Replacing a driver's license when changing your last name in Russia

The most important thing about changing your name when changing your last name

Let's highlight a few points that directly follow from the legislation relevant for 2021. They are simple, but very important!

1. There is a difference between a driving license and a driver's license. The first is given to you once in your life and is with you forever (except in cases of deprivation). The second, as a document, only confirms such a right.
2. But if you do not have a license with you, then the fine for lack of driving rights is illegal. The only exceptions are 3 cases that are directly stated in the Federal Law on Road Safety: when the validity of the document has expired, if you have been deprived of it, or when contraindications to driving a car are identified.
3. Last name is an object of personal data; The 2021 legislation does not specify whether it is necessary to change rights when changing your last name, but speaks specifically about personal data, and your full name is among them.

So, we have found out the basic principles of understanding the right of management. Now let's move on to the questions and answers!

Fine for driving with an old and invalid license

Many drivers are in no hurry to change their license when changing personal data, which leads to very unpleasant consequences. If previously it was possible to travel with the old license by presenting to the inspector a certificate of change of surname, name or patronymic, now this has lost its relevance. The replacement of the license must be carried out as soon as possible, because driving with an invalid license is fraught with administrative penalties, the price of which ranges from 5,000 rubles to 15,000 rubles. The car may be seized and towed to the impound lot, which will lead to even greater financial losses.

If you changed your last name, do you need to change your license?

Yes. This is required by law. Thus, Government Decree No. 1097 says the following:

35. A Russian national or international driver's license is considered invalid and subject to cancellation in the following cases:

• ….
• b) if the personal data of its owner contained in the driver’s license has changed;

Thus, if the surname is changed, the driver’s license becomes invalid, and it is necessary to change it - regardless of whether it happened after marriage, at the request of the owner of the license, or for other reasons.

What documents are needed to replace the license?

To contact the traffic police, you need to collect some documents.

1. A driver's license, which proves the right to drive a vehicle.
2. An application in which the driver asks to change his license.

The application contains the following information:

• new surname;
• date and place of birth of the driver;
• residential address;
• details of the new passport, which will be received in a new name;
• details of the previous driver's document;
• a list of documents that are attached by the person changing the driving license;
• date of application, signature.

1. Receipt for payment of state duty. If the driver paid at a Sberbank branch, a receipt is issued at this branch; if the fee was paid via the Internet, then it is possible to print it from the traffic police website. The state duty is 2000 rubles. If you submit an application through the state portal, the cost is reduced to 1,600 rubles.

2. Marriage certificate.

3. Confirm temporary registration with a certificate.

4. Provide a passport confirming the driver’s identity.

5. Photos can be taken when completing the paperwork at the state traffic police department.

It is important to know that if a person who wants to replace his license has outstanding debts on fines, he must pay it off, otherwise, new rights will not be issued.

Application form and sample

During a direct visit to a government agency, citizens, having previously received a form from employees, can fill it out on the territory of the institution.

The application displays the following information:

1. Document header.
2. Information about the applicant. Last name, first name, patronymic, date and place of birth are indicated here.
3. Place of registration or temporary residence in Russia.
4. Number, series of the passport, as well as the government agency that issued it.
5. Description of the grounds for obtaining a new driver's license.
6. Details of the driver's license that is being replaced.
7. Date of compilation, signature.

What's the penalty if you don't change it?

Please note that in the interpretation of the PPRF above there is no talk about the obligation to change a driver’s license. It only says that it is declared invalid. Therefore, there is no penalty for the very absence of the fact of changing rights. But that is until you get behind the wheel and are stopped by a traffic police officer.

And if I get behind the wheel, is my current license valid?

And in this case, according to the law, a sanction must be applied under Part 2 of Article 12.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses in the form of a warning or a fine of 500 rubles for the fact that your current rights are invalid.

Why are we talking about legality? Because in practice, there are often situations when an employee is charged a larger fine - under Part 1 of Article 12.7 as for lack of management rights (remember, we already read about the difference above and therefore understand why this is illegal?). And in this case, the amount of liability is already 5-15,000 rubles. But such fines can be easily appealed.

Is there a way to avoid a fine?

Yes. Let's say you changed your last name and, in connection with this, replaced your passport, where you have new personal data. But clause 2.1.1 of the traffic rules requires, at the request of the traffic police inspector, to present and submit for inspection 3 documents:

• driver's license,
• car registration certificate,
• OSAGO insurance policy.

Looking at these documents, he will see your old last name, if you have not yet changed your registration name after marriage, for example. But the employee does not know about the fact of marriage, which is registered in the passport, which, in turn, you have no obligation to present - even at the request of this employee.

Thus, if you yourself do not inform the traffic police officer that you did not have time to replace your license due to a change of name, then he will not find out about the violation - driving without a valid license and will not issue a decree with a fine.

But this way to avoid a fine is impossible if:

• you managed to change your MTPL insurance (and are entered there with a new last name as an approved driver, or as an owner or policyholder in the appropriate columns),
• if you forgot your license at home, in this case the inspector has the right to demand your passport if you violated something.

How is a driver's license replaced due to a change of surname?

The service being studied is most quickly provided by local traffic police authorities.

Otherwise, the waiting time for the paper varies. Some say that a driver's license can take up to 3 months. In fact, in most situations, citizens are issued certificates within a month.

Now let's look at the process of preparing the paper under study in more detail. Let's start with a package of documents for replacing rights.

The list of relevant documentation varies depending on the situation.

Let's consider the general package of papers.

To issue an international driver's license, the applicant submits the following documents to the State Traffic Inspectorate: b) passport or other identification document; d) Russian national driver's license; e) photograph measuring 35 x 45 mm, made in black and white or color on matte paper.

Let's consider the updated paragraph 38 of the Issuance Rules: 38.

Online replacement significantly saves the driver’s time, as there is no need to stand in queues. Do I need a medical certificate to replace a driver’s license after the document expires?

To change your ID due to expiration, you must prepare a set of documents. List of required documents:

1. receipt of payment of state duty.
2. ID card (passport);
3. statement;
4. medical certificate;

It is the responsibility of each driver to undergo a medical examination and go through all the necessary specialists.

If necessary, the doctor has the right to refer the driver for further examination to additional specialists. List of doctors:

1. psychiatrist;
2. expert in narcology.
3. therapist or a separate group of doctors: ENT, surgeon, endocrinologist, dermatovenerologist;
4. ophthalmologist;

The main change is that driver’s licenses that expired between February 1, 2021 and July 15, 2021 continued to remain valid until December 31, 2021, which is regulated by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated April 18, 2020 No. 275.

This was due to the current situation in the country with the spread of coronavirus, when many drivers simply physically did not have the opportunity to change their expired licenses in time. However, as of January 1, 2021, such documents are no longer valid.

For driving a car with an expired license, you face administrative liability under Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in the form of a fine from 5,000 to 15,000 rubles.

The second change for 2021 is changes in the appearance of the driver's license. Now, in the new sample license, the title of the document will be located in the upper part of the front side in three languages ​​- Russian, French and English. They look like three lines of lilac color - “Driver’s license”, “Permis de conduir” and “Driving License”.

You can replace rights in three ways:

• When contacting the traffic police in person. This is the fastest way, despite the need for personal presence. You need to come to the traffic police department with a prepared package of documents - it all depends on the workload of the employees, but in most cases you can get a new license in a couple of hours.
• Through MFC. The method is convenient, since the MFC is now at every step, but it is suitable for those drivers who are willing to wait a little. Accordingly, you should not go to the MFC on the last day of validity of your old rights. From the moment you submit your application until you receive a new certificate, it takes about 10-14 days. This is explained by the fact that MFC employees send the received documents to the traffic police and then receive them back.
• Through State Services. To do this, a person must be registered on the portal.

What are the deadlines?

There is none of them. As we mentioned above, in this case you will have difficulties driving a car legally. But if you don’t drive, then you won’t be required to pay either a fine or additional payments for government services.

This even applies to the case when you won’t drive for a very long time and your license has expired (its validity period is 10 years), or if you think for a very long time whether to change your driver’s license after changing your last name.

How much do the rights themselves change?

Replacement, as a rule, occurs on the same day of application. If you sign up and submit an application through the State Services portal, you can even choose a convenient time for your visit (from free ranges).

However, this applies to all methods where you can change rights:

• to the traffic police in person,
• in the traffic police when registering through State Services,
• at the MFC.

Below we will look at the detailed procedure for obtaining a new certificate in our case.

Procedure for replacing a driver's license

If the last name, first name or patronymic changes, it is necessary to replace the invalid rights with new ones. In this case, the motorist will drive the car legally. To replace the document, you need to contact the traffic police. An application is submitted to the inspector involved in the issuance and execution of such documents, indicating the justification of the reason that forced him to address this issue.

The provided package of documents must be checked by a traffic police officer. If the documents are in complete order, then the photographing procedure is carried out, after which the motorist will be issued a new license. Nowadays, rights are replaced quite quickly. They can be obtained in one day or even in an hour, if you do not take into account the queues that are invariably present at traffic police departments.

ATTENTION !!! If you contact the MFC to replace your license, you need to take into account that you will have to wait an additional 5-10 days. Having collected a package of documents, you need to make an appointment with an MFC employee by taking a coupon from the electronic terminal. Having submitted the documents, you need to wait for the date set by the MFC employee to receive a new certificate.

For the convenience of drivers, you can submit an application for a replacement license online at the official government service. The portal operates around the clock, without breaks or weekends. In this case, the motorist must register with the service and receive a personal code.

Having entered the portal, you need to select the “Service Categories” tab, and then click on the “Transport and Driving” position. Next, you should click on “Driver’s license” and from the list provided, select the reason that caused the need to replace the license.

ATTENTION !!! It’s very easy to fill out the application online, because the service has taken care of the availability of tips for the driver. Before sending the application, you need to make an appointment with the traffic police to receive new documents. Next, the motorist just needs to go to the traffic police department with the originals of all documents and receive a new license. Using this portal, you can always be aware of accrued fines, and here you can very easily pay off the debt on them.

In addition, you can pay for a replacement ID in cash at the bank’s cash desk or at the post office. You can pay your debt with a bank card through a mobile application or electronic terminal, as well as at the bank’s cash desk. By using one of the electronic money services, you can also pay for a replacement ID, but in this case you may have to pay a fee.

What documents will be required?

To change rights when changing your last name, you need 4 documents:

• Your passport,
• old driver's license (optional),
• medical certificate (conditional),
• receipt of payment of state duty.

Due to the fact that the exchange of rights when changing personal data as a public service is similar to the replacement in case of loss or damage to a driver’s license, the same requirements apply, so you need to present your old driver’s license only if you have one.

Please note that your passport must be replaced before changing your license. That is, your current passport should already have a new surname.

But a marriage certificate will not be required if the exchange is made in connection with marriage. There is no such requirement in the regulations for the provision of state services - you ask.

Where to go to get your license replaced

To change your rights due to a change of surname, you can contact:

• to the traffic police department;
• in the MFC;
• to the State Services portal.

Replacement of rights in the traffic police

The traditional way to replace a driver’s license is to contact the traffic police department in person with an application and documents (a list of traffic police departments can be found here). The downside of this method is waiting in line.

Changing the VU at the MFC

Replacing a driver's license through the MFC involves visiting the institution in person and submitting an application with the attached documents. The applicant will also have to wait his turn to submit documents.

Application on the State Services portal

This is a modern and convenient way to apply for a replacement ID, but in order to use it, you must have an account on the State Services portal. The advantage of this method is that through the portal you can make an appointment at the traffic police department at a time convenient for the applicant. In addition, you can submit an application and pay the state fee online at a discount, but you will not be able to avoid a visit to the traffic police department, since you will need to submit documents in paper form.

Is a medical certificate required?

It is also not mandatory in 2021. But there is an important “but”! Depending on its availability, the validity period of a new license may vary:

• if you provide a valid certificate, you will be given a new license upon receipt for a period of 10 years,
• if you decide not to bother going through a medical examination, then the validity period of the new driver’s license will be the same as the old one.

This is stated in paragraph 32 of PPRF No. 1097.

Please note that according to the new rules, the validity of a medical certificate is 12 months. Your certificate is considered valid if no more than a year has passed since the date of the medical examination. And, accordingly, you must get a new one if it is older than a year.

Replacement of driver's license in 2021

Regular medical examinations must be carried out in institutions that have the right to issue certificates giving permission to drive. Doctors such as narcologist and psychiatrist are seen only in hospitals at the place of residence; other doctors can be visited at any other clinic.

All doctors visited by the driver or candidate driver put notes on the patient’s condition on the issued certificate, and the therapist completes the registration process: confirms the ability to safely drive the vehicle.

The list of documents for males and females is practically the same. Both must have an identification card, a driver’s license (if the medical examination is carried out to replace the driver’s license) and 2 photographs with a matte surface measuring 3x4 cm.

Note! If a citizen is a military serviceman, it is necessary to provide a military ID, and for persons under 45 years of age - a registration certificate.

Until 2021, the list of specialists required to visit was quite extensive, but it has noticeably decreased today. It remains mandatory to undergo a psychiatrist and narcologist, according to Federal Law No. 437 of December 28, 2013. They are the last to be examined; the following specialists are examined first:

• ophthalmologist (vision control for visual acuity and color perception);
• neurologist;
• gynecologist (only for female drivers);
• therapist.

The amount that will be needed to obtain a certificate varies depending on factors such as the region of residence and the medical institution (form of ownership: public or private) in which the medical examination takes place. The approximate range you should focus on is 900-1500 rubles. A discount is possible for older people. If a certificate is needed for employment in a new place, the employer pays a fee for it, but this applies only to professional drivers.

How to change? The procedure for obtaining new rights

As we already wrote above, there are 3 ways where you can change your registration number: MFC, by personally contacting the traffic police or through State Services. Below we will provide instructions on the procedure for replacing rights when changing your last name through State Services; other methods are similar to this with minor differences, which we will also describe.

Through State Services

In this way, you formally receive a service from the traffic police department, you simply submit an application through State Services and, if you wish, pay the state fee there (at a discount).

1. In order to change your driver’s license when changing your last name through State Services, log in to the portal and then go sequentially (or via the last link in the chain) to the sections Transport and driving → Driver’s license → Replacing a driver’s license when changing the owner’s data, loss or unsuitability.

2. Click on the “Get service” link.

3. A form will open for you to fill out. Enter the following information into it:

1. your personal data (full name, including new surname),
2. passport details,
3. registration address (registration),
4. in the fourth block you need to select the most important thing - check the box that you are changing your rights after changing your last name:

   
   Below there will be a field for filling in your old full name.

5. If you want to get new rights for a new period of 10 years, then indicate the details of the medical certificate that you previously received after a medical examination.
6. Indicate the data and permitted categories in your license with the old surname.
7. At the last step, all you have to do is select the traffic police MREO department that is convenient for you to obtain a replacement driver’s license and the date and time of visit.

4. After filling out the application, print the provided form. Despite the direct indication in the State Services that there is no need to do this, the traffic police sometimes ask for a printout of the application.

5. Next, in the next step, you will be asked to pay the state fee online with a 30% discount.

That's all. Now, on the chosen day, all you have to do is come to the traffic police, skip the queue to the free window and get a new license.

Do I need to take photos in advance?

No. This will be done upon your arrival at the traffic police department, and it is included in the cost of the fee for issuing a new license in connection with a change of surname.

Through a personal appeal to the traffic police

This method in 2021 differs from the previous one only in the need to fill out an application yourself and submit it in line at the traffic police.

But pay attention to the additional complexity - due to the rather aggressive campaigning of State Services, the traffic police may often not accept you without an appointment through the portal - either the queue tickets will run out, or you will simply be blatantly refused to provide the service.

There is no established sample application form, but there is one recommended by the State Traffic Inspectorate. This is what we provide below for you to fill out.

• (DOCX format for machine completion).
• (PDF format).

Through MFC

Here, the provision of a service is similar to a personal application to the traffic police, with the only difference being that the application can be filled out for you.

Cost of new rights

When changing a license after changing a surname, a motorist must pay a state fee of 2,000 rubles. To pay, you need to go to the cashier or use the terminal. You can also pay the fee on the State Services website, at the bank’s cash desk or through online banking. The fee is fixed and the same in all areas of the city and country.

Important! If you have not only national, but also international rights, they will also have to be changed. The cost of an IDP is 1600 rubles.

My license is about to expire and my last name has changed - can I change it at once?

Yes. As we mentioned above, if you provide a valid medical certificate, you will receive a new license for a new 10 years. And you can replace the rights simultaneously when you change your last name and when the validity period expires.

In this case, it does not matter how much is left until the expiration date of the license. There is a myth on the Internet that supposedly rights can be exchanged for new ones no earlier than six months before the end of their validity. It is not true. You can change them even the next day after receiving them.

Quick re-registration of a temporary residence permit in Moscow

We offer to replace your driver's license when changing your last name as quickly as possible and without queues. We provide services to the Moscow State Traffic Inspectorate at affordable prices. To get a new license, make an appointment at any branch of the city and receive a new driving license within 40 minutes.

Our clients do not have to spend a lot of time obtaining new documents. Experienced employees ensure fast and correct completion of the procedure, guarantee compliance with laws and the absence of fines.

The service includes:

• consultations with specialists
• making an appointment with the State Traffic Inspectorate
• assistance in collecting documents
• escort to the traffic police
• drawing up an application
• payment of state duty

We change driver's licenses not only after changing passport data, but also for other reasons: expiration, loss or theft, unsatisfactory condition. Branches where you can get the service, as well as opening hours and prices, can be found on the website.

I have fines – will they be forced to pay?

They can force you. But this is illegal. Payment of all existing traffic police fines as a condition is mandatory only when returning the license after deprivation. When replacing rights, you do not need to do this.

If an employee prints out a list of fines for you and demands that you deal with them, indicate that you will definitely sort them out and demand that they issue you a new certificate, regardless of payment. If the employee refuses, then demand a written refusal (it is required when submitting a written or electronic application). In 99% of cases, this is where everything will end successfully for you. Otherwise, the refusal can be appealed to the court.

Duration and cost of replacing a certificate

The period for replacing a driver's license when changing a surname is determined by administrative regulations. It cannot exceed 5-30 working days depending on the vehicle category; when submitting documents through the MFC - 15 working days. In practice, you can get a new driving license to replace the old one at the traffic police department on the day you submit the documents.

The amount of the state duty when replacing a driver’s license in 2021 is established by the Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Article 333.33):

• for the standard version of the national VU 2,000 rubles;
• for a new generation national university 3,000 rubles;
• for an international university 1,600 rub.

When submitting an application online and paying through the State Services portal, replacing rights when changing your last name costs 30% less.

The cost of replacing a license (VU) in 2021 – state duty and other costs

A driver's license is a document of particular importance for every motorist.

There are cases when it needs to be replaced, but the service is not free.

It is provided by government agencies for a certain price. Car owners should find out in advance how much it costs to replace a driver's license in 2021. But despite the cost established by law, the final price for replacing rights may be different in different cases.

And there are reasons for this. Replacing rights is a fairly simple procedure. It includes several stages:

• Payment of state duty. Without it, the application will not be accepted. By law, to provide a service, a contribution to the state treasury is required;
• The first stage directly depends on the reason why the document needs to be changed. Loss of rights, change of last name or first name, theft, and the most common case is the expiration of the certificate.
• A request is made. It states the reason why this needs to be done;
• After submitting all the necessary documents, you need to wait until the new license is issued.
• The application is sent to the traffic police department. It is also necessary to prepare other documents. These include: passport, old license, medical certificate, as well as a document confirming training at a driving school;

This is a standard procedure, but now there is a more simplified form - you need to go to the State Services website. There you can simply submit an application, and thus the procedure for replacing your rights will be much faster and easier.

In order to use this service, you must be registered on this portal. This is also a simple procedure. To complete it, you will need to provide all your personal data, as well as confirm your identity.

Of course, changing your driver's license, like any other type of document certifying a special right, is not free.

But the state sets specific prices for this procedure. The cost of replacing a driver's license is strictly regulated.

Nuances and penalties

Passing a medical examination and obtaining a medical certificate takes some time and requires a satisfactory state of health from the driver. In this regard, some citizens provide the traffic police with fake medical certificates obtained from private companies.

Such a document is invalid and threatens the driver and the doctor who issued it with administrative and criminal liability.

Before starting the process of obtaining or replacing a driver's license, you should make sure that there are no outstanding fines. In accordance with current legislation, payment of the fine must be made within two months from the date of its issuance. You can check the availability and payment of fines on the State Services website, on the official traffic police portal or at any traffic police post.

Important note!

• This article provides basic information, but each case is different.
• In 92% of all situations there are important nuances that can affect the outcome of the entire case.
• An experienced lawyer will study all the materials of the case and indicate in which direction to move.

Therefore, our website employs on-duty legal consultants who delve into each case and are aimed at solving it.

Ask a Question

or consult toll-free (Moscow), (St. Petersburg), 8 (all of Russia).

The only subtlety is that if your unpaid fines fall under Article 20.25 of the Administrative Code, then directly in court a sanction in the form of arrest for up to 15 days may be applied to you (but this is also illegal).

What else is absolutely necessary after replacing your license?

There is one more important detail that many car enthusiasts forget about. If you have a limited MTPL policy with a list of approved drivers, then it will also need to be changed, since you will be given a new license with a new number, and the old one will appear in the insurance.

Failure to fulfill this obligation will not entail any recourse, much less a denial of insurance compensation. But in practice, there are often cases when, because of this, the CBM (discount for accident-free driving) was lost in the next insurance period.