Replacing a driver's license with a new one ahead of schedule

It is a well-known fact: a driver’s license is issued for exactly ten years. Upon expiration of this period, such a document must be changed immediately. However, in some cases this rule does not apply. We are talking about non-standard situations - loss of a document under certain circumstances, destruction of rights or their theft. What to do in such cases? Is it possible to change rights before their expiration date? For what period of time can I get a new document in this case? What changed in resolving this issue in 2018-2019? What is the validity period of a driver's license? The answers to all these and other important questions are in this publication.

Where is the date?

To find out the expiration date of the document, you need to look at the front part of the “plastic”. In the column provided under the date of birth of the car owner, the date of issue of the license is indicated, and next to it is the date of expiration of its expiration date. On the back of the document, next to the vehicle categories, the period during which you are allowed to drive a particular type of vehicle is indicated.

Due to the fact that it is planned to introduce licenses with microchips, motorists want to be aware of whether it is possible to change their licenses before their expiration date.

From the side of the law

Article 29 of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation No. 1097 dated October 24, 2014 clearly states that without examination, replacement of the document in question is available only if the applicant has legal grounds. So a driver who turns to MREO employees and asks whether it is possible to change a driver’s license before its expiration date will often receive a negative answer. Department officials explain this refusal by saying that the applicant has no grounds.

From a legal point of view, such actions are considered unlawful, however, it is recommended to prepare yourself that, unfortunately, you will not be able to “win” by spending more than 6 months on the early replacement of rights. There is no point in resolving the situation regarding whether it is possible to replace a driver’s license before the expiration date by trying to fake the loss of plastic.

You will need to spend a lot of effort and time to collect new papers, pay a fine, and not a small one - 2000 rubles, and most importantly - the validity period of the duplicate will coincide with the date of the “lost” document. Therefore, such actions are simply meaningless.

Lawyers' recommendations

Legal experts point out some of the nuances of the procedure for obtaining a license:

Derzhavin Alexander Vladimirovich: “To replace your license ahead of schedule, you need to collect a certain package of documents. Many people mistakenly believe that it is not necessary to provide a medical certificate. Indeed, you don’t have to make a new medical report if you have the previous one, issued upon receipt of the old certificate. If this is not available, it is better to provide the traffic police with a new certificate.”

Alexander Kozlov: “Before contacting the traffic police or the MFC, you need to collect all the necessary documents and certificates. Do not forget about certificates from the drug treatment and psychological dispensary, which must be obtained no earlier than 30 days before submitting the application. After this, you must go to the hospital with these certificates, where you will undergo a medical examination. Based on the results of the medical examination, a conclusion is issued.”

You can replace the V/U before the expiration date. The driver may have good reasons for this or simply a desire to change the document in advance. The procedure for replacing rights is not free; its cost depends on the chosen method of obtaining the document. For example, by paying state fees via the Internet you can save about 600 rubles. Officials cannot refuse to issue a new certificate without compelling reasons. In case of unlawful refusal, you should contact the head of the traffic police.

Innovations for 2021

The Russian authorities have pleased all car owners who are wondering whether it is possible to change their driver’s license in advance. From now on, the rule providing for the payment of all penalties before issuing new rights has been declared illegal.

From now on, if a person has not paid off the penalty, he cannot be denied a new license. But it is still recommended not to accumulate debts, since over time the amount will have to be multiplied by 2.

If you are still wondering whether it is possible to change your driver’s license ahead of schedule, and do not want to contact traffic police officers, then from 2021 you will be allowed to submit papers to the MFC. You can also get a new driving license there. But this can be done six months before the old document becomes unusable.

It must be said that not in all cases the issue of early exchange of rights is resolved at the discretion of the traffic police inspectors. There are many cases prescribed by law when the replacement of an old certificate is carried out immediately and without fail.

When is replacement possible ahead of schedule?

• If a motorist’s health has deteriorated, his vision and hearing have deteriorated;
• The certificate is deformed, worn out, it is impossible to properly see the information provided on the document;
• The driver changed his personal information and place of residence;
• Permissions need to be updated when opening a new category.
• False information or false documents were identified that the motorist provided to obtain the document.

Usually married women change their personal information. Some people think that after marriage there is no need to change their driver’s license, and they can show the traffic police officer the marriage document with a copy at the next stop. But, starting from 2021, according to new rules, any change in the driver’s personal data obliges him to change his driver’s license.

All motorists should be aware that early registration for medical reasons or due to a change in personal data has a rule - the validity period of the new plastic will be limited to the number indicated in the old license.

In addition to the reasons mentioned earlier, it is also necessary to change your license before the deadline when you change your citizenship. For many Crimeans, the problem of replacing a driver’s license before its expiration date has become quite urgent.

Today, the exchange of Ukrainian rights for Russian ones is carried out on a voluntary basis. However, from June 2021 this is a mandatory requirement. On the peninsula, it is prohibited to hire drivers who have not completed a Russian-style driver's license.

Video:

Early return of rights - is it necessary? — Motorists Assembly

According to new legal acts and order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 707, changes are being made to the procedure for providing government services related to obtaining driver’s licenses.

We offer a list of documents that must be submitted to the MFC to obtain a driver’s license:

• - statement

• - identity document

• – medical report (if according to the law it is necessary for issuing a driver’s license)

• - receipt (payment order) for payment of state duty or information about its payment

• - driver's license - if available

An MFC employee providing services for accepting an application for a driver’s license is required to make copies of all documents provided by the applicant and send them to the State Traffic Inspectorate, in accordance with the accepted procedure.

Also, an MFC employee is obliged to take a photograph of the applicant and send the photograph in electronic form to the traffic police in the case of issuing a Russian national driver's license.

That is, if you want to get a Russian license, then you do not need to provide photographs to the MFC or the traffic police.

If you want to obtain an international standard license, then you will have to provide your photographs of the established sample on matte paper to the MFC or the traffic police authorities.

Legal grounds for replacing rights before their expiration date

The process of obtaining rights is regulated by Russian Government Decree No. 1097. The full text of this legislative act can be viewed by clicking on the following link. The replacement of the document is discussed in Chapter 3 (Issuance of Russian national and international driving licenses).

The fact that a person can replace the certificate ahead of schedule is noted in paragraph 29 of this Resolution. It says here that you can change rights if:

• the validity period of the previous document has expired;
• the driver changed his last name, first name or other data;
• the ID has been damaged and the specified data is indistinguishable;
• the document was lost or stolen;
• the driver’s health status has changed;
• the person expressed his desire to change his rights for other personal reasons.

Based on the last point, a person can replace his ID for almost any reason.
For example, if he doesn't like the photo. Paragraph 31 of the Resolution states that all data from the previous certificate is transferred to the new one. If any medical indications have changed, appropriate notes are made in the new document.

According to paragraph 32 of this legislative act, if a document is changed ahead of schedule, its validity period is transferred from the old document. If the driver passes a medical examination, a new license will be issued for 10 years.

Where can I complain if the MFC violated the deadlines for providing services for issuing a driver’s license?

If, when providing services for issuing a driver’s license, the multifunctional center violated all established deadlines for the provision of services (remember, a maximum of 15 days), then the applicant has the right to file a complaint with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

In conclusion, we would also like to note that Order No. 707 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation dated September 6, 2017 introduces a number of changes to various legal acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, which regulates the procedure for taking traffic police exams to obtain a driver’s license.

In particular, the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation are changing the examination sheet for the examination on initial vehicle driving skills.

According to the new order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the new examination sheet now looks like this:

For other details regarding the conduct of exams at the traffic police, as well as at the site and in the city, see the end of the document, where changes are made to various applications of administrative regulations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Dear visitors to our portal, please note that starting from April 4, 2021, the procedure for obtaining new driver’s licenses, as well as the procedure for replacing old ones, has changed significantly.

Today we will take a detailed look at the current procedures and draw your attention to all the subtleties and nuances.

The main legal document for persons wishing to go through the procedure of obtaining a driver’s license, or to exchange old licenses for new ones, is Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 23, 2017 N 326.

This legal document extends its effect to the territory of our entire country, thus, without exception, all territorial authorities and departments in one way or another related to the issuance of driver’s licenses, conducting exams for a driver’s license or preparing drivers to pass the above exam are required to be guided by it in full.

In what cases does a driver have the right to count on early replacement?

Replacement of a driver's license (DL) before its expiration date is carried out in the following cases:

1. In case of theft.
2. When lost.
3. In case of damage (when the information specified in the document cannot be read).
4. When changing the driver’s personal data contained in the document.
5. When health-related changes are detected in the driver of a vehicle.
6. At the request of the applicant.

The last point was introduced by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated March 23, 2017.

New participant in the rights replacement system – MFC

One of the important innovations was the addition of MFC to the procedure for replacing expired rights. An application to replace an old one, or to obtain a new license, as well as an application to obtain an international driving license, starting from April 4, 2017, can be submitted directly to the MFC.

In this case, the right of choice remains with the driver. Those of you who find it more convenient to do this at the traffic police can contact them as before, and if you have an MFC near your home, there is no point in wasting time on a trip to the traffic police, submit documents to the one-stop service!

The nuance is that the process of issuing rights remains under the jurisdiction of the traffic police, so sending documents from the MFC to the traffic police and back will take more time.

To summarize, if you are in a hurry to get a new license and are ready to spend a few hours to get it done “today and urgently,” then the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate is at your service, and if you have a few days left and you can wait a little, calmly go to the MFC.

And of course, if for some reason the traffic police decides to refuse to issue you a license, then through the MFC you will receive an official document containing a comprehensive answer about the reasons for the refusal.

We especially note that it is impossible to submit an application to take the exam for a driver’s license, as well as pass the exam itself at the MFC. This function remains under the jurisdiction of the State Traffic Inspectorate.

Change your ID without giving reasons

Clause 29 was supplemented with a very important subclause stating that the driver has the right to change his driver’s license without explaining the reasons why he wants to do this.

The point here may be, for example, that with the advent of certificates that meet the requirements of international legal norms, drivers who regularly drive vehicles abroad may find it convenient to obtain a new type of certificate without waiting for the expiration of their current license.

The absence of an up-to-date document on hand may serve as a reason for denial of the right to drive transport abroad.

What's the point of jeopardizing your vacation or work?

The legislator has provided for this need - enjoy it for your health!

And yes, that’s right - you can use the MFC for replacement, as we said earlier.

Fine for late replacement of rights

There is no penalty for late payments. However, driving a vehicle with an expired driver's license is prohibited. The fine varies from 5 to 15 thousand rubles.

It is very easy to change your driver's license after it has expired. To avoid misunderstandings, strictly follow the instructions!

Didn't find the answer to your question? Find out how to solve exactly your problem - call right now: +7 (Moscow) +7 (812) 309-53-42 (St. Petersburg) It's fast and free!

Free online consultation with a car lawyer

Didn't find the answer to your question? Find out how to solve exactly your problem - call right now: +7 (Moscow) +7 (812) 309-53-42 (St. Petersburg) It's fast and free!

Early replacement of a driver's license

Until 04/04/2017, the driver had only 3 grounds for replacing his driver’s license:

Expiration of old rights (10 years)

Loss/damage

Change of surname or first name

The maximum that a person who wanted to change his license before its expiration date could count on was 5-6 months of “discount” before the expiration date of the certificate from the traffic police.

According to the new rules, you can now change your rights at any time.

Moreover, if you also attach a medical certificate along with the application for replacement of rights, then you will receive new rights with a changed validity period - 10 years in advance from the moment you receive the new document, which is also very convenient. If there is no certificate, the validity period of your rights will remain the same.

And regarding the certificate, we remind you:

Help is required:

1.If you change your rights due to their expiration

2.If your health status has changed and you have appropriate medical confirmation of this fact.

No help needed:

1.If you change your rights due to a change of last name or first name

2.If your rights have been damaged

3.If your rights have been lost

4.If you wish to change your rights

So if you want to extend the validity of your license for another 10 years, just attach a medical certificate and express your desire to change your license.

What period is indicated in the new certificate?

The validity period depends on whether there is a new medical certificate. If not, the license will be issued for the same period as the old one. For example, the old certificate is valid until April 1, 2022. If a replacement is submitted on July 15, 2021, the new license will also be valid until 04/01/2022.

And if you have a valid certificate, the license is issued for 10 years. In our example, they will be valid until 07/15/2030.

Important! From 2021, medical certificates are valid for 1 year. Previously, documents were issued for 2 or 3 years. Such certificates remain valid until the expiration of the period specified therein.

Legalization of foreign driving licenses

And the last change we wanted to tell you about today is the transfer of information about the driver’s permits and open categories from foreign driver’s licenses to domestic ones.

Today, in accordance with the rules, if you want to confirm your license in Russia, a driver who received it abroad is required to pass an exam to confirm his category(s).

If there is no desire to take the highest category, then you can take the exam only for the one that is needed. In this case, all lower ones will be confirmed.

For example:

Categories A, B, C are open abroad.

But you only want to confirm B. By passing the exam for category B, you will confirm both B and A.

If you pass the exam in category C, then confirm all three.

That’s probably all we wanted to tell you today about the current changes in legislation related to the replacement and issuance of driver’s licenses!

Good luck on the roads, take care of yourself and those around you!

A driver's license is one of the documents required when driving a car. The document must be replaced in several situations. Motorists need to know what documents are needed to replace a driver’s license and where to go.

When to replace

The validity period of rights is specified in legislative acts. It is equal to 10 years. If a person continues to drive a car after the expiration of the term, he will be subject to a fine of 500 rubles. The legislator provided that the exchange is carried out in situations:

• upon loss of rights;
• when changing the surname or other personal data of the driver;
• changes have occurred in human health;
• unsuitability of the device;
• if theft has occurred;
• wear and tear of the document;
• if the vehicle control category changes.

The document is considered expired:

• presence of medical contraindications to driving;
• after 10 years from the date of issue;
• licenses were confiscated by traffic police officers for offenses.

Discounts on duty payments

From the beginning of 2021, you can pay the state fee with a discount of 30 percent. The total amount is 2000 rubles. If a person used a discount, then he needs to pay 1,400 rubles. To take advantage of preferential conditions:

• an application for issuance of a temporary residence permit is submitted through the State Services portal;
• you need to wait for an invoice for payment, which arrives in your personal account;
• make payment.

You can only use non-cash payment method. Electronic wallets, plastic bank cards, and also a mobile phone are suitable for this.

Where to go

There are several ways to replace your driver's license:

• Multifunctional Center;
• contacting the traffic police department;
• State Services portal.

If the replacement occurs at the traffic police, then you need to collect a list of papers

. It includes:

• photographs of a certain size;
• application for the issuance of a new driver's license;
• registration information;
• identification document;
• an old document, provided that it is not lost;

A medical certificate is needed to confirm that the driver has no health problems. It is valid for 12 months.

List of papers for replacement due to loss, theft and other reasons

:

• confirmation of the driver's identity;
• application for the issuance of new rights;
• old document.

When the reason is the expiration of the deadline, the necessary documents

:

• application for exchange of ID;
• identity document;
• old VU;
• certificate issued by a medical organization.

When replacing rights using the State Services portal, the list of required documents is not adjusted

. However, a different procedure for issuing a driver's license is provided:

• First, the car enthusiast needs to register on the portal;
• log in to the site;
• go through the authorization process;
• fill out a form where you indicate the details of your old license and passport;
• sign up for a replacement at the traffic police;
• wait for the notification containing information for paying the state fee;
• deposit funds;
• contact the selected traffic police department at the appointed time and day;
• get your license.

You must take the originals of all documents with you. The employee checks the documentation and takes photographs of the applicant. The photographing procedure is carried out provided that the unit has the required level of equipment.

Contacting the MFC

Replacement of Russian and foreign VU is carried out by multifunctional centers. The period for providing the service in this case is 5 days. You need to do the following:

• visit the MFC branch, which is located more conveniently for the applicant;
• choose to provide the service of issuing a new driver's license;
• wait your turn;
• To take pictures;
• pay the state fee;
• collect a package of documents;
• come back after 5 or 7 days and get your license.

When the ID is lost, stolen or damaged, they may be required to provide a certificate from the traffic police or the police confirming the fact of the application. After the documents are received by the MFC employee, they are transferred to the traffic police department, and after production of the document, they are sent to the MFC. The process is lengthy and will take about a week, while when contacting the traffic police it will take about an hour.

When the traffic police department has made a decision in the form of a refusal to issue a certificate, an official paper containing the reason for the refusal is sent to the multifunctional center. The center's employees are authorized only to receive and issue documentation. To replace rights, the MFC collects the following documents:

• the act by which the driver’s identity is verified;
• a certificate issued by a medical organization;
• previous rights;
• a receipt according to which the state duty was paid.

Where can I change my driver's license?

There are three ways to change a document:

• Using the government services website.
• Contact your local traffic police department.
• Contact a multifunctional center that provides municipal and government services.

In the traffic police department

In order to obtain a driver's license, follow the following algorithm:

1. First you need to get a special medical opinion. You need to visit any medical institution that is licensed. Pass a paid medical examination. And you also need to go to a state medical institution in order to undergo an examination by a narcologist and a psychiatrist. These doctors must provide you with the appropriate certificates.
2. After this, you need to collect the necessary package of documents.
3. Contact the nearest traffic police department. We recommend making an appointment by phone in advance to avoid standing in line.
4. Get a new plastic card.

Through the State Services website

The State Services portal provides citizens with various services. Thanks to the State Services portal, you can replace your plastic card via the Internet. Let's take a closer look at the algorithm for obtaining a plastic card.

In order to use this service, you must have an account on the State Services website.

Instructions:

• Go to the Government Services website. Now click on the required service (obtaining rights). After that, click on “replace rights”. A diagram of the procedure will be displayed in front of you. The necessary documents will also be presented in a separate column. Now select the appropriate type of receiving this service. To do this, click on “get service”.
• Now you need to fill out the provided form. Some fields will be automatically filled in. You need to check the accuracy of the information displayed. If there is incorrect information entered in the personal data field, then click on the “change data” link. The State Services portal will redirect you to your personal account so that you can change the data.
• After checking your passport and personal data, you must indicate your residential address. Please provide only your current residential address. First you need to indicate your locality, and then fill in the remaining fields.
• After this, you will be asked to indicate the reason for replacing your driver's license. Select the "expired" option.
• To fill out the following fields, you will need a special certificate, which was issued by the relevant commission.
• The system will prompt you to fill in the following fields: license number of the medical institution; reference number.
• Let's move on to filling out the following fields. This time you are asked to provide the details of your old driver's license.
• After this, you need to select the nearest traffic police department. Just click on the nearest traffic police departments. Now the system offers to select a date for visiting the state traffic inspectorate.
• After filling out all the fields, the application is sent to your personal account. Now all you have to do is pay government fees. The state fee will be 1400 rubles. You can pay for the service at a Sberbank branch.

Through Multifunctional Centers

Multifunctional centers provide various services for all categories of citizens. The list of services of multifunctional centers includes the replacement of a driver's license.

In order to receive a new plastic card, you need to contact the nearest multifunctional center in your city. After this, you will be offered to undergo a special medical examination in a private or public institution. After passing the medical examination, you will be provided with a certificate. The cost of the certificate varies from 700 to 2 thousand rubles.

After this, you need to visit the multifunctional center again in order to pay a special state fee in the manner and amount prescribed by current legislation. The amount of such state duty depends on various factors. On average 2 thousand rubles.

Now you need to wait a few days. The average waiting period is 5 days.

Replacement of foreign rights

If a person has a driver’s license, it is possible to exchange such a document for a Russian license. At the initial stage, you need to make sure that the document is in accordance with the requirements specified in international treaties, this also includes the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. You will need to collect documentation:

• application to replace one act with another;
• a document by which identity is verified;
• licenses issued by another state;
• a receipt confirming payment of the state duty.

The question often arises as to whether it will be necessary to undergo a medical examination to carry out such a replacement. The answer is clear – it will be required. When there are restrictions related to health conditions, this is taken into account when issuing licenses. You need to contact the traffic police, collect all the specified papers, and pass the exams.

Also, the replacement of the license is carried out at the driver’s own request. In this case, there is no need to explain the reason. You need to contact the MFC or the traffic police.

Despite the slowness of the state bureaucratic machine, there have been positive changes in some areas. For example, today you can apply for new rights to the multifunctional center. Thanks to the inclusion of this public service in the expanded list of the MFC base on the one-stop-shop principle, the exchange of driver’s licenses without the participation of the traffic police is possible not from November 1, as expected, but from February 2021.

In 4 tbsp. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated August 3, 2021 N 755 “On amendments to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2011 N 797” states:

From February 1, 2021, these services, provided through the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, will become mandatory for all MFCs. They are included in the above list.

The Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated August 3, 2016 N 755 “On amendments to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2011 N 797” states:

6. Conducting examinations for the right to drive vehicles and issuing driver’s licenses (in terms of issuing Russian national driver’s licenses in case of replacement, loss (theft) and international driver’s licenses).

The entire procedure is completed in five calendar days.

If you have an expired license with you, then it will be enough:

And if your rights are irretrievably lost, stolen or damaged, you will need a certificate of this fact from law enforcement agencies.

Is it possible to obtain new licenses in advance?

Yes, you can. This is stated in Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1097. Paragraph No. 29 of this document lists cases when traffic police representatives do not have the right to refuse a driver. The issuance of a new Russian driver's license is carried out without passing exams. The document is valid for 10 years.

Replacement of a driver's license due to expiration at the MFC

If previously, in case of need to change their license, drivers only applied to the traffic police, then in 2021, the replacement of a driver’s license also takes place at the MFC in Moscow and in other regions of the Russian Federation. Moreover, the previous method (through the traffic police) is also possible. That is, now this mandatory procedure has been simplified and expanded for the convenience of drivers who can choose the best method for themselves.

The validity of a driver's license is 10 years, after which it is necessary to obtain a new license, since the old ones lose their legitimacy. According to Part 1 of Art. 12.7 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation

the use of expired rights is considered an offense and faces a fine of 5,000 to 15,000 rubles.

The possibility of replacing a driver's license at the Moscow MFC is regulated by the adopted resolution (dated August 3, 2016 No. 755 “On amendments to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2011 No. 797”). It expanded the list of authorities authorized to issue driving license certificates. In addition, an exception is provided for Moscow: rights can be exchanged here, regardless of the place of registration.

It is important to understand when it will be possible to change your rights in the MFC. The fact is that according to the new rules, the possibility of early issuance of a driver's license is excluded in the future. The procedure becomes available only on the day the old rights expire and later (but not a day earlier).

Procedure for replacing a driver's license in 2021

The procedure for replacing a driver's license involves following the letter of the law. But the order of action may differ, and this will affect the final duration of the procedure. First of all, you can use the services of intermediaries and find out what documents you need to collect to start the procedure. If you collect a complete package of papers, you can calmly go about your business, since neither the MFC nor the traffic police will send you for additional papers.

Today, the procedure for replacing a driver's license has changed. This was a consequence of a proposal from the Union of Driving Schools, which was received in 2019. According to the new requirement, a document can be issued only after the driver re-passes the traffic rules knowledge exam . Many people associate this decision with attempts to extract additional benefits, but it is impossible to understand exactly what is going on. But legislators did not take this proposal seriously.

True, many drivers whose licenses were soon to expire wanted to quickly renew the document so as not to have to take the exam again or not to prepare any additional documents, procedures, etc. For now, there can be no talk of a mass retake of the test by all drivers. Only people who have been deprived of their rights during an administrative or criminal case need to undergo this procedure.

The last few years have been a turning point in the preparation of documents. The transition to an electronic format of work has brought a lot of benefits, since now all document flow is carried out virtually and in most cases does not require the personal presence of a person . Especially if the license has to be replaced for a reason such as a change in surname or a banal loss. So the new format allows you to replace a document in three different ways.