The Road to Renewal: Brush Up on Your Theory for an Expired License, Even by a Day, From 2025 Onwards.

Expiration of Over 1 Year Requires Both Theoretical and Practical Re-examination

The Ministry of Transport has recently issued Circular No. 35/2024, which provides regulations on training, examination, and issuance of driving licenses, as well as the issuance and use of international driving permits. The circular will come into effect on January 1, 2025.

A notable change in this new circular is the updated guidelines regarding individuals whose driving licenses have expired. Holders of driving licenses in categories B, C1, C, D1, D2, D, BE, C1E, CE, D1E, D2E, and DE, whose licenses have expired for less than a year from the date of expiration, will be required to take a theoretical re-examination as per the regulations. Licenses that have expired for a year or more will necessitate both a theoretical and practical re-examination, including driving within a testing area and on the road.

The new circular from the Ministry of Transport also stipulates that individuals with licenses in the aforementioned categories who have lost their licenses but are within one year of the expiration date will have to undergo a theoretical re-examination. If the license has been expired for more than a year, both theoretical and practical tests are required. The license must also be listed in the records of the Provincial Transport Service and must not be under confiscation or processing by any authorized agency.

Mr. Luong Duyen Thong, Head of the Transport Management Department of Road Vehicles and Drivers at the Vietnam Road Administration, explained that under the current regulations outlined in Circular No. 04/2022, individuals with driving licenses that have expired for more than 3 months but less than a year need to retake the theoretical examination to obtain a new license. For licenses that have been expired for a year or more, both theoretical and practical re-examinations are mandatory.

According to these regulations, driving with an expired license is prohibited. However, if the license has been expired for less than 3 months, it can be renewed without the need for a theoretical retest.

On the other hand, the recently passed Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety by the National Assembly states that individuals with driving licenses are eligible for early renewal before the expiration date noted on the license. This implies that even if a license has expired by just one day, the holder would need to undergo re-examination to obtain a new license.

Therefore, in alignment with the newly passed law, the Ministry of Transport’s Circular 35/2024 specifies that individuals with licenses expired for less than a year will have to take a theoretical retest, while those with licenses expired for over a year will need to retake the practical examination.

Immediate Reissuance of Valid Lost Driving Licenses

Regarding the reissue of lost driving licenses, the new circular from the Ministry of Transport allows for immediate consideration without the previous waiting period. Individuals with valid lost driving licenses can apply for reissue, and the process will follow the regulations outlined in the circular.

Additionally, the Ministry of Transport has specified that reissue of driving licenses will not be granted in the following cases: if the license is not found in the Vietnam Road Administration’s driving license information system, the license issuance record book, or if the individual has committed traffic violations and has not fulfilled the requirements set by the competent state agency for handling and resolving the violation.

Mr. Luong Duyen Thong further elaborated on the previous process, where individuals who lost their driving licenses had to wait for two months for the Provincial Transport Service to verify if their licenses had been confiscated or revoked. During this waiting period, the traffic police would gather information on confiscated or revoked licenses and update their data before sharing it with the transport sector.

Thanks to advancements in technology, the traffic police can now promptly update their violation handling data regarding confiscated or revoked licenses. This real-time data sharing enables the license reissue agency to efficiently verify and reissue licenses.

“With the new regulations, individuals who have lost their valid driving licenses will no longer have to endure a lengthy waiting period for reissue,” said Mr. Thong. “This change aims to address the challenges faced by those who genuinely lost their licenses, especially commercial drivers whose livelihoods depend on having a valid license.”

Ngân Tuyền (ANTĐ)