technician's seal and signature. The modification means, in practice, that users included in these categories will have less margin between taking the test and their procedure at Sertracen. A document exceeding 30 days from its issuance will no longer comply with the new validity, even though under the previous scheme it could have been used for several months. The ATTT finally recommended verifying the corresponding requirements before going to carry out any of these procedures. The reduction from six months to one month does not expand the universe of drivers required to present the test, but it does substantially change the time available to use the result, which must be current at the time of carrying out the procedure.