Taiwanese nationals living in the US state of Washington will soon be able to obtain state driver's licenses if they are already licensed to drive in Taiwan. That’s the word from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle on Wednesday.

Those eligible under the agreement include college students, businesspeople or US permanent residents living in the state. The agreement applies to Taiwanese nationals who hold a class B driver's license for a small car.

The reciprocal driver’s license agreement gives the same treatment for Washington residents who have lived in Taiwan for over a year.

The pact was finalized between Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the Washington Department of Licensing in the city of Olympia.

Washington is the eighth state to sign such a pact with Taiwan. Taiwan has signed similar agreements with the US states of Maryland, Idaho, Florida, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Delaware.