03.01.2021
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You can often find that on the back of a driver’s license there is a GCL mark or the inscription “Glasses/lenses are required” (for old-style documents). As expected, this obliges the driver to use vision correction devices when driving a vehicle, since this has been determined by a medical examination. If this requirement is not met, the traffic police inspector has the right to draw up a report on the administrative violation and impose a large fine. Read about the legal intricacies of driving with a GCL to avoid trouble on the road.
What does the GCL mark on a driver's license mean?
Some citizens may have the inscription GCL on their vehicle driving license.
On the new type of ID cards it is located on the back side, opposite the one on which there is a photograph of the owner, at the very bottom. This is a field for special marks, the so-called fourteenth point. Next, we will consider what it means to have the GCL inscription on your license, the driver’s responsibilities, and sanctions for violation. The GCL decoding on a driver's license means glass contact lens - “glasses or contact lenses.” The inscription means that the citizen indicated in the document must use the listed vision correction devices when driving.
What does the GCL mark mean?
GCL stands for glasses or contact lenses. The mark indicates that the driver has medical indications for driving a vehicle (VV) using vision correction products. Thus, this mark gives the right to drive a car if the driver wears glasses or contact lenses. At the same time, holders of licenses with the GCL mark are prohibited from driving a vehicle without glasses or contact lenses.
Questions and Answers What does the AT mark mean on a driver’s license?
In previous versions of licenses, drivers with visual impairments had restrictions written down in words. For example, “glasses are required,” “lenses are required,” or “glasses or contacts are required.” In the first case, the driver must wear glasses while driving, in the second - contact lenses, and in the third - glasses or lenses at his discretion.
When and to whom the GCL mark is put on the license
The registration and issuance of a temporary residence permit for the first time or when replacing it upon expiration of its validity period is preceded by a medical examination. In addition to other health indicators, vision must be checked. During testing, you need to read the rows of a special table from a certain distance. The test results are recorded in a medical certificate of the established form. If visual acuity is below standard, the need to use glasses or lenses is noted.
This is the basis for affixing the letters GCL to the license.
Note. These marks are not placed on the license to drive special equipment, for example, a tractor driver.
In what cases is the GCL mark placed on the license?
The GCL mark on a driver's license is placed on the basis of a certificate from an ophthalmologist, which is obtained at the stage of mandatory medical examination before obtaining a license. Doctors conclude that the patient can drive a vehicle only with glasses or lenses if his visual acuity does not meet that required for full driving.
According to the List of Medical Contraindications for Driving, approved by the Government of the Russian Federation, drivers are allowed to drive with visual acuity of at least 0.2 in the worse eye and 0.6 in the better eye - for categories “A”, “B”, “BE”, “M” and subcategories “A1” or “B1”, not lower than 0.4 on the worse eye and 0.8 on the best eye - for categories “C”, “CE”, “D”, “DE” “Tm”, "Tb" and subcategories "C1", "D1", "C1E" or "DIE".
Question answer
What does the ML mark on a driver's license mean?
If a person is tested by an ophthalmologist wearing glasses or contacts and the visual acuity meets the permitted level, he will be allowed to obtain a driver's license, but only with a GCL mark. If, even with glasses or lenses, visual acuity is lower than permitted, the patient will be denied a license.
Where is the mark on the new model of the driver's license?
The front and back sides of the ID are divided into fields. Each of them contains certain information about their owner:
- Surname
- First and middle name
- Date and place of birth
- Validity period of the license, etc.
There are a total of 9 fields on the front side. The last of these is the permitted categories of driving vehicles. The fields are numbered, numbers are in front of each inscription.
On the reverse side there is a table indicating vehicle categories and opening dates (10), expiration dates (11) and control restrictions (12).
Column 13 is occupied by a barcode.
Below the table is a number. This is column 14 in the driver’s license, reserved for special marks. It contains the Latin letters GCL, indicating vision problems and a requirement to wear glasses or lenses when driving a car or motorcycle.
Where is the GCL mark placed?
All information regarding the mandatory use of glasses or lenses while driving is reflected in the new driver’s license in column 14. This mark is placed in the paragraph where the driver’s experience is indicated. To clarify: the GCL label is placed on the licenses of only those drivers who drive a B-category car. If you need to find this information in the old-style license, it is usually entered in the “special notes” column on the front or back side.
It is also important to take into account that when imposing penalties, the police officer must collect evidence and use documents to confirm that the driver does not have lenses while driving. In this case, you cannot do without a medical examination.
What other marks are put according to medical restrictions?
In addition to visual impairments, drivers may have other health problems that result in restrictions on driving. There are special designations for them, indicated in paragraph 14 of the military license:
- MC (Manual Control Only) The car must be equipped with a system that allows you to drive it with your hands without using your feet.
- AT (Automatic Transmission) – the driver can only drive vehicles with an automatic transmission
- APS (acoustic parking system only - only automatic parking system)
- HA/CF (must wear hearing aid/communication aid) – a hearing aid is required when driving.
These are the most common designations. Sometimes people ask what ML means in rights. This is a direct prohibition of driving category M vehicles such as scooters, mopeds, etc. Or AS - permission to drive vehicles with a traditional steering wheel.
In addition to medical indications, paragraph 14 of the license may indicate the date of receipt of the driver's license. This is usually written by novice drivers.
Is it possible to eliminate a mark?
To obtain a license, it is necessary to present a medical certificate. There are several options when this can be done without it. In this case, the same marks will be added to the new document, including the fourteenth paragraph with GCL, that were in the old one. Therefore, to get rid of them, you need to show the ophthalmologist during a medical examination that your vision does not require correction.
Attention! The medical examination must be completed in an organization that has the appropriate license. Otherwise, the certificate will not have legal force, and it will not be possible to remove the mention of mandatory glasses or lenses. Time and money will be wasted.
With a certificate, you should contact the authorized organization REO of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, MFC, etc. and obtain new rights to replace the old ones without unwanted letters in special marks.
What to do if the driver has had vision correction surgery
Legally, the question of whether it is mandatory to wear glasses or contact lenses while driving a vehicle arises when documents are checked by a traffic police inspector. He cannot, is not obliged and does not have the authority to check the compliance of vision with standard indicators. In this matter, the only guide to action for him is the information from the document.
If, as a result of surgical treatment, a citizen’s vision is restored to a normal level that does not require correction, but the license remains old with the GCL mark, the inspector has the right to require the wearing of glasses. In their absence, he has the right to apply sanctions provided for by law.
To avoid such a situation, the driver must visit a licensed medical institution, undergo a medical examination, and obtain a certificate confirming normal vision. Contact the MFC, REO of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate with it and replace the existing rights with new ones that do not contain a note in column 14.
Only after this will it be possible to drive without glasses or contact lenses.
If you have had vision correction surgery
A driver with a GCL stamp on his license can undergo vision correction surgery. In this case, you need to undergo a medical examination again and provide a certificate to the traffic police. Based on this certificate, the driver will have his license replaced, which will no longer have the GCL mark, and he will be able to drive a car without glasses.
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Is it necessary to use glasses/lenses if vision is poor, but there is no note on your license?
As explained earlier, for persons controlling traffic, the legal obligation to wear glasses or lenses exists if there is a special mark on the license. Without it, even with poor vision, it is impossible to force the driver to wear glasses.
Keep in mind: the use of corrective agents is primarily necessary to ensure safe driving.
With reduced vision, you may not notice a road sign, be unable to read a warning sign, or be unable to distinguish a cyclist or pedestrian. All cases are fraught with a traffic accident with serious consequences. When examined by the traffic police or in court, visual impairment will be identified, and it is possible that the blame for the consequences will be placed on the driver. The basis for this may be clause 2.7 of the traffic rules, which prohibits driving while sick. This concept is not specified by the rules, but under certain circumstances it can be classified as reduced vision.
Conclusion. There is no need to risk your own health, property, and in the worst case, freedom and life. You should consult a doctor and put on glasses or contacts yourself, without waiting for the mandatory mark on your license to appear.
An exception can be made when visual acuity is about 0.9. At the same time, during the day everything is visible quite well, but with the onset of twilight it is worse.
Is it possible to wear glasses/lenses without a note on your license?
Road safety largely depends on the driver’s ability to drive the car. If the driver has poor vision, then you should not expect an instant reaction from him to changes in the road situation, and the likelihood of an accident will increase sharply. To avoid this, it is necessary to use glasses or lenses to correct vision while driving.
It is advisable to undergo a medical check and put the appropriate mark on your license.
We have clarified what the GCL mark means, and now every driver will know in what cases it is placed and whether he needs to take any measures for this badge to appear on his license. It is important not only to know how this document is drawn up, but also how to get rid of the tag if the driver has undergone laser vision correction surgery.
What are the penalties for violating marks?
There is no direct punishment in the Administrative Code for the absence of glasses or lenses, which are prescribed to be worn in column 14 of the driver’s license. However, if an inspection reveals a discrepancy, sanctions will not be avoided. In accordance with the explanations of the head of the Russian State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, the absence of glasses is equivalent to driving without a license. The same position is adhered to in court.
A discrepancy between the last name, first name, patronymic, and date of birth makes the driver’s license invalid. Driving a vehicle without a permit mark in the category column is also considered driving without a license. The absence of points in the presence of GCL letters in paragraph 14 is assessed in the same way.
According to paragraph 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, driving a vehicle without a license or without mandatory glasses is punishable by a fine of 5,000...15,000 rubles. In this case, the offender may be removed from driving, and the car or motorcycle may be sent to the impound lot.
Considering the interest of automobile inspection employees in identifying violations and carefully hidden plans for the number of protocols, it is better not to take risks and wear glasses or contacts.
Is it necessary to prove to a traffic police officer the presence of lenses?
Every duty implies the possibility of verifying its fulfillment. The necessity contained in the fourteenth paragraph of the VU is no exception. In this case, there is a note in the license about glasses, obliging the use of vision correction devices. The presence of glasses is visible and beyond doubt. An ophthalmologist can recognize the lenses. By the way, there is no need to try to undergo a medical examination in them and do not put an unwanted mark on the Permis de conduire - this is how the name of the old-style document was duplicated. The cunning man will be exposed, the lenses will be forced to be removed, and the real state of affairs will be revealed. The traffic police inspector most likely does not possess such skills; claims can be expected from him regarding violation of the requirements of paragraph 14.
Important! No legal norms stipulate the obligation of citizens to prove the presence of lenses on the road. You can simply say that he has them. In the event of a conflict, it is necessary to write about it in the protocol, and the court will support its correctness.
In order not to take the situation to the extreme, it is recommended to stock up on some document confirming the presence of lenses, at least a receipt for their payment, and carry the original or a copy with you. The traffic inspector knows the laws, that will be enough.
conclusions
- The GCL mark on your license indicates visual impairment. If it is present, the vehicle must be driven with glasses or contact lenses.
- In order to issue a license without this mark, confirmation of visual acuity compliance with the standards is required. When replacing in a new device, this inscription will be omitted.
- After corrective surgery, you must undergo a medical examination. If the outcome is favorable, a medical certificate will be issued allowing you to drive without glasses. On its basis, the rights will be replaced with “clean” ones.
- If you have poor eyesight and do not have a note on your license, you can legally drive without glasses. It is recommended not to abuse this for traffic safety.
- For driving without glasses or lenses with the GCL mark, the violator is fined 5,000...15,000 rubles and the car is detained and placed in an impound lot.
- The driver is not required to prove that he is wearing contact lenses. To avoid conflict situations, it is recommended to keep with you any document confirming their availability.
Why do they put the GCL mark on their license?
To obtain a license, the driver must undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist. If his vision does not meet the standards, then his vision is checked with contact lenses or glasses.
If glasses or lenses helped, then the future driver is allowed to drive a car, but ONLY wearing glasses or lenses for vision correction - the doctor must indicate this in the medical certificate. In this case, the rights are marked GCL.
We wrote more about vision standards in the article “What kind of vision should you have to get a category B driver’s license?”
