Will acts of operating a vehicle while waiting for a reissued driver license result in a fine in Vietnam?

Will acts of operating a vehicle while waiting for a reissued driver license result in a fine in Vietnam? (Internet image)

Regarding this matter, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

Drivers participating in traffic must be of the age and health as regulated by law and have a driver license suitable for the type of vehicle permitted to be operated, issued by a competent state authority. Based on Clause 2, Article 58 of the Law on Road Traffic 2008, drivers must carry the following documents when operating a vehicle in Vietnam:

- Vehicle registration certificate;

- Driver license for the operator of a motor vehicle as required;

- Certificate of technical safety and environmental protection inspection for motor vehicles as required;

- Certificate of civil liability insurance for the owner of a motor vehicle.

Thus, according to the above regulations, a driver license is a mandatory document that a driver must carry when participating in traffic. Additionally, current law does not provide that an appointment slip for driver license reissuance can replace the actual driver license during the waiting period.

It is clear that the appointment slip for the issuance or reissuance of a driver license is merely a confirmation of the time to receive the driver license upon completing the reissuance procedure. Therefore, if during the wait for a driver license reissuance, a driver is subject to inspection by traffic police and cannot present the aforementioned documents, the driver will be subject to administrative penalties in accordance with the law in Vietnam.

To be specific, Article 21 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP prescribes the administrative fines for drivers without a driver license as follows:

- A fine ranging from 800,000 VND to 1,200,000 VND for operators of two-wheeled motorcycles with a cylinder capacity of under 175 cm3 and similar vehicles if they do not have a driver license or use a driver license not issued by a competent authority, or if the license is tampered with;

- A fine ranging from 3,000,000 VND to 4,000,000 VND for operators of two-wheeled motorcycles with a cylinder capacity of 175 cm3 or more, and three-wheeled motorcycles if they do not have a driver license or use a driver license not issued by a competent authority;

- A fine ranging from 4,000,000 VND to 6,000,000 VND for operators of automobiles, tractors, and similar vehicles if they do not have a driver license or use a driver license not issued by a competent authority, or if the license is tampered with.

The above are the editorial team's advice from Lawnet. We hope this information helps you better understand the administrative penalties for drivers without a driver license when participating in traffic. Therefore, to avoid being fined by the traffic police, you should not operate a vehicle while waiting for a driver license reissuance.

Ty Na

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