The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (MIA) has published official clarifications regarding the introduction of differentiated validity periods for driver's licenses. The department has answered the most frequent questions from citizens and officials concerning the document exchange procedure under the new rules.
Probationary period and exchange conditions
The department emphasized that the procedure for issuing a first driver's license remains unchanged: the document is issued for 2 years. After this probationary period expires, the driver has the right to exchange their license for a new form without the need to retake exams.
The main condition for such an exchange is the absence of more than two administrative offenses in the field of traffic rules during the validity period of the document. If there are fewer violations or none at all, the procedure is simplified.
Opening new categories
The situation changes if a driver opens a new category. In this case, exchanging the license is mandatory. The new document will be issued taking into account the updated validity periods for each specific vehicle category.
It is important to note a nuance for professional drivers. Having a category for driving commercial vehicles (e.g., C or CE) does not oblige the driver to change the document every 5 years if they do not actually use such vehicles. In such a case, the citizen can continue to drive a vehicle of another category until the full validity period of the license for that category expires.
Restoring licenses and exams
If a driver needs the right to drive a truck again, they can restore it at any time. To do this, it is sufficient to contact a State Traffic Police unit for a scheduled license exchange.
During a scheduled document update, there is no need to retake theoretical or practical exams. The only mandatory requirement for a successful procedure remains the submission of a valid medical certificate.
License format and new requirements
For the convenience of citizens, the MIA offers a choice of format when replacing licenses. Ukrainians can choose the familiar physical plastic form or opt exclusively for the digital version of the document, which is displayed on a smartphone.
Recall that recently the validity periods for driver's licenses in the country have changed: new documents are now issued for 5 or 15 years depending on the category. At the same time, previously obtained licenses remain valid until their expiration date.
In addition, the MIA has updated the rules for future drivers. A new requirement for admission to exams has been introduced — the mandatory presence of a digitized image of the candidate's face.
