The record
This page covers the personal timeline only. For the statutes in conflict and how Taiwan courts have actually ruled on adjacent cases, see the Legal Analysis page.
Exhibit A — 2006–2011 Toyota Yaris hatchback, the model rented for this trip
Entered Taiwan for an 18-day stay, within the statutory short-stay window. Rented a second-generation Toyota Yaris hatchback presenting only a valid New Jersey driver's license, as the rental agency's own rules permit.
Stopped by local police and cited for driving without an International Driving Permit. Plates confiscated at the scene under the automatic Article 21 procedure.
Applied for and obtained an International Driving Permit as corrective action, and began research into New Jersey's documented reciprocity agreement with Taiwan.
A written statement was submitted to the Motor Vehicles Office requesting plate release and penalty consideration, citing the reciprocity research, the Vienna Convention framework, prompt corrective action, and a clean driving record in Taiwan.
Deeper review of MOTC interpretive letters and district court judgments confirmed the statutory gap described on this site, and that the standard "unfamiliarity" relief doctrine does not squarely apply to this fact pattern. That research is laid out in full on the Legal Analysis page.