If I lose my driving license, do I have to retake the tests? How to apply for re-issuance of a driving license in Vietnam?
If I lose my driving license, do I have to retake the tests?
According to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 36 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT of Vietnam stipulating as follows:
Re-issuance of driving license in Vietnam
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2. Drivers whose driving licenses are lost, remaining unexpired or having expired for less than 03 months shall be considered for re-issuance of driving license.
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Thus, drivers whose driving licenses are lost, remaining unexpired or having expired for less than 03 months shall be considered for re-issuance of driving license.
Loss of a driving license in Vietnam
How to apply for re-issuance of a driving license in case of loss of the license?
According to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 36 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT of Vietnam, the application for re-issuance of a driving license in case of loss of a driving license includes:
- Written request for renewal or re-issuance of driving license according to form prescribed in Appendix 19 enclosed herewith;
- Original application in accordance with driving license (if any);
- Health certificate issued by competent medical facilities as prescribed except for re-issuance of A1, A2, A3 class driving license with permanent validity;
- The copy of people’s identity card, citizen identity card or unexpired passport for Vietnamese citizens or unexpired passport for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese.
The applicant shall be photographed when submitting the application at Directorate for Roads of Vietnam or Department of Transport, and must present the original copy of aforesaid documents (except for sent original documents) for comparison.
The driving license shall be reissued after 02 months from the day on which the valid application is submitted, provided the license is not confiscated by a competent authority or the driver’s name is not on the list of the management authority.
In addition, in Clause 3, Article 36 of Decree 12/2017/TT-BGTVT of Vietnam, it is stipulated that drivers whose driving license are lost, expired for more than 03 months with his/her name included in testing management agencies’ records should attend following tests if his/her license has not been confiscated or handled by competent agencies after two months since submission of the application:
- Take the theory test again if the old license has expired from 03 months to less than 01 year;
- Participate in both theory and practical tests if the old license has expired from 01 year and over.
Applications for participation in the test are prescribed in Clause 4 Article 19 of this Circular.
How is the driving license used according to the law?
Use and management of driving licenses are specified in Article 33 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT of Vietnam (amended by points a and b, clause 19, Article 1 of Circular 38/2019/TT-BGTVT of Vietnam) as follows:
- Every person is granted only 01 PET material driving license management number for licenses with permanent and limited validity period.
- If a person wants to integrate driving licenses, (s)he shall fill in the training and testing request form to grant driving license prescribed in Appendix 7 enclosed herewith or follow driving license renewal procedures as prescribed in Article 38 hereof.
- Any driver who has an integrated driving license (license with combined permanent and limited validity period) may submit an application for separation as prescribed in Article 38 hereof.
- Drivers are only allowed to control types of cars mentioned in driving licenses.
- Upon renewal, re-issuance of licenses or enhancement of license class, the licensing agency shall cut corners of the old license and return it to the driver for preservation.
- Driving licenses should be brought along when driving.
- Driving licenses may be stripped of the right to enjoyment or revoked in accordance with laws.
- Drivers holding B1 class license that need to practice as a driver or need license upgrade should attend the training course and take the tests.
- Drivers holding B1 class (automatic transmission) license are not qualified to drive manual transmission cars, drivers are required to take further lessons and undergo practical tests for issuance of B1 class license.
- Foreigners or overseas Vietnamese who need to drive cars in Vietnam should:
+ Carry out procedures on conversion into respective licenses in Vietnam if having obtained national driver licenses;
+ In case an international agreement on driving license to which Vietnam is a signatory prescribes otherwise, such international agreement shall apply.
- Drivers holding FD, FE class licenses issued for the first time before July 01, 2009 by transport authorities may apply for FC class license if they need to drive trailer trucks or semi-trailer trucks.
12. A1, A2 class licenses issued before August 01, 1995 by police authorities, driving licenses or certificates issued by transport authorities shall be used until their expiration dates.
- An eligible driving license which is made of PET material is the driving license issued by the competent authority with the template number, date of issue, date of expiry coinciding with those in the driving license information system.
- Anyone who erases or falsifies information printed on the driving license, uses fake driving licenses or falsified records, uses another person’s lost driving license to operate road motor vehicles; commits other deceptive acts in order to be eligible for replacement, reissuance, new issuance of driving licenses shall have that driving license and original profile, update the data on the driving license information system revoked and take legal liability, as well as may not be issued another driving license for 05 years since the violation is detected; besides, that driving license also ceases to be valid. If re-issuance of driving license is needed, the driver must learn and participate in tests again at the initial time.
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