New regulations on international driver licenses valid for use in the territory of Vietnam from January 1, 2025

New regulations on international driver licenses valid for use in the territory of Vietnam from January 1, 2025 (Internet image)

1. New regulations on international driver licenses valid for use in the territory of Vietnam from January 1, 2025

According to Clause 8, Article 57 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024, international driver licenses are valid for use in the territory of Vietnam as follows:

An International driver license is a driving license issued by a competent state agency of a country that is a member of the Vienna Convention according to a unified form; valid for no more than 3 years from the date of issue and must conform to the remaining validity period of the national driving license;

- Persons with an International driver license issued by a country that is a member of the Vienna Convention while driving on the roads in the territory of Vietnam must carry both the International driver license and the national driving license suitable for the driven vehicle Category, both of which are still valid; must comply with the laws on road traffic order and safety of Vietnam;

- Persons with an International driver license who violate the laws on road traffic order and safety of Vietnam and have their driving license revoked temporarily, the period of revocation will not exceed the time they are allowed to reside in the territory of Vietnam;

- Vietnamese citizens or foreigners with permanent or temporary residence cards in Vietnam who have a driving license issued by Vietnam or a country that is a member of the international treaty that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member of, still valid, if they wish to be issued an International driver license.

2. 15 categories of driver licenses from January 1, 2025

Driver licenses include the following categories:

- Category A1 issued to drivers of two-wheel motorcycles with a cylinder capacity of up to 125 cm^3 or with an electric motor power of up to 11 kW;

- Category A issued to drivers of two-wheel motorcycles with a cylinder capacity of over 125 cm^3 or with an electric motor power of over 11 kW and vehicles specified for a Category A1 driving license;

- Category B1 issued to drivers of three-wheel motorcycles and vehicles specified for a Category A1 driving license;

- Category B issued to drivers of cars carrying up to 8 people (excluding the driver's seat); trucks and special-purpose cars with a total design weight of up to 3,500 kg; cars specified for a Category B driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of up to 750 kg;

- Category C1 issued to drivers of trucks and special-purpose cars with a total design weight of over 3,500 kg to 7,500 kg; trucks specified for a Category C1 driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of up to 750 kg; vehicles specified for a Category B driving license;

- Category C issued to drivers of trucks and special-purpose cars with a total design weight of over 7,500 kg; trucks specified for a Category C driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of up to 750 kg; vehicles specified for Category B and Category C1 driver licenses;

- Category D1 issued to drivers of cars carrying over 8 people (excluding the driver's seat) up to 16 people (excluding the driver's seat); cars specified for a Category D1 driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of up to 750 kg; vehicles specified for Category B, C1, and C driver licenses;

- Category D2 issued to drivers of cars (including buses) carrying over 16 people (excluding the driver's seat) up to 29 people (excluding the driver's seat); cars specified for a Category D2 driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of up to 750 kg; vehicles specified for Category B, C1, C, and D1 driver licenses;

- Category D issued to drivers of cars (including buses) carrying over 29 people (excluding the driver's seat); sleeper buses; cars specified for a Category D driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of up to 750 kg; vehicles specified for Category B, C1, C, D1, and D2 driver licenses;

- Category BE issued to drivers of cars specified for a Category B driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of over 750 kg;

- Category C1E issued to drivers of cars specified for a Category C1 driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of over 750 kg;

- Category CE issued to drivers of cars specified for a Category C driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of over 750 kg; tractor trucks towing semi-trailers;

- Category D1E issued to drivers of cars specified for a Category D1 driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of over 750 kg;

- Category D2E issued to drivers of cars specified for a Category D2 driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of over 750 kg;

- Category DE issued to drivers of cars specified for a Category D driving license towing a trailer with a total design weight of over 750 kg; towed passenger cars.

(According to Clause 8, Article 57 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024)

See more Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024, which comes into force in Vietnam from January 1, 2025, except for Clause 3, Article 10 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024, which comes into force in Vietnam from January 1, 2026.

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