The Ministry of Public Security proposed to change a series of driving license categories.

Traffic on Phap Van highway, Hanoi , January 2024

In the draft Law on Road Traffic Safety in April, the Ministry of Public Security proposed a series of changes to the classification of driving licenses. Accordingly, class A1 is granted to drivers of motorbikes with a displacement of up to 125 cc or an electric motor capacity of up to 11 kw. Class A is for vehicles with a displacement larger than A1.

Class B1 is issued to drivers of three-wheeled motorcycles and vehicles of class A1. Disabled people driving three-wheeled motorcycles are granted A1 licenses. Licenses of these classes do not have an expiration date.

This is a new point in the classification of driving licenses compared to current regulations. According to the Road Traffic Law 2008 currently in effect, motorcycle licenses include classes A1, A2, A3. In which, A1 is granted to drivers of 50-175 cc vehicles; A2 from 175 cc.

Thus, according to the new draft, class A will replace the current class A2, and at the same time change the displacement threshold for A1 from 175 cc to 125 cc. Class B1 will replace A3.

In addition, the drafting agency has added the A1 and A classification threshold based on electric motor capacity, as the electric vehicle market in Vietnam and the world is developing. Current law does not stipulate this.

For car drivers, the Ministry of Public Security proposes a Class B license valid for 10 years, for drivers of vehicles with up to 8 seats (not including the driver's seat); trucks and special-purpose vehicles up to 3.5 tons. Class A4 for drivers of tractors up to 1 ton is proposed to be abolished. Disabled people driving automatic cars with suitable structures are granted a Class B license.

The current law stipulates that class B1 is for drivers of cars with up to 9 seats who do not work as drivers and class B2 is for professional drivers. In the new draft, the Ministry of Public Security combines classes B1 and B2 into class B.

Class C driving license (for driving trucks from 3.5 tons) under current law is proposed to be split into C1 (for driving 3.5-7.5 tons) and C (over 7.5 tons).

Class D (driving cars from 10 to 30 seats) according to current law is expected to be divided into class D1 (8-16 seats) and D2 (16-29 seats). Class E (over 30 seats) will be replaced by class D, including sleeper buses and buses.

Encourage the conversion of paper driving licenses to plastic cards

According to the draft, driving licenses issued before the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order takes effect will continue to be used according to the term stated on them.

The Ministry of Public Security encourages people using unlimited driving licenses issued before July 1, 2012 to switch to new plastic cards (PET). This proposal aims to standardize data to serve management according to the national digital transformation program. The drafting agency hopes that this will help "reduce administrative procedures, creating convenience for people participating in traffic".

When people change their driver's license to a plastic card, the information is integrated into the electronic identification application (VNeID).

Paper motorcycle driving license issued by the Ministry of Transport

Currently, unlimited driving licenses (A1, A2 and A3) exist in both paper and plastic card versions. The paper version cannot be updated to VNeID because it does not update the ID number or the ID number only has 9 digits, lacking information on the date of birth.

Therefore, the Ministry of Public Security believes that changing driver's licenses to plastic cards will complete the national database and conform to international practices.

Compared to the draft issued in September 2023, the conversion of paper driving licenses to plastic cards has changed from "mandatory" to "encouraged". Currently, people changing their licenses do not need a health certificate and old license records, the fee is 135,000 VND.

According to the Vietnam Road Administration (Ministry of Transport), nationwide there are 22 million paper motorcycle driving licenses with no expiration date issued from 1995 to July 2012.

TB (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/bo-cong-an-de-xuat-thay-doi-hang-loat-hang-giay-phep-lai-xe-380959.html