The Ministry of Transport recently issued Circular No. 35, outlining new rules for driver training, examination, licensing, and the issuance of international driving permits. It also includes updated procedures for legal knowledge training and certification for road traffic safety.

Speaking with VietNamNet, Mr. Luong Duyen Thong, Head of the Vehicle and Driver Management Division at the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam, highlighted that Circular No. 35 aligns with the Road Traffic Safety Law set to take effect on January 1, 2025.

One notable change involves the process of reissuing lost licenses. According to the current Circular No. 12/2017/TT-BGTVT, individuals who lose their licenses must wait two months after completing the necessary procedures at the Department of Transport before they can obtain a replacement.

Under the new law, administrative bodies handling traffic violations will immediately share violation data with the driver’s license management authority. As a result, Circular No. 35 eliminates the two-month waiting period, allowing lost licenses to be reissued more promptly.

More significantly, individuals with expired licenses must now undergo testing. While current rules allow for license renewal within three months of expiration, the updated regulation in Clause 2, Article 62 of the Road Traffic Safety Law eliminates this grace period.

“Driver’s licenses expired for less than one year will require a theory test for renewal. This means even a one-day expiration will mandate a theory test,” Mr. Thong explained. “For licenses expired over one year, drivers will need to pass both theory and practical tests, including simulated driving and on-road driving exams,” he added. 

Mr. Thong also noted that licenses will not be reissued to individuals who have yet to fulfill requirements imposed by state authorities regarding administrative violations in the field of road traffic safety.

Additionally, the new circular mandates driving test centers to share real-time examination monitoring data with the Department of Transport, as well as the Traffic Police Division at provincial and city levels, and the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security. This measure is intended to enhance oversight and transparency in the examination process.

N. Huyen