Good afternoon, dear reader.
As you know, one of the documents that is mandatory for driving a car is a valid driver’s license, the category of which corresponds to the category of the vehicle. From time to time, every driver has an urgent need to replace his driver's license.
What could cause this need? The reasons may be different: replacing a driver's license due to expiration (currently it is 10 years), replacing a license due to a change of surname, or changing a license after it has become unusable (for example, a favorite bull terrier may bite your license or after a meeting with traffic police officers, unofficial marks may appear on the ID).
Since replacing a driver’s license is not a very frequent procedure, drivers usually have many questions: where to change a license, what documents are needed to replace a driver’s license, how much and to whom they need to pay, etc. After reading this article, you will learn how to change your rights in 2021.
Where is a driver's license replaced due to expiration?
First, let's look at where a driver's license is replaced due to expiration. To do this, let us turn to paragraph 3 of the rules for conducting examinations for the right to drive vehicles and issuing driver’s licenses:
3. Conducting examinations for persons permanently or temporarily residing or temporarily staying on the territory of the Russian Federation, issuing Russian national and international driver’s licenses and exchanging foreign driver’s licenses are carried out in the departments of the State Traffic Inspectorate at the place of application of these persons.
Currently, replacing a driver's license is possible at the traffic police department at the place of application, i.e. at any branch in the country .
It does not matter whether you are registered in a given subject of the Russian Federation. Your license will be exchanged for you in any case.
It also doesn’t matter where you changed your driver’s license before. The traffic police database is common, so applying in a “new” region will not cause any problems.
Note. In 2021, you can also exchange your driver's license at multifunctional centers (MFC). You can find out more about this in the article “Replacing a driver’s license at the MFC.”
How is a medical examination for a driver's license carried out after 60 years of age?
The procedure for conducting a medical examination to obtain a driver’s license is set out in Appendix 1 to Order of the Ministry of Health No. 344-n dated June 15, 2015.
Medical examination for permission to drive certain categories of vehicles can be carried out:
- in state and municipal hospitals;
- in private clinics that have the appropriate license.
Examinations by psychiatrists and narcologists are carried out exclusively in municipal health care institutions at the place of permanent registration or temporary registration of the candidate driver.
During the examination, examinations are carried out by the following specialists:
- therapist or general practitioner (family doctor). It is this specialist who draws up the final conclusion and issues a certificate of passing the commission;
- ophthalmologist;
- psychiatrist;
- narcologist. During the check, this specialist may take a urine sample to detect prohibited drugs in the body.
As prescribed by the therapist, additional examinations by doctors may be prescribed:
- neurologist. Upon referral from this specialist, each driver may be sent to undergo electroencephalography;
- otorhinolaryngologist.
In order to pass a commission for a driver’s license after 60 years of age for women and men at a medical institution without any problems or complications, you must provide:
- current ECG (electrocardiogram) result;
- if the candidate driver has any chronic diseases, then an extract from the medical record, which is maintained at the place where the patient’s health is monitored, will also be required;
- If there are visual impairments, the examination is performed with glasses (contact lenses).
As a result of passing a medical examination, a certificate is issued, the form of which is set out in Appendix 2 of Order of the Ministry of Health No. 344 n.
The document must indicate:
- full name of the medical institution that issued the certificate. As well as the organization’s address, contact phone number, OGRN code, details of the current license;
- Full name of the person to whom the certificate is issued;
- date of birth of the driver (driver candidate);
- address of permanent registration;
- date of issue of the document;
- directly the medical report resulting from the examination;
- a list of categories of vehicles that, in the opinion of medical specialists, a given person is allowed to drive;
- limitations identified during the examination;
- medical indications for driving a certain type of vehicle;
- Full name and signature of the doctor who issued the medical certificate;
- seal of a medical institution.
Which doctors you need to pass for a driver's license in 2021 is shown in the article: which doctors you need to pass for a driver's license. Read about applying for an international driver's license in 2021 here.
Validity period of driver's license
The validity of a driver's license, as noted earlier, is 10 years . The expiration date is indicated in the corresponding rights column. After this date, the certificate becomes invalid and must be replaced due to its expiration date.
Attention! If the license expired from February 1 to July 15, 2021, then the validity of such a certificate is automatically extended until December 31, 2021. For more information on this issue, see the article “Renewing your driver's license during self-isolation/quarantine in 2020.”
However, there are several conditions under which a driver’s license may become invalid before the date specified on it (clause 35 of the rules for issuing driver’s licenses):
- change of personal data of the owner (for example, change of surname);
- wear or damage to the driver's license that interferes with reading the information specified on it;
- if the certificate was issued on the basis of documents subsequently found to be forged (falsified);
- theft or loss of a driver's license;
- obtaining a new driver's license;
- change in the driver's health condition;
- death of the driver.
Those. Driver's licenses are initially issued for 10 years, but whether they will be valid for this entire period depends on the factors listed above.
An international driver's license is issued for 3 years . However, its validity period should not exceed the validity period of the national driver's license.
Replacing a driver's license with a new one without the old license
Replacing a driver's license with a new license without the certificate itself can be done only in two situations:
- If it is lost;
- When it is stolen.
In both cases, you need to contact the traffic police department and write a corresponding statement.
When replacing rights in case of loss or theft, the previous validity period will be indicated. For example, if the lost license was valid from 10/15/2010 to 10/15/2020, then the period for the new license will be exactly the same.
And the list of documents in this case is reduced to three:
- Statement;
- Russian Federation passport;
- State duty.
We can provide you with a medical certificate upon request. But when replacing rights after expiration, a certificate will have to be provided.
How much does it cost to replace a driver's license?
The state fee for issuing a driver's license is 2,000 rubles .
Note. When receiving a new driver's license (with an electronic storage medium), the cost will be 3,000 rubles . But such rights have not yet been issued.
There are no additional payments when replacing rights.
Attention! When replacing a driver's license through the government services portal, you can get a 30 percent discount on the state fee. Those. replacing a driver's license in this case will cost 1,400 rubles . The discount is valid from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2023. You can find out more about it in this article.
Is it possible to replace a driver's license after 60 years of age?
To answer this question, you should refer to the provisions of the law regulating the procedure for obtaining a driver’s license - Federal Law No. 196 . Article 26 of this law regulates the age limits when a person has the right to acquire the rights:
- for transport in categories M and A1 - from 16 years of age;
- in categories A, B, C, B1 and C1 - from 18 years of age;
- in categories D and above – from 21 years of age.
In addition, an applicant for a driver's license must undergo training for the right to drive a car, as well as have a certificate from a medical institution about permission to drive a car.
Thus, the law only limits the lower age limit for driving a car. Therefore, any citizen of the Russian Federation who has a medical certificate and has passed the traffic police exam can replace their driving license.
Documents for replacing a driver's license in 2021
Let's consider the necessary documents to replace a driver's license in 2021:
1. Statement. It can be written in simple written form. You can read about how to do this here. There you can also download an application form to fill out.
2. Passport or other identification document.
3. Medical certificate.
Note. In 2021, a medical certificate is needed only when replacing a driver’s license due to expiration or when the driver’s health status changes. In other cases (if replaced due to a change of surname, damage or loss of the ID), a certificate is provided at the request of the driver. You can find out more about this in the article “Cancellation of a medical certificate when replacing rights.”
4. Driver's license (if previously issued).
5. A document confirming payment for the production and (or) issuance of a new driver’s license (receipt for payment of the state fee), or a document confirming the exemption for the state fee.
Summarizing the above list, you can see that in order to exchange a driver’s license, the driver needs to have a passport, a valid medical certificate, an old driver’s license and a receipt for payment of the state fee.
An application to replace a driver’s license due to expiration can be filled out directly at the traffic police by asking the inspector for the form.
Strictly speaking, you do not need to bring a document confirming payment of the state fee to the traffic police. Employees must obtain payment information independently through the interdepartmental communication system. However, in practice, electronics may malfunction, so it is better to have the receipt with you.
In addition to the originals of the documents listed above, take their copies with you . Usually copies can be made at the traffic police department, but the price tag there is inhumane.
Note. In 2021, you are not required to provide a photograph of a driver to replace your license. Photographing takes place directly at the traffic police department.
Replacing your driver's license due to expiration should not cause you any problems. Approach the procedure responsibly and prepare all the necessary documents in advance. In this case, you will save a lot of time.
How long does the procedure for replacing a driver's license at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate take?
The most important thing when your driver’s license expires is not to drive a vehicle, otherwise, if you are stopped by an inspector with an invalid license, the violation will be classified as driving without a license.
The main rule when replacing a driver's license is the promptness of its owner. The more active it is, the faster the replacement will take place.
- To issue a medical certificate takes 3-4 hours, sometimes it can take 1 day, depending on the queue.
- Prepare documents – 10 minutes.
- Go to the traffic police and submit an application - depending on the queue.
- Making new licenses takes no more than 1 hour.
Replacement times can be reduced. To do this, as soon as you pass the medical examination, immediately fill out an application on the State Services (you can use a smartphone) and select a date for the same day.
Much depends on how quickly you pass the medical examination. Therefore, we advise you not to hesitate and come to the medical organization early.
When applying for a replacement license at the MFC, the time frame may increase to 5 days. But here you will have to visit the center twice to submit documents, and then to receive a new certificate.
What documents are needed to replace rights
Statement. It can be issued electronically at State Services or written according to the sample at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate or MFC. If you fill out a form at State Services, it is better to print out the application and take it with you to the traffic police.
Passport or other identification document.
Old driver's license , if available.
Medical report in form 003-В/у . You will have to get it at a clinic or private clinic, and first visit the drug treatment and psychoneurological dispensaries at your place of registration - permanent or temporary. Details in the section with a step-by-step procedure for replacing a driver's license.
If you fill out an application at State Services, it is not necessary to take it to the traffic police. But it will be more convenient for the inspector with a printout
