How to change your driver's license

1. Is it possible to change the rights to new ones before the expiration date? 1.1. Duration of new rights
1.2. About the medical certificate

2. Will I need to take an exam?

3. What is needed to replace rights before the expiration date?

A driver's license is issued for exactly 10 years, after which you are required to change it. But sometimes this has to be done sooner - in case of loss, destruction or theft of old rights. In this case, for what period will new ones be issued in 2021? We will answer these questions in order in the article.

Content

When to change permissions
Cost of a driver's medical examination
How to get a medical certificate to replace your license
Where to find sample applications
Replacement of rights in the traffic police
Replacement of rights in the MFC
Replacing rights through the State Services portal

A driver's license is issued for ten years and then renewed. Those who permanently live in Russia can obtain it at any traffic police department. Those who are temporarily in the country can change their rights within the region of their stay.

To replace your license, you need to obtain medical certificates and pay a state fee and a medical examination. How much will it all cost? In what other cases is it necessary to replace the water supply? Where to order the service and what documents are needed to obtain it, we tell you in the material.

Legal basis for admission to driving a vehicle and the timing of issuing driver’s licenses

Any adult Russian (from 18 years of age, sometimes from 16) can receive a document allowing him to drive personal transport. According to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated October 24, 2014 N 1097 (as amended on August 14, 2018) “On admission to driving vehicles” (together with the “Rules for conducting examinations for the right to drive vehicles and issuing driver’s licenses”), persons are allowed to drive vehicles who passed the exam and passed the medical examination.

The exam is carried out in the department of the State Traffic Inspectorate and includes three stages:

Testing theoretical knowledge of traffic rules, the legislative framework, rules of first aid in case of an accident.
Testing primary knowledge in the field of management of the type of transport whose category the examinee has chosen.
Road driving test.

If the candidate is a student of an educational institution that has permission to provide such services, then he takes the exams for the first two points there.
If a candidate driver’s medical report indicates any restrictions on driving a vehicle, then he is provided with a specially equipped car to pass the practical exam. If you have hearing problems, the presence of a sign language interpreter is required.

If the examinee does not pass any part of the exam, then the first time he is allowed to repeat it after a week, and the next time only after 30 days. After successfully passing the theory, the practical exam must be taken within six months.

Remember! A Russian driver's license can only be obtained upon successful completion of all stages of testing and after submitting a package of documents (passport, application and medical certificate in form 083/U-89.

The certificate is valid for 10 years from the date of issue, after which it is subject to scheduled replacement. In some cases described in the law, premature replacement of rights may be required, so it is worth knowing in what cases and how to do it correctly.

When to change permissions

Driving with an expired license is considered a violation. If an inspector is stopped on the road, the driver faces a fine of 5 to 15 thousand rubles.

Expiration of the term is not the only reason for replacing rights. The procedure will be needed if:

The driver's personal information has changed. If previously a driver’s license was not replaced when changing a surname, now the document is considered invalid, and driving with it is perceived as driving without a license.
Your driver's license has been lost or stolen.
The document is damaged or worn out.
The driver received a new category.
The car owner’s health status has changed: indications or contraindications for driving have appeared.

You can change your rights six months before their expiration date. If you turn ten years old in July, you can start changing them in January. After receiving a new license, you are allowed to drive with your old insurance.

Also read: State program “Family car 2021”: conditions and nuances

How to change or restore documents for a car

When to change permissions

Driver's license changes:

upon expiration. A Russian driver's license is valid for 10 years from the date of issue, then it must be replaced;
when the owner’s personal data changes;
if the document has become unusable due to wear, damage or other reasons;
when medical indications or medical restrictions on driving a vehicle change;
at the driver's request. Rights can be changed before their validity period expires;
upon receipt of an application for loss (theft) of a driver’s license.

In neither of these cases is it necessary to retake the exam. If you want to get a license for a period of 10 years, you need to undergo a medical examination; if you want a new license with the validity of the old one, no. A medical certificate for your license is also required if your medical indications/restrictions on driving a vehicle have changed.

An international driver's license is valid for 3 years from the date of issue. If during this time your national driving license expires, you lose it or change it, your international driving license will also become invalid. In this case, issue it again, the same way as the first time.

What documents are needed

To replace (or restore) your national driver's license you will need:

statement;
passport or, if you are changing it, a temporary identity card (if there is no registration information in the passport - a document confirming registration at the place of residence or place of stay (if registration is available);
old rights (if any);
medical certificate of permission to drive a vehicle - if you are changing your license due to its expiration or change in medical indications/restrictions for driving a vehicle;
a certificate of change of name, marriage or divorce, or another document on the basis of which the information specified in the rights has changed - if you change the rights for this reason (submitted upon request);
a document confirming the availability of benefits for paying state duty;
diplomatic, consular, service cards or certificates issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, if the applicants are employees of diplomatic missions and consular offices of foreign states in the Russian Federation and members of their families, employees of accredited international organizations and their representative offices, and members of their families.

In addition, you need to pay a state fee. If you make an appointment at the traffic police department through the government services portal, you can pay the state fee with a 30% discount.

Where to contact

You can change or restore your license at any traffic police department, regardless of your place of residence. You can make an appointment at the traffic police department in advance:

on the government services portal;
on mos.ru;
on the portal "Autocode".

You can also contact any state center]“My Documents”[/anchor].

The traffic police department will change or restore your license on the day you apply. New driver's licenses take 9 calendar days to issue, so if your license is about to expire, it's best to apply for a replacement well in advance.

Cost of a driver's medical examination

When passing a medical examination at the traffic police clinic, the cost of the service is almost 2,000 rubles. Private licensed medical centers ask from two to five thousand rubles.

The cheapest way is to undergo a medical examination at a state clinic, which has the right to issue certificates in form No. 003-B/u. Here the price will be approximately 1,300 rubles.

To pass the medical commission you will need a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. Some clinics also require military ID.

There is no need to prepare specially for the medical examination, but if the validity period of fluorography has expired (12 months), it is better to undergo it in advance.

Also read: Front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive: which one is better to choose?

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.

How to get a medical certificate to replace your license

The certificate required to replace a driver’s license due to expiration can be obtained from private and budgetary medical institutions. It costs from six hundred rubles, and in order to be issued, you will need to undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist and a therapist. To obtain a final signature from a therapist, you must also submit certificates from a narcologist and a psychiatrist. These specialists can be visited at your place of residence.

Truckers, in addition to the above specialists, will need to visit an ENT specialist and a neurologist, as well as have an electroencephalography done.

You can see doctors in a private clinic in half a day, in a public medical institution - within one or two days.

Also read: The dangers of buying a leased car

What documents are needed?

Last but not least important aspect is what documents need to be prepared in order for you to have your driver’s license replaced. The list of these documents is small, so it will be easy to understand. In 2021, the set in question has not changed, so prepare exactly the same folder as was required last year.

The list of requested documents includes the following documents:

An application in the form that is issued to replace the old certificate.
Person's passport. Any document that is equivalent to a passport and can help identify a citizen can be used.
Old-style rights (excluding cases where this document was lost or stolen).
Conclusion from the medical board. For registration, a standard form is used, which must include the signature of a narcologist and a psychiatrist. This certificate is valid for a year.
Receipt for payment of state duty. When paying according to the State Services tariff, you should print a receipt for payment.

By submitting these documents, you confirm your health and ability to drive safely. If the papers are in order, you will be issued a new ID without any problems.

You can get legal assistance on replacing your driver's license in 2021 on our website.

Where to find sample applications

Sample applications can be obtained from the State Traffic Inspectorate, a multifunctional center, or downloaded from the government services portal. In the first two cases, the driver will have to fill out the forms himself, in the third, they will be filled out automatically. You can also download the application and its completed sample on our website.

As a basis for replacing the plastic, you must indicate one of the reasons: “due to expiration”, “due to loss”, “due to damage” or “due to a change of surname”.

Also read: 5 pros and cons of a black car

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.

Replacement of rights in the traffic police

This is the traditional way of replacing rights. You come to the traffic police, take a ticket and get in line. When you are called, you will give the documents and wait until they prepare a new plastic (an hour and a half).

From the documents you will need:

statement;
passport;
the plastic that you will change (if any);
medical certificate in form No. 003-В/у;
medical certificates from a psychiatrist and narcologist;
receipt of payment of duty.

The state duty for re-issuance of rights is 2,000 rubles.

Also read: In search of the ideal: how to choose the best car on the secondary market

Refusal to prematurely replace rights and further actions

There are a number of reasons why the traffic police has the right to refuse to issue new licenses. These include:

lack of registration;
an incorrectly completed application with erasures and corrections;
absence of any document necessary to replace the certificate;
your passport has expired;
failure to pay state duty.

If the driver has all his documents in order, the traffic police officer has no right to refuse to replace the license. Often, traffic police officers refuse to issue a new license due to unpaid fines. However, according to recent laws, such actions are illegal.

An employee who refuses to issue a license must indicate the reason in a written order.

This document will serve as the basis for appealing unlawful actions. If the employee refuses to issue a written explanation, it is necessary to send to the department an application for replacement of rights by registered mail with an inventory and notification. An official cannot fail to respond to such a letter. As a result, he will either issue a license or provide a written refusal.

To appeal the actions of an official, you must write a statement to the head of the traffic police, in which you describe in detail the complaint and the requirement to resolve the issue. The complaint can be sent by registered mail or delivered in person.

If management does not respond to the driver’s demands, you can contact the prosecutor’s office. To do this, you need to write a complaint, in which it should be noted that the employee illegally refuses to issue a license, and the head of the traffic police ignores this fact. You can submit your application by letter or in person. The prosecutor's office will quickly consider the complaint and take action.

Replacement of rights in the MFC

When replacing a driver's license at the MFC, you will have to wait from one to two weeks. The documents submitted are the same as those submitted to the State Traffic Inspectorate, plus a photo in electronic format will be required. The state duty for this replacement method will also be 2,000 rubles.

First, you will need to come to the MFC, take a coupon, wait until you are invited, then submit documents and photos. The staff of the multifunctional center will inform you about the readiness of the license and the date of its receipt.

Also read: How to choose a business sedan on the secondary market

Procedure for replacing old rights

At the moment, you can replace your driver’s license in a couple of clicks, avoiding long queues and even getting a discount. Previously, this procedure took some time, and for this period the driver was issued a temporary document. Now in just 1.5 hours you can get a permanent driver’s license, the main thing is to prepare all the certificates, applications and pay the state fee on time.

Do I need to take an exam?

The theoretical part of the exam regarding knowledge of traffic rules must be passed if the acquisition of a license occurs after their forced deprivation as an administrative punishment. For example, when driving while intoxicated.

In other cases, a repeated knowledge test is not necessary.

Where can I make a replacement?

To facilitate and speed up the exchange procedure, it can be done in three different ways:

in the multifunctional center (MFC) of your region. To find out where the nearest center is located, you can visit the website and select the most convenient office. Preparation of documents will take up to 7-10 days, since they will still be sent to the traffic police;
online. The procedure is carried out through the State Services portal. To do this, you need to create your own account on the website, log in and pay the state fee. Interestingly, the Internet portal provides a 30% discount on this service, which will cost 1,400 instead of 2,000 rubles.
Payment can be made through a bank card, Webmoney or mobile operator. Next, the most convenient location of the traffic police department is selected, and it contains the date and time for the appointment. Conveniently, you will no longer need to write an application on the spot, since it will be filled out electronically when submitting an application;

Replacing a driver's license on the State Services portal
at the traffic police department. You need to select the nearest unit and visit it to get a ticket with the appointment time. It's better not to be late, as you might miss your turn. At the appointed time, you should come to the office with a package of documents and after 1.5 hours you can leave with new rights.

Required documents

The package of papers that must be provided to replace the driver's license may differ depending on the division of the State Traffic Inspectorate. The standard list looks like this:

Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
Receipt with payment of state duty in the amount of 2000 rubles.
Medical report from the necessary specialists.
An old sample that has expired.
Certificate from place of residence or temporary registration.
Photo 3.5 x 4.5 cm, matte. It is better to do it in advance, as it is necessary that it meets the standard.
Statement.

Replacing rights through the State Services portal

This method is the most convenient and most profitable: for the state fee you will pay 30% less - 1,400 rubles. To order the service, you will need to register on the “Government Services” portal and fill in all the data in the “V/U replacement” section through your personal account. The same documents are needed, except for photos. There is no need to write an application, since, as mentioned above, it will be processed automatically.

You will receive your new license from the traffic police. In theory, you don’t need to sit in line: inspectors should issue them at the time indicated in the site’s LC. In fact, queues sometimes accumulate at the State Traffic Inspectorate, since the reception scheme for motorists itself is poorly thought out.

Author: Irina Sapunova

How to replace a document

The procedure takes place in several stages. You need to collect documents and submit an application to the State Traffic Inspectorate. In a few days you can pick up your finished license.

Where to contact

There are several options:

through any department of the State Traffic Inspectorate (not necessarily by registration);
using the MFC (you can also pay the state fee here);
online, through the government services portal (but you will have to obtain a certificate from the traffic police).

What documents are needed

Mandatory ones include:

application requesting a replacement;
passport;
fee payment receipt;
old ID (if still available).

The application is filled out on a special form. The required columns indicate:

the name of the traffic police department to which it is submitted;
Driver's full name;
passport data: series, number, who issued it and when, registration address;
categories of vehicles;
reason for replacement;
information about the medical certificate: number, date of issue and name of the organization;
SNILS;
contact details: phone number and email address.

In some cases, other documents will be needed. When adding a new category, they must undergo a medical examination. It is being clarified whether there are any contraindications to driving this particular type of transport. Then they take exams at the traffic police. Certificates are attached to the application.

Average cost of passing a car inspection

A medical certificate will be needed when restrictions appear or are lifted. In other cases it is not required.

If personal data has changed, you will need supporting documents, for example, a marriage or divorce certificate. If documents are stolen, you will need a certificate confirming the closure of the case or its suspension (issued 2 months after initiation).

If your driver's license is damaged, you will have to write an explanatory note. It indicates under what circumstances this happened. In addition to the usual fee, you will have to pay a fine of 800 rubles. And if lost, it is less - 500 rubles.

State duty for early replacement

Its size is 2000 rubles. But if you order a replacement through government services and immediately pay by card, the duty is reduced by 30%. You will only need to pay 1400 rubles.

Attention! If errors appear in the document due to the fault of an inspection employee, it will be replaced free of charge. For proof, an application for the issuance of rights, where all the data is indicated correctly, will be useful.

Where can I change it?

State structures are engaged in early exchange of driver's licenses:

MREO (a traffic police department specializing in the exchange of driver's licenses, state registration numbers of vehicles or PTS) - licenses can be obtained in about an hour after checking the documents on the same working day.
In any department of the MFC, regardless of the place of registration. This innovation appeared quite recently, but the readiness time is a little delayed (up to 10 working days), since data exchange takes time.
State Services Portal (electronic intergovernmental service). The service is available to authorized users in the “Replacement of rights...” section, but here you can only upload scanned documents; they will be transmitted electronically to the traffic police. The user chooses the date and address of the department independently.

ATTENTION! The portal provides a discount on payment of state fees (1.4 instead of 2 thousand rubles). To take advantage of the offer, click the corresponding banner at the end of the page and then print the paid document.

You can learn more about the procedure for replacing a driver’s license by reading the corresponding article.

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.

Cost of replacing a driver's license

The state fee for issuing a new or replacing an old driver's license on a plastic basis will be 2,000 rubles . If you need a license on paper, the state fee will be 500 rubles . There are no longer any government fees when replacing licenses.

Important! If the exchange of rights occurs through the government services portal (www.gosuslugi.ru), then there is a 30% discount on the payment of state duty. Those. The state duty for replacing a license will be 1,400 rubles. The discount will be valid from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2023.

Medical certificate 003-v/u when replacing a license:

Another mandatory expense will be the issuance of a medical certificate of a new type 003-v/u, when exchanging a driver’s license at the end of its validity period, its cost will vary depending on the region of your residence, as well as the medical institution where the driver’s examination will be held. The approximate price of the certificate will range from 1000 rubles to 5000 rubles .

A medical certificate is not needed if you are changing your current medical certificate due to a change of surname, loss (theft), in these cases you do not need to undergo a medical examination again.

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.

Instructions: how to change your license (driver’s license) through State Services

First of all, you must register on the portal. If registration has been completed initially, you just need to log in to the resource using your username and password.

The process is not particularly difficult; if you have any questions, you can use the “tips” right on the site.

After logging into your personal account, click on the “Ministry of Internal Affairs” button and go to the subsection “Obtaining a license to drive a vehicle.” A block with services will appear in front of you.

Select the one you need – “Change of rights in State Services...”. In this case, the ellipsis means a specific explanation of why you want to change the driver’s main document. Click on the position that corresponds to your situation: “expiration of validity period”, “change of personal information about the owner of the vehicle”, etc.

Now look at the right side of the display. Find the “Get a service” section there and activate it. The system will put you in standby mode (think for a while), and then display a page on which you need to fill out an application.