New rules for issuing and exchanging driver’s licenses will be introduced in Ukraine - the previous procedure will gradually cease to apply. From now on, after the document is exchanged, its validity period will depend on the open category - for drivers of cars, motorcycles and mopeds, licenses will be issued for 15 years, and for trucks, buses and other professional vehicles - for 5 years. At the same time, the procedure for obtaining a first license, as well as an exchange without retaking exams for most drivers, remains unchanged.

This was reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministry of Internal Affairs). The main innovation is the introduction of a differentiated validity period for a driver’s license depending on the category of vehicle. If previously there was a single approach for all categories, now it is changing. Thus, driving licenses for drivers of mopeds, motorcycles and cars of categories A1, A, B, B1 and BE will be issued for a period of 15 years. At the same time, for professional categories - C, CE, C1, C1E, D, DE, D1, D1E and T, which include trucks, buses and specialized vehicles, the validity period will be 5 years.

Despite the changes, the procedure for obtaining a first driver's license will remain the same.. As before, the document for newcomers will be issued for two years. After this period, the driver will be able to exchange the license without retaking the theoretical or practical exams. However, this is only possible if he has not committed more than two administrative offenses in the field of road safety within two years..

It is after this replacement that the new rules will come into effect.. The driver will receive an unlimited driving license with a validity period of 15 or 5 years - depending on the open categories.

Scheduled or unscheduled replacement of a driver's license remains a paid administrative service. The citizen pays the cost of the service itself and the production of a plastic document. The estimated cost of replacement is currently about 650 hryvnia, a bank commission is also paid separately.

At the same time, the driver can independently choose which document to receive - a traditional plastic ID or only a digital version, which will be displayed in the “Driver’s Account” and the Diya application. This option is available both online and in person at the Ministry of Internal Affairs service center..

The introduction of new validity periods does not mean retaking training or exams. When replacing a driver's license on a planned basis, it is not necessary to pass theoretical or practical exams. The procedure remains administrative.

As a general rule, for an exchange it is necessary to provide a valid medical certificate confirming the driver’s fitness to drive vehicles. However, during the period of martial law, this requirement was temporarily canceled, so now a medical certificate is not required for exchange.

In addition, the government has clarified how the new rules will apply to drivers with several open categories. For example, if a driver’s license has categories B and C, then each of them will have its own validity period. At the same time, the expiration of the five-year validity period of the professional category does not mean that the driver will lose the right to drive a passenger car.

If a citizen does not actually use freight transport, he can continue to legally drive a category B car for the entire 15 years. But after the expiration of category C, the right to drive trucks will be temporarily suspended.

It can be restored at any time after a scheduled replacement of your driver’s license. In addition, if the driver opens a new category, the document will have to be replaced, and a new license will already be issued indicating separate validity periods for each category.

As before, Ukrainians will be able to use two ways to obtain a new document. The first option is to personally contact any territorial service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, regardless of the place of registration. You must first register through the electronic queue, and a driver’s license is issued on the day of application.

The second method is online through the “Driver’s Account” or the Diya application.

The finished document can be obtained at the Ukrposhta branch, ordered by courier delivery or picked up at the service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

New validity periods for certificates will begin to apply after the official entry into force of the government decree; this will happen from the date of its publication in the newspaper " After this, the Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will separately inform you about the exact start date for issuing certificates according to the new rules.