Panama Driving Licence Photo – SERTRACEN Biometric Requirements

Panama's driving licence — the licencia de conducir — is issued exclusively through SERTRACEN (Servicio de Tránsito y Transporte Terrestre de Panamá), the government body responsible for all driver licensing and vehicle registration in the country. SERTRACEN's biometric document standard requires a 35×45 mm portrait on a pure white background, with the applicant's face occupying 70–80% of the total frame height — proportions calibrated for accurate facial recognition and document validity.

A defining feature of Panama's licensing process is that the photograph is not submitted by the applicant. Instead, it is captured digitally on-site by a SERTRACEN operator as part of the official biometric enrolment at the licensing centre. This on-site capture is standard across all SERTRACEN offices nationwide. While you do not bring a printed photo to your appointment, preparation matters just as much: arriving in suitable clothing, glasses removed, and fully aware of what a compliant portrait must look like ensures the procedure goes smoothly in a single visit.

• Photo size: 35×45 mm (827×1063 pixels at 300 dpi)
• Background: pure white (#FFFFFF) — free of shadows, gradients, or patterns
• Face height: 70–80% of the total frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, both eyes fully open, direct gaze at the camera
• Glasses: not permitted — all eyewear must be removed before biometric capture
• Headwear: not allowed, except for documented religious or medical reasons; the full face must remain visible
• Recency: the image must reflect your current appearance, taken within the past 6 months

Even when the photo is taken on-site, understanding the following failure points helps you walk in fully prepared:

• Off-white or tinted background: SERTRACEN's biometric scanner requires a strictly white backdrop; cream, beige, or grey tones — even subtle ones — will require a retake.
• Eyewear during capture: even clear prescription glasses are prohibited under SERTRACEN biometric rules; operators will ask you to remove them before photographing.
• Shadows on face or background: lateral or overhead shadows caused by poor positioning do not pass the automated biometric check and will result in a retake.
• Head tilt or rotation: the biometric system requires a strictly frontal, level head position; even a slight turn or chin tilt can cause the automated validation to fail.

Our tool automatically crops and sizes your own photo to the exact 35×45 mm SERTRACEN standard, so you can see precisely what a compliant portrait must look like before your appointment. A free watermarked preview is available instantly — no payment needed to check your result. The finished, standard-compliant image is also ready to use for other documents and visa applications that accept submitted photos, such as international travel visas from Panama.