Amendments to the Road Safety Law, which took effect on April 1, 2024, set out the procedures and timelines for replacing foreign driver’s licenses with Russian licenses. In a briefing about this change, an expert from the firm PG Partners, a senior managing partner, explained the practical implications and the steps drivers should anticipate. The correction marks a significant shift in how license recognition and replacement are managed for residents and newcomers alike, affecting several groups differently depending on their status and where their original license was issued.
According to the expert, individuals who received a residence permit or obtained Russian citizenship after the effective date must secure a Russian driver’s license within one year from that moment, regardless of prior licensing arrangements. This requirement creates a clearly defined window for documentation updates, aligning residency status with local licensing standards and ensuring that licenses are consistent with national road safety regulations.
For Russian citizens who already held a foreign-issued driver’s license, the same one-year period applies to exchange their license for a Russian one after returning to the Russian Federation. The aim is to standardize licensing across borders and reduce discrepancies in driving authorization that can arise when a foreign license remains valid after relocation. It is noted, however, that citizens of Belarus and Russians who were licensed in Belarus before moving will not be obliged to re- obtain a new license under this provision, reflecting bilateral recognition considerations and the practicalities of cross-border licensing agreements within the region.
The law changes do not automatically invalidate certain categories of driver’s licenses on April 1. Instead, the transition provides a one-year deadline to obtain the appropriate documentation. If the new license is not issued within that period, the existing license becomes invalid for driving, and operating a vehicle with an invalid document can lead to penalties in the range of five to fifteen thousand rubles, according to the expert. This approach emphasizes a gradual migration to the unified licensing framework while maintaining clear penalties for non-compliance.
Earlier discussions noted that Russia had already linked licensing status to compliance with fiscal and administrative obligations. If a driver accumulates a specified number of unpaid fines, a potential consequence discussed in the context of enforcement is the temporary suspension of driving privileges. This rule, together with the new replacement timeline, forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen road safety and ensure that all drivers operate under up-to-date, verifiable licenses. The combined effect is to encourage timely updates, improve enforcement consistency, and reduce administrative gaps that could otherwise undermine safety on the road.
Overall, the amendments seek to harmonize licensing across residency and citizenship changes while recognizing existing bilateral arrangements. They introduce a concrete period for exchanging foreign licenses, clarify exceptions for certain nationalities, and reinforce penalties for non-compliance, all with the broader aim of improving driver qualification tracking and road safety compliance across Russia. [Источник: Закон о дорожной безопасности, редакции 2024 года]