HOW LONG IS A MEDICAL CERTIFICATES VALID FOR A DRIVING LICENSE 2021?

In 2021, a medical certificate has its own validity period. Previously, before the new legislation on the medical certificate came into force, its validity was a controversial issue. According to the law, the validity of a medical certificate did not expire at all - simply when replacing a driver’s license, every 10 years it was necessary to undergo a medical examination again. Although the traffic police officers illegally invented their terms, and for some reason the doctors themselves wrote them - some 1 year, some 2 or 3 years, and so on.

But in 2021, amendments to the legislation came into force, and now the document we have designated has a specified deadline. The answer to the question of what period of validity of a medical certificate is given to us by Order of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated June 15, 2015 N 344N “On conducting mandatory medical examination of vehicle drivers (candidate vehicle drivers)” in its last paragraph of Appendix No. 1:

12. A medical report is drawn up by a general practitioner or general practitioner (family doctor). really . within 12 months from the date of issue.

Thus, the validity of a medical certificate for 2021 is 1 year from the date of issue.

This means that within a year from the date of receipt of the certificate, you can use it to take exams when obtaining a driving license for the first time, when replacing a driver’s license, to return your license after deprivation upon expiration of the deprivation period, and so on.

In what cases is a valid medical certificate required?

A medical certificate will be required in certain cases when obtaining a driver's license. In such cases, a medical certificate must be provided along with other documents. Now we will consider all the cases when a medical certificate may be required and when it may not.

Traffic police department of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Neklinovsky district

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How and where to get a medical certificate?

A medical certificate is obtained from the medical institution at the driver’s place of residence. This means that you can undergo a medical examination to determine your fitness to drive a car at any medical institution where you are located. Meanwhile, there are often cases when the traffic police departments did not accept certificates if the psychiatrist and narcologist were not examined at the place of registration (registration). This is illegal, because paragraph 3 of the appendix to the above Order establishes that these doctors can be seen anywhere:

An examination by a psychiatrist is carried out in specialized medical organizations of the state or municipal health care system at the place of residence or place of stay of the driver of the vehicle (candidate driver of the vehicle) undergoing a medical examination (hereinafter referred to as the examinee), who have a license to carry out medical activities to provide services ( performance of work) on “psychiatry” and “psychiatric examination”. An examination by a psychiatrist-narcologist, including determination of the presence of psychoactive substances in the urine, as well as qualitative and quantitative determination of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) in blood serum, is carried out in specialized medical organizations of the state or municipal health care system at the place of residence or place of stay of the person being examined . having a license to carry out medical activities to provide services (perform work) in “psychiatry-narcology” and “laboratory diagnostics” or “clinical laboratory diagnostics”.

The place of residence is the location of the driver at the current moment in time, and this has nothing to do with the place of registration. Accordingly, you can see a psychiatrist and narcologist anywhere, be it another city or region of Russia.

How to make a certificate in form No. 003-В/у?

Medical institutions to visit:

• psychoneurological dispensary;
• Drug Dispensary.

To obtain a medical certificate, you need to visit dispensaries at your place of registration. Dispensary employees will document that the applicant for a license is not registered and is not dangerous for other drivers.

Next, you need to undergo a medical examination at any medical institution and receive a conclusion about your health status and ability to drive transport.

List of doctors:

• otorhinolaryngologist;
• neurologist;
• surgeon;
• ophthalmologist.

And also undergo diagnostics: heart electrocardiogram and EEG.
If you pre-register under a compulsory medical insurance policy, you can undergo a medical examination for free.

After examination by all doctors, you need to get a conclusion from a therapist. After this, the medical examination is considered passed.

What is the penalty for an expired medical certificate?

Although the certificate has a validity period of 1 year, an expired medical certificate is not a violation and the maximum practical penalty that can be imposed for the absence of one is refusal to provide a service where such a certificate is needed.

There is no penalty for an expired medical certificate. Moreover, the traffic police inspector is not authorized to check both the validity period of the medical certificate and, in principle, its availability, and you are not required to carry and submit such a medical certificate for verification (clause 2.1.1 of the traffic rules).

What is the validity period of a medical certificate for drivers? 2021 did not bring any changes to the rules for examining drivers or driver candidates, as well as the validity periods of conclusions based on the results of such examinations (medical certificates).

Rules for examination of drivers and candidates

In 2015, the procedure for approval. By Order of the Ministry of Health dated June 15, 2015 No. 344n (hereinafter referred to as the Order). These rules came into force in 2021 and determine the cases in which drivers (candidates) must undergo examinations; types of doctors and tests that must be completed.

The order also approved a new certificate for drivers, which from 07/01/16 should be issued in form 003-В/у. In addition, since the Order came into force, the validity period of a driver’s medical certificate has changed.

Previously, the validity periods for driving licenses were different - one, two and three years for different categories of drivers. However, according to clause 12 of the Procedure approved by the Order, the medical report issued based on the results of the examination (form 003-B/u) is valid for a year from the date of issue. Therefore, after the Order came into force, there is only one answer to the question of how long a medical certificate for drivers is valid - one year.

The date of issue is indicated directly in form 003-В/у. Starting from this date and until the last day of the one-year validity period of the certificate, it can be presented to the traffic police to obtain a driver's license.

Traffic Police Department, Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Pokrovsky District

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Map (how to get there)

When is a medical certificate needed?

Unlike the previous rules, the driver does not need a certificate to undergo a technical inspection; it is also not required by traffic police inspectors when stopping a vehicle. A medical certificate is required for drivers and candidates to obtain a driver's license. At the same time, the list of cases when it is required has also been reduced.

Thus, a previously valid medical certificate was required to replace the certificate in the case of:

• loss, theft, damage;
• changing the driver’s personal data, such as last name.

Now in such cases there is no need to undergo an examination and present a certificate. The driver can do this on his own personal initiative, for example, in order to obtain a license for 10 years to replace the lost one (without a certificate, a license will be issued with a validity period corresponding to the lost license). This is provided for in clause 32 of the Rules, approved. Government Decree No. 1097 dated October 24, 2014.

Inspection is mandatory for:

• driver candidates;
• drivers who have been deprived of their license (for driving while intoxicated or for refusing a test) and whose license is restored upon expiration of the period of deprivation;
• drivers wishing to obtain a license for another category of vehicles;
• professional drivers who, during examinations, were found to have contraindications to driving.

To undergo examination, these persons need to go to health care institutions and undergo examination by the necessary doctors, as well as mandatory procedures. For different categories of vehicles, the list of mandatory doctors and examinations is different.

Reference

Usually, to undergo a full examination, the driver has to contact several medical organizations. In any case, such examination is carried out at the drivers’ expense.

If a psychiatrist discovers certain symptoms that serve as a contraindication to driving a vehicle, the driver is sent for a psychiatric examination by a medical commission of a medical organization. If you refuse to undergo an additional psychiatric examination, examination or examination by medical specialists, instrumental or laboratory tests, a medical report is not issued (based on paragraphs tenth and twelfth of the Procedure).

Validity of medical certificates for drivers in 2018

The medical commission is called upon to assess the health status of a person who intends to drive. It decides whether a person can drive a vehicle without risking becoming a danger to passengers, pedestrians and other road users. The most recent document regulating the work of medical commissions for drivers is Order of the Ministry of Health dated June 15, 2015 N 344n.

The order significantly “tightened the screws” with regard to driver’s medical examinations, practically eliminating the possibility of obtaining fake documents, which used to be a serious problem. Since July 2021, a new driving license form has been introduced, equipped with several degrees of protection.

From July 1, 2021, the validity period of a medical certificate is one year from the date of issue for drivers of all categories of vehicles. The date of issue of the document is indicated on its front side.

The new medical certificate form is well protected from counterfeiting

Previously, Russian legislation provided for the validity of a medical certificate at two and three years. It directly depended on the driver’s age, his driving experience and several other parameters. All certificates issued up to June 30, 2021 continue to be valid until their expiration date. But you will have to go through the new commission under current conditions and receive a certificate with a one-year period.

How long is a certificate from a narcologist and psychiatrist valid?

Passing a driver's medical examination involves visiting a narcologist and a psychiatrist. Their certificates are separate documents (medical certificates of health). They must subsequently be given to a therapist who is the chairman of the driver’s medical commission. The validity of this document is also limited to one year from the date of issue.

Persons registered with a drug dispensary can receive a positive conclusion from a narcologist at least three years after deregistration, provided they get rid of drug or alcohol addiction.

Such certificates can be obtained in advance. For example, go to a narcologist and a psychiatrist in early March, and start seeing other specialists in early December. Some of the work will already be done. A driver's medical examination certificate issued in December will be valid until the corresponding date in December of the following year.

A certificate from a narcologist is valid for one year

Russian legislation states that future or established drivers can see a psychiatrist and narcologist only at the place of their permanent or temporary registration. And situations in which a person does not have registration at his actual place of residence occur quite often. Therefore, in such cases, it is worth thinking about passing a medical commission in advance.

How long does it take to get a certificate?

The speed of passing the medical commission depends on the selected institution, its location and the distance from the dispensaries. On average, if there is no queue, you can go through all the doctors in 1 hour; it may take a little more time, but no more than 3 hours. A visit to the dispensary takes no more than half an hour each. That is, on average, you can get a certificate in 2-3 hours, excluding travel time; in general, you can spend half a day.

An increase in the period for obtaining a medical certificate is possible due to the following circumstances:

• a discrepancy between requirements has been discovered that requires a more detailed examination;
• The medical examination takes place in a municipal medical institution without taking into account special appointment hours, as a result of which there is a queue for each of the specialists.

In what cases is a medical certificate required from the traffic police?

The innovations that came into effect on July 1, 2021 have significantly reduced the list of situations when a medical driver’s certificate will be required. For example, this requirement has been canceled when undergoing periodic technical inspection of vehicles. In 2018, a medical certificate will be required:

• when obtaining a license for the first time - for admission to passing exams at the traffic police and submitting documents for a driver’s license;
• when opening new categories (both “lower” and “higher”) in driver’s licenses. If you plan to open several categories within a limited time, it will be more practical and economical to obtain one certificate, keeping in mind its validity period;
• when replacing driver's licenses due to their expiration (every ten years);
• when restoring a driver's license, which a person was deprived of by a court decision for committing an administrative offense related to driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs;
• when replacing foreign national driver's licenses with Russian ones;
• if the driver has a serious illness that implies restrictions on certain parameters for driving transport or its individual categories.

In other cases, there is no legal requirement for drivers to have an up-to-date medical certificate. This category includes situations when the license is restored after its loss, theft, deterioration due to the fault of the driver himself or as a result of an accident. Married women also do not need to undergo a medical examination when changing their surname; it is enough to present a marriage certificate and a passport with a new surname and change their driver’s license.

How long is a new type of medical certificate valid for?

Currently, the standard certificate form is valid for 2 years. The end of the validity period is indicated by doctors when passing the commission on the back of the document. But there are certificates with a duration of 12 months.

The duration of the minor validity of the certificate is assumed for citizens of the following categories:

• young age (from 18 to 21);
• for people over 50 years of age, only this type of document is issued;
• persons who have driving restrictions - vision problems, disabilities;
• people whose income-earning occupation is working as a driver.

Initially, the validity period of the certificate was longer (3 years), the information in it was reliable and relevant throughout the entire period.

The updated rules for 2021 indicate that a medical certificate is required only when extending the validity period of a license, which is 10 years, or when reinstating a license after deprivation as a result of any offense.

A medical examination is not required in the following listed cases:

• loss/damage of a driver's license;
• personal data changes;
• registration of international rights.

How and where to get a medical certificate, cost, list of doctors

You can undergo a medical examination at a state, municipal or private clinic, if it has a license to issue such documents for drivers. Russian car enthusiasts have the right to make their own choice. As a rule, several days a week are allocated for the driver's commission, when all the required specialists are on site. You will need to go through:

• therapist (replaced by a general practitioner or family doctor);
• ophthalmologist;
• neurologist (required for categories C, D, CE, DE, Tm, Tb and subcategories C1, D1, C1E, D1E, for others - upon referral from a therapist);
• otorhinolaryngologist (for categories C, D, CE, DE, Tm, Tb and subcategories C1, D1, C1E, D1E).

Separately, you will need to visit a narcologist and a psychiatrist. These specialists have the right to issue certificates only in state or municipal medical institutions at the place of permanent or temporary registration of the motorist. This could be a dispensary or a specialist in a clinic.

For categories C, D, CE, DE, Tm, Tb and subcategories C1, D1, C1E, D1E, it is necessary to do an electroencephalography; the rest will need it if the doctor writes a referral. A narcologist may refer you for blood and urine tests.

You only need to have your passport with you, and you can get a medical card and a certificate form at the reception. The driving test is usually completed in a day or at most two. Much depends on the queues and schedules of specialists. In private clinics this may take several hours. If there is a need for additional examinations, the time required to complete the commission will increase.

Drivers and candidates themselves choose the location of the medical examination

On the territory of the Russian Federation, the cost of a medical examination for drivers is not established at the legislative level. It will be different in each Russian region. It is most expensive to undergo this procedure in Moscow and the Moscow region, in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. In Moscow, for example, the maximum cost will be about 4 thousand rubles. But in Rostov you can pass the commission for 1,700 rubles. Private clinics set their own prices; we can talk about 6–7 thousand rubles.

You can take a driver's test for free only in one case - if the employing organization pays for it. There are no payment benefits provided at the legislative level.

I have passed the driver's test several times. And each time there was no specific cost and time required for this procedure. The commission was held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at the state clinic. The chairman of the commission was always a therapist, as provided for by the Order of the Ministry of Health. A visit to the therapist completed the commission. It was this specialist who made a verdict based on the conclusions of his colleagues and drew up the medical certificate itself. One day, my license was about to expire, and I was completely confident that I had a valid medical certificate, issued only six months ago. But it was not possible to find her. I went to the clinic where I underwent a medical examination and asked to be given a duplicate document. This did not pose any difficulty, although I had to pay almost 400 rubles. I received a duplicate of the certificate, which expired in six months. But I didn’t have to go through the medical examination again. Receiving a duplicate took no more than an hour and a half, including waiting in line.

Video: rules for passing a driver's medical examination

Subtleties of obtaining a medical certificate

To obtain a medical certificate to replace your license, you will need to follow several steps in succession:

1. Visit to the medical center to undergo a commission.
2. Registration of a medical card.
3. If you want to open more than one category, you must inform the doctor about this in advance. The list of specialists required to pass will directly depend on the category for which the driver is applying.
4. Go through all the specialists listed in the list and get the results of the examination.
5. Carry out a visit to the narcological and psychoneurological state dispensary, about which you will receive a corresponding entry in the medical record.
6. They will return to the therapist and wait to receive a medical certificate.
7. Provide a medical certificate to the Traffic Inspectorate.

The validity of this document is limited and equal to one year. It will be valid throughout the year, even if the driver applied to the Traffic Inspectorate on the last day. If previously such a document had a longer validity period, then from this year it has lost its validity. The driver will have to undergo a medical examination again. The price of a medical certificate may vary significantly in each region, but usually up to 3,000 rubles are required to obtain it.

What is the penalty if the medical certificate has expired?

Russian legislation does not provide for punishment for an expired medical certificate. It is required only when applying to the registration authorities of the traffic police. If the document is expired, it will simply not be accepted. The driver’s lack of a medical certificate or an expired document will not be grounds for imposing an administrative fine. According to the law, this document is not included in the list of mandatory documents for drivers. If a traffic police inspector stops a car and demands to see a valid medical certificate, then his demand is illegal.

The new validity period for a medical driver's certificate did not significantly affect the majority of Russian motorists and professionals. It is valid for a year, which is enough to collect and submit documents to the traffic police. But the law does not require you to carry it with you all the time.

Obtaining a certificate for employment

It should be remembered that a certificate issued for employment is valid only for 6 months. A shorter period is set because a citizen can change his place of residence or he will have an exacerbation for various reasons. When applying for a job, the certificate is provided one-time to the HR department and there is no provision for a repeated request if there is no job change.

If a person deals with harmful and dangerous production, then periodic medical examination is necessary. At enterprises, such inspections are organized 1-2 times a year. The employee is examined free of charge.