Do foreign drivers need Russian licenses? Foreign drivers may not rush to obtain Russian licenses

Now many citizens of foreign countries working as drivers in Russia are wondering how to quickly and correctly exchange their national licenses for Russian ones. Driving instructors Today they will give you complete instructions on how to do this.

Punishment for foreigners

Replacing a driver's license is a mandatory legal procedure for those citizens of the CIS and other countries who drive vehicles in our country. That is, as they say driving instructors, persons from the CIS countries who come to Russia to carry out business activities, in particular the transportation of passengers or cargo, must necessarily obtain a Russian driver's license.

Violators will face severe punishment. For the driver himself, this is a fine of 5-15 thousand rubles, but for the employer the amount will be much more serious - up to 50 thousand rubles.

However, foreigners still have time: with a foreign license they will be able to drive until 2017. The reason is, as always, banal: the mechanism for exchanging rights has not yet been thoroughly worked out, and it takes some time to think through all the nuances of the exchange.

What documents will be required?

To replace a foreign ID with a Russian one, the following documents will be required:

• civil passport of a foreign driver;
• a valid driver's license with which the foreigner is currently driving;
• a medical certificate is required, that is, the driver must go through doctors, the list of which is established by the relevant legislative acts;
• you need to present documents proving that the person is registered in Russia;
• migration card (issued to foreigners upon entry into Russia);
• permission that a person can carry out labor activities on Russian territory. This permit is issued by the Federal Migration Service.

All these documents are first reviewed by a specialized department of the traffic police, which makes a decision whether to allow the replacement of rights or not. After consideration, the driver is given back his national license.

Temporary stay

Those foreigners who are in the Russian Federation under a temporary stay regime will not be an exception. They can work as a driver with a foreign or international license.

The main parameters of the legality of driving a vehicle in the presence of international or foreign rights:

• The crusts must meet the requirements described in the Vienna Convention of 1968 (Convention on Road Traffic).
• Entries in the driver's license of a citizen of another country must be made in Latin letters (or duplicated).

If all these conditions are not met, then the foreigner, in addition to his national driving license, must carry with him a translation of all the data contained in his rights. The translation must be made into Russian.

Moreover, the translation must be certified, and only after that it will have legal force. Certification is carried out by a notary in the manner prescribed by the law of the Russian Federation.

Driving lessons

One of the stages of exchanging licenses for foreigners is learning to drive, both the practical and theoretical parts. Training must be completed at a driving school.

Next come the exams: first at a driving school, and then at the traffic police. If the exams are failed, you will not be able to exchange your license. You'll have to go for a retake.

By the way, to pass the “traffic police” exams, you must obtain permission. The decision on it, if the candidate has all the necessary documents to pass the exams, is made within 15 days.

Video on how to replace a foreign driver's license:

Calm and attentive while driving!

The article uses an image from the site ria.ru

Deputies of the United Russia party initiated amendments to the current law, according to which the period for replacing driver's licenses issued in another country should be extended by one year. In the first reading, the bill was approved and foreign rights were extended until 2018, but the matter did not go further and the amendments were not finally adopted.

Foreign drivers in Russia

The authors of the bill, deputies of the United Russia party, indicated in an explanatory note that the need to extend the period for exchanging foreign driver's licenses for Russian ones is related to the problems faced by employers of foreigners, since they bear the responsibility. In total, according to legislators, there are about 9.5 thousand foreign drivers working in the country and all of them are employed by transport companies providing transportation services. These are taxis, public transport, freight transport, intercity.

Regions with the largest number of drivers:

• Smolensk region;
• Bryansk region;
• Moscow and Moscow region.

According to current legislation, every driver using a license issued in another country is required to exchange it for a Russian one. Corresponding amendments were made to the Federal Law “On Road Traffic Safety” in 2013. The adjustments made set a deadline of June 1, 2017. But in reality, according to the authors of the new amendments, there are a number of problems that complicate the exchange process, including those of a technical nature.

Statistics of road accidents involving drivers, citizens of foreign countries

The lack of equipped sites and rolling stock for foreigners to take exams (theoretical and two practical - a race track and driving around the city) can be solved in alternative ways, representatives of driving schools are sure. At the same time, they note that the next extension of the period for exchanging rights could be fatal for other road users.

« Currently, the number of accidents involving novice drivers is approximately 10-12%, drivers of dangerous retirement age - 7-8%, but with the participation of foreign drivers - more than 30%“- says the head of the “Guild of Driving Schools” Sergei Lobarev. He also notes that schools are ready to provide free consultations and retraining for foreign drivers. Moreover, according to his data, since the adoption of the amendments in 2013, only 3% of foreign drivers in Russia have passed exams and received Russian-style licenses.

More and more countries are passing laws restricting the right of foreign visitors to drive a vehicle on their territory. There may be a number of reasons for this. In Russia, similar legislation applies to migrants from overseas, but with a number of exceptions.

In general terms, Russia does not prohibit movement within its territory while driving with a foreign driver's license or identification card. But, if the vehicle is planned to be used as a source of profit (work on it or by him), then in this case, there is a need to replace the driver’s license for foreign citizens in Russia with a domestic license - mandatory.

Is movement on the territory of the Russian Federation with foreign rights allowed?

There are several nuances in this question that are worth considering when answering. The authorities many times wanted to abolish the right of foreign citizens to travel on vehicles on the territory of the Russian Federation, but in 2018 they decided to extend it. So a foreigner who came to Russia has the legal right to drive a vehicle with his foreign documents.

The same applies to the Russian himself, who moved abroad for a long time, after which he returned back to his homeland. But the nuance is for what purposes this citizen is going to use his car - for his own movement or for work.

Important! According to the new law for migrant drivers No. 196 Art. 25 clause 13 of the Russian Federation dated December 10, 1995, which gained full force from June 1, 2017, an amendment was made to the legislation. At the same time, driving a vehicle using a foreign license is not permitted if the operation is based on entrepreneurial activity (taxi, transportation, etc.). The country also maintains migration registration of foreign citizens.

Driver's license of a foreign citizen

At the same time, this law provides an exception for citizens of Kyrgyzstan, as well as for those states in which Russian is adopted as the official language.

In April 2013, Law No. 92 “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Road Safety” and the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses” was adopted. The latest changes came into force in May 2013. The most recent amendments were introduced in June 2017.

According to Federal Law No. 92, there is a ban on driving a vehicle by foreigners during migration without a driving license obtained in the territory of the Russian Federation. Simply put, a foreign citizen must exchange his driver’s license for a Russian one. The prohibition of the right to drive by an emigrant with a foreign license applies equally to individual entrepreneurs, individuals and legal entities, but under certain circumstances. This law also contains a list of vehicles, when driving which the driving license must be of the appropriate category.

Note! A migrant can obtain a driving license, provided that he passes the required exams. As an option, it is allowed to drive a vehicle with a foreign license, but provided that the driver has a Russian Federation license.

New Law No. 92 establishes a number of restrictions on driving licenses of foreign citizens on the territory of the Russian Federation. For example, for those who work in transportation or are engaged in other entrepreneurial activities, starting from 2017, there is a strict ban. You can read more about this in Art. 25 of the law, paragraph 13. This especially applies to those citizens who transport buses with passengers, courier services, taxis, etc.

Truckers who, in particular, cross the territories of countries, including the Russian Federation, do not need to change their driving license. Such categorical measures were taken by the Government of the Russian Federation after cases of road accidents involving foreigners became more frequent. Statistics showed terrible figures, where up to 70-80% of accidents were caused by migrants. After this, mandatory passing of exams for illegal immigrants in driving schools and re-issue of a driving school was approved.

Citizens of Kyrgyzstan can safely drive a vehicle using their documents. According to Article 25 of the law, paragraph 2, paragraph 13, citizens of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan can also remain with their ID.

This dispute has been going on since 2015. Today, the bill regarding the EAEU countries is in the final stages of approval. The list of contenders includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Driver's license of a citizen of Kyrgyzstan

The changes that have occurred in the new law can be emphasized as follows:

• If the VU does not comply with the standards of the Vienna Convention, movement on the territory of the Russian Federation is strictly prohibited under domestic laws.
• A driver's license for foreign citizens in Russia is subject to mandatory retake and replacement.
• The new law for migrant drivers prohibits driving vehicles that use it for transportation (individuals, etc.).
• They want to limit the validity period for foreign driving licenses on the territory of the Russian Federation to six months, after which you need to go to a driving school and retake a Russian-style driving license.

Note! These are just a few of the listed changes in the new law for foreigners. Details can be found in the contents of Law No. 92.

What does the law say about punishments and fines? For employers who allow foreign workers to work with the same rights obtained abroad, and even more so, not changed within the established time frame, penalties may be applied. In particular, this rule applies to parking spaces (car parks). Fines are applied to them in accordance with Article 12.32.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

Collection occurs in a monetary amount of up to 50 thousand rubles. Internal affairs officials are responsible for collecting penalties from violators in accordance with Article 23.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. An employee who works under foreign rights will also incur administrative liability in accordance with Art. 12.7 part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. The fine can reach from 5 thousand rubles. up to 15 thousand rubles*

Prohibition on driving a vehicle with a foreign license when driving for personal purposes

In principle, a foreign migrant can drive a vehicle for personal purposes on a permanent basis. The exception is if the driver's license does not comply with the Vienna Convention. If this happened, then in Russia such a document will be considered invalid.

For further and unhindered driving of vehicles, the migrant must retake a license according to the Russian model and laws.

Do Russian citizens need to exchange foreign VPs for Russian ones?

This issue is worth looking at from several angles. So, on the one hand, according to Russian laws (Article 25 of the Law on Traffic Safety), citizens of the Russian Federation who do not have domestic licenses can freely use foreign driving licenses. But then, on the other hand, according to clause 6 of Art. 41 of the VK, Russia has the right to prohibit its citizens from driving a vehicle within the territory of the country if they have a foreign license.

Russian driver's license

Important! What does judicial practice say about all this? More often than not, their own citizens are not held accountable. However, many lawyers who are faced with such cases still advise that if you are staying on the territory of the Russian Federation for a long time, you should take care of obtaining a Russian-style temporary residence permit.

Certain rights are provided for foreign citizens residing temporarily in the Russian Federation under a patent. They consist of using their legal position in the state in the form of a patent and a Russian driver’s license.

Validity period for foreigners' identity cards

Migrant drivers who work on the territory of the Russian Federation for driving licenses obtained abroad can easily use them until their full expiration date. There is no exception for those in this rule if a citizen has moved to Moscow for permanent residence or has obtained citizenship. The main condition is that the documents comply with the requirements of the Vienna Convention. Otherwise, the migrant will then face a fine under Article 12.7 Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

Limiting the validity period of the certificate to six months

The issue of the day is a discussion to limit the validity of driver's licenses for foreign citizens to six months from the date of obtaining a residence permit, obtaining Russian citizenship or after the final return to their homeland. This innovation is due to the fact that in other countries the validity period of a temporary residence document significantly exceeds the validity period of Russian documents.

Replacement of driver's license

It turns out that you can come abroad and get a driver’s license for migrants in 2018 for ten, twenty or more years, and then return to Russia and drive like this until old age. Therefore, this issue is being examined very carefully. Thus, it turns out that if the law is nevertheless established and put into effect, then all visiting foreigners will be able to drive on the territory of the Russian Federation for no more than six months for their native driving license, after which they will have to go retake the domestic ones.

Driving in Russia with a foreign license is quite possible, but do not forget that in most cases this is a temporary phenomenon. If a migrant wishes to stay in the country for a long time, or even to obtain Russian citizenship, he will in any case have to apply for a reissue of a driver’s license under Russian laws. Law No. 92 gradually adopts corrective changes. All that remains is to follow them and comply so as not to earn a fine.

*Fines are current as of August 2018.

Michael, Hello.

What country are you a citizen of?

Good afternoon

If I understand correctly, do I need to rent a car from my employer?

Then can I travel with my DDP?

Thank you

The Uzbek rights in the picture also generally comply with the convention (if the fields are filled in or duplicated in Latin).

Good luck on the roads!

I have updated my license until I get a Russian one, so can I use AM rental or car sharing in large cities or is it better to get an International UN license? Thank you!

grdil, Hello.

1. If you rent a car, you will be able to drive this car with a foreign license. And no one will have any questions about the fact that you are working on this machine.

2. Check your rights. If they comply with the Convention, then there should be no problems.

Good luck on the roads!

IRD, the external appearance of the license (those fields that are visible) complies with the requirements of the Convention, that is, with such rights you can drive a car in the Russian Federation.

When it comes to car rental and car sharing, they may have their own requirements. I recommend that you write to these companies and find out if your rights are suitable.

Good luck on the roads!

Hello, Maxim!

Do you think a Russian citizen can legally drive a car in Russia on the basis of a driving license issued by the Kingdom of Thailand?

Thailand is a member of the VC, but the certificate does not contain residence marks or the signature of the owner.

Is it possible to exchange this ID for a Russian one?

Hello! Happy New Year to all! Please tell me the water permit of Kazakhstan, I understand that if the validity period is not set, I won’t be able to change it, but if it’s valid until what time, then I can change it only with retaking the exam but without studying?

Alex1331, Hello.

If a state has signed the Vienna Convention and issued rights that do not meet the requirements of the convention (as in the case you described), then such rights cannot be used. It is also not possible to exchange such rights.

41. Foreign national and international driver's licenses that do not comply with the requirements of international treaties of the Russian Federation in the field of road safety cannot be exchanged for Russian national and international driver's licenses.

If Thailand is now issuing licenses that comply with the convention, then you can first replace the license in Thailand with a modern one, and then exchange it for a Russian one.

Good luck on the roads!

Hello! Happy New Year! Please tell me, can I (a citizen of the Russian Federation permanently residing in Russia) drive a car for non-commercial and commercial purposes in Russia with a driver’s license of the Republic of Uzbekistan (a party to the Vienna Convention)? I have a new driver’s license (since October 2017), which uses the state language in the Latin script. All other information is provided in Russian, Uzbek and English. Thank you very much!

Hello. I know that when you have a foreign license, you can exchange it for a Russian one with the transfer of experience. I have Ukrainian ones with experience. But I already passed my license in Russia without them, since I didn’t have them with me, they were in Ukraine. For obvious reasons, I could not go after them. Now my relatives have brought them to me. Can I exchange them now, already having Russian ones, so that my experience can be transferred?

I am a citizen of the Russian Federation

Rustam, Hello.

From the point of view of the Law "On Road Traffic Safety", a Russian citizen can use foreign licenses that comply with the Vienna Convention, including to work as a driver.

Good luck on the roads!

Denis, Hello.

The issue of transferring experience from a foreign certificate to a Russian one is not considered in regulatory documents. I recommend that you consult the traffic police on this issue.

Good luck on the roads!

Nikolay-195

Good day. Tell me Maxim, I am a citizen of the Russian Federation, my driver’s license is Armenian. Armenia is not on the list of parties to the Vienna Convention mentioned above. But the license meets the requirements.. Can I drive a car with this license? What about personal vehicles, what about for work...? Thank you..

Nikolai, Hello.

Quote from the traffic police clarification dated April 13, 2015 “The State Traffic Inspectorate clarified questions that citizens have about foreign driver’s licenses”:

If the state is not a contracting party to the Vienna Convention, the national driver's license issued by it is also recognized as valid for driving vehicles on the territory of the Russian Federation. Such a driver's license must be presented together with a duly certified translation into Russian (translation is not required if all entries in the driver's license are made or duplicated in letters that coincide in spelling with the letters of the Russian or Latin alphabet).

The exception is national driver's licenses issued by states that do not recognize Russian driver's licenses.

If your certificate meets the requirements of the convention, then all entries in it are duplicated in Latin letters. Those. it can be used in the Russian Federation.

Good luck on the roads!

Hello! I am a citizen of the Russian Federation and Tajikistan, my license was obtained in Tajikistan, category CE. Can I work as a driver of heavy vehicles in the Russian Federation with these rights? And if not, can I replace them by passing the traffic police exams without going to a driving school?

Dmitry80

Good afternoon! I received Russian citizenship in Latvia in 2009, I also received a driver’s license in Latvia in 2000, I moved to permanent residence in the Russian Federation, can I change my driver’s license to the Russian version? Thank you in advance!

Timur, Hello.

1. A citizen of the Russian Federation can use a foreign license when working as a driver. However, be prepared for the fact that traffic police officers will often have questions and you will have to prove your own case (possibly in court).

2. If the certificate meets the requirements of the Vienna Convention, then it can be replaced with a Russian one. To do this, you need to pass exams; you don’t need to study at a driving school.

Good luck on the roads!

Dmitriy, Hello.

If the certificate complies with the requirements of the Vienna Convention (or the version of the convention in force at the time of issue), then it can be replaced with a Russian one.

Good luck on the roads!

Alexander-756

I am a citizen of the Russian Federation! I flew to Kyrgyzstan and studied at the bc category!

Can I drive on the territory of the Russian Federation with a Kyrgyz license outside of commercial purposes???

Alexander, Kyrgyzstan has not signed the Vienna Convention. Your ID can only be used if all entries in it are made in letters of the Russian or Latin alphabet. Or you need to make a certified translation of it.

Good luck on the roads!

Hello! I received Russian citizenship in 2011, (formerly a citizen of Kazakhstan) I did not change my driver’s license! Now I’m busy replacing it, I contacted several traffic police departments, they say that my driver’s license does not fit the Vienna Convention, I received the driver’s license for the first time in Kazakhstan in 2007, the license is in three languages, the difference from the new model is that the fourth section of the license does not have letters like a) b) c) d) ! A friend exchanged the same rights in 2011 without any questions asked. There were some changes to the Vienna Convention that had an impact! Or was there no signing of the VC with Kazakhstan in 2007? And if it is still possible to exchange, then what should I refer to? And if in 2007 Kazakhstan was part of the Vienna Convention, then can I refer to the wording of the convention that was in force at the time of issuance of the license.

Unfortunately, I do not know in what year Kazakhstan signed the convention.

Good luck on the roads!

Good afternoon

Please answer my question. The question follows after the above.

Based on what is stated in the information material “Foreign driver’s license for a citizen of the Russian Federation,” we can confidently conclude that being a citizen of the Russian Federation and having a foreign driver’s license, a citizen is allowed to drive a vehicle on the territory of the Russian Federation. To be guided by paragraph 12 of Article 25 of the Federal Law of December 10, 1995 N 196-FZ (as amended on December 27, 2018), you might think that it is possible, but these concepts (temporarily staying, temporarily residing and permanent resident) are in the Federal Law of July 25, 2002 N 115 -FZ ((as amended on December 27, 2018) “On the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation” (as amended and supplemented, entered into force on January 16, 2019)) in the second article are interpreted differently:

A foreign citizen temporarily staying in the Russian Federation is a person who arrived in the Russian Federation on the basis of a visa or in a manner that does not require a visa, and who received a migration card, but does not have a residence permit or temporary residence permit;

A foreign citizen temporarily residing in the Russian Federation is a person who has received a temporary residence permit;

A foreign citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation is a person who has received a residence permit;

Recently, I contacted the traffic police department regarding this issue, but the answer was negative. The official said that if I am a citizen of the Russian Federation, then I am not allowed to drive a vehicle with a foreign driver’s license. They were guided by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of October 24, 2014 N 1097 (as amended on August 14, 2018)

"On permission to drive vehicles." But, by what point and what paragraph, I did not understand them well enough. And some other regulatory act.

In one judicial practice, it was stated “The provisions of the above legal norms, which allow driving a vehicle in the Russian Federation on the basis of a foreign national driver’s license, are not applicable to it, since they apply to foreign citizens temporarily staying in the Russian Federation.” The following arguments were also given:

Paragraph 7 of the Convention provides that the provisions of Article 41 of the Convention do not oblige the Contracting Parties:

a) recognize as valid national or international driving licenses issued in the territory of another State to persons who had their usual place of residence in their territory at the time of issue of that driving license or who transferred their usual place of residence to their territory after the issue of that license;

b) recognize the validity of the above-mentioned driving licenses issued to drivers whose usual place of residence at the time of issue of the licenses was not in the territory where the licenses were issued, or who changed their place of residence after the issue of the licenses to another territory.

What should you use when explaining to a traffic police officer that these concepts (or categories of citizens) in paragraph 12 of Art. Do 25 also apply to citizens of the Russian Federation?

tutor, Hello.

All points of regulatory documents related to the situation are given in. An example of a successful appeal of a fine is given in.

If you are not sure that, based on the information provided, you will be able to prove that you are right to the traffic police officers and the judge, then it is better to replace your driver’s license with a Russian one.

Good luck on the roads!

Russian citizen.

There are international rights issued in Hong Kong on the basis of local rights in Hong Kong for a period of 1 year

In national Russian driving licenses, only category B is open.

Is it possible to drive a motorcycle in Russia on the basis of such a set of rights?

Clause 12 of Article 25 of the Federal Law "On Road Safety":

12. Persons permanently or temporarily residing or temporarily staying on the territory of the Russian Federation are allowed to drive vehicles on the basis of Russian national driver’s licenses, and in the absence of such- on the basis of foreign national or international driver’s licenses, subject to the restrictions specified in paragraph 13 of this article.

You have a Russian national ID, so you cannot use foreign rights in the Russian Federation.

If you want to drive a motorcycle, then you should use the Russian one.

Good luck on the roads!

Hello, Maxim!

Please tell me:

I am a citizen of the Russian Federation. I have been living in Kazakhstan for several years on the basis of temporary registration (each time I register for 1 year under an employment contract)

I have a Russian car license (2017) and a fresh Kazakh car and motorcycle license (2018).

Hello, dear readers! Ilya Kulik is with you again!

Most states limit the possibility of using foreign driver's licenses on their territory, forcing their guests to replace their licenses with local ones over time.

The Russian Federation, unlike other countries, allows foreigners to drive vehicles in its territory without exchanging their identification. Nevertheless, the ban on foreign driving licenses in Russia is partially in effect. I propose to find out for whom it was introduced and what punishment faces those who travel with an invalid document. Go!

Yes! According to Art. 25 of the Law “On Road Traffic Safety” (hereinafter referred to as the Road Traffic Safety Act), foreigners in the absence of (VP) can use national driver’s licenses (NDL) issued in the territory of another state to travel around Russia.

To avoid any problems using a DDP obtained abroad, you must be sure that this document meets the requirements of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic 1968.

According to Annex 6 of the Vienna Agreement, the DDP must be produced in the form of a plastic or paper card and contain the following information:

• Document's name in the national language of the issuing country.
• Name and the owner's last name.
• Date of birth. The place of birth may be indicated based on the local specifics of the country where the document was issued.
• Date of issue and expiration date. In some states, the expiration date of the DDP is not always indicated. Such a certificate is not accepted in Russia.
• Number NVU.
• Photo and owner's signature.
• Vehicle categories, the right to drive is granted to the bearer of the certificate. It is advisable that the expiration date of the rights to a particular category be also indicated.

If you have an old-style DDP, then it is also suitable for traveling within the territory of Russia. But in order for representatives of the State Traffic Inspectorate not to have questions, it is necessary that the license issued in another country be accompanied by or.

Russian citizens are also not directly prohibited from driving vehicles on the territory of their native country with foreign VPs, although there may be nuances here. We'll talk about them in more detail later.

Prohibition on driving in Russia with a foreign license during labor and entrepreneurial activities

The introduction of a ban on the use of foreign VPs for work has been discussed for a long time.

Law No. 92-FZ, which actually introduced restrictions on driving with a DDP from other states, was adopted back in 2013 and even then contained a rule on the need to replace the DP with Russian ones. But the entry into force of this norm was delayed for a long time for various reasons. It was put into effect, as we know, in June 2017.

Until June 1, 2017, driving vehicles (VVs) with foreign VPs that complied with the Vienna Convention was permitted under any circumstances. With the entry into force of paragraph. 38 clause 2 art. 1 of Law No. 92-FZ, which supplemented Art. 25 of the Traffic Safety Inspectorate, paragraph 13, everything has become somewhat more complicated.

Important! Since June 2017, driving a vehicle on a foreign VP is not allowed if driving a car is related to business or work activity (Clause 13, Article 25 of the Road Traffic Regulations). Bus drivers, couriers, taxi drivers, truck drivers and other citizens working with transportation must do this if this has not been done previously.

Attention! Drivers involved in international transport or transiting through Russia do not need to exchange VP.

Why was a ban on driving a car without a Russian license introduced?

The need for change is caused by the large number of car accidents caused by migrants. Thus, the Scientific Center for Road Safety of the Ministry of Internal Affairs claims that about 30% of accidents are committed by foreigners.

Migrants, according to experts, feel unpunished on Russian roads, especially for taxi drivers with foreign license plates. In addition, it is impossible to verify the legality of their receipt of driver's licenses.

In view of this, it was decided to oblige foreigners wishing to work in the transportation industry to undergo additional testing on their knowledge of traffic rules and the ability to drive a vehicle.

The deputies were convinced of the correctness of their actions immediately after signing Law No. 92 of 05/07/2013. In July 2013, a major accident occurred in the Moscow region, the culprit of which was an illegal immigrant from Armenia, Hrachya Harutyunyan. Due to his failure to comply with traffic rules, 18 people died.

Of course, I would like to believe that the ban on the use of foreign VPs will really improve the accident rate situation. But we must not forget about other purposes of making such a decision:

• Budget replenishment. It is no secret that obtaining a VP is a paid event. In addition, the ban on foreign VP is prescribed in the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. This means that more fines will be issued.
• Reducing the number of migrants. Getting new VPs scares many visitors. In addition, the absence of a Russian DDP is a reason for their legal dismissal due to circumstances beyond the control of the parties. Thus, on June 1, Mosgortrans fired about three hundred drivers due to lack of documents. By the way, here is another reason for you to replenish the treasury. Instead of migrants, we need to take ordinary Russians, whose salaries are almost twice as high as those of newcomers. And this, in turn, leads to an increase in the tax base.
• Transfer of taxi drivers to individual entrepreneurship. Taxi companies have begun to impose stricter requirements on candidate employees. It is planned that many drivers will now work for themselves.

For citizens of which countries is there no ban on driving a vehicle with a foreign driver?

The introduction of a ban on the use of foreign VP, although expected, caused concern among many. In order not to unnecessarily escalate the situation, the Russian authorities were forced to make certain concessions, allowing friendly nations not to replace their native DDPs.

Attention! In July 2017 in Art. 25 of the Law on Road Traffic Safety introduced amendments allowing citizens of states where Russian is considered the official language to continue to drive vehicles with non-Russian VPs. These drivers are also allowed to engage in entrepreneurial and labor activities related to transportation.

The exchange of VP is not strictly mandatory for citizens of Kyrgyzstan. As for Russian-speaking countries, the Road Traffic Regulations say something about them somewhat vaguely, but from the wording of paragraph 2 of paragraph 13 of Article 25 we can conclude that replacing a DDP is also optional for representatives of the following states:

• Russia.
• Belarus (the right of Belarusians to leave their VPs is also confirmed by Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 29 of June 16, 2017).
• Kazakhstan.

The Russian language is also used in partially recognized states - Abkhazia, South Ossetia, LPR, DPR and Transnistria. The problem is that Russia has not yet recognized the last three state entities at all.

By the way, the non-profit partnership “Guild of Driving Schools” and the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate itself have a negative attitude towards such concessions. If in Belarus driving schools provide really good knowledge and fight against the illegal sale of driver’s licenses, then in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan there are certain problems. Licenses are often purchased there, and education in driving schools leaves much to be desired.

As the results of the first exams in the Russian Federation showed, more than half of those tested did not pass the test the first time, which indicates their rather low knowledge of traffic rules, and this is unacceptable for professional drivers.

Will citizens of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) be allowed not to exchange ID cards?

The issue of the possibility of exempting EAEU citizens from the need to replace their DDPs with Russian ones was considered back in 2015. At that time, the deputies did not come to an agreement.

Now the State Duma again wants to allow immigrants from the EAEU countries to manage vehicles in their native EP. There is also a corresponding draft law on amendments to Art. 25 Traffic Safety Regulations.

In the text of the project it is proposed to replace in paragraph. 2 clause 13 art. 25 of the Law on Road Traffic Safety from the words “citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic” to “citizens of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union”.

The project is now at the stage of forming the final version of the document text.

Let me remind you that at the beginning of 2018, the EAEU includes, in addition to Russia:

• Armenia.
• Belarus.
• Kazakhstan.
• Kyrgyzstan.

There are plans to expand the community in the future.

Punishment for non-compliance with prohibition rules

For four years, while Law No. 92 was marinating in the State Duma, the Russian authorities hoped that the owners of vehicle fleets would take care of their charges and would start registering Russian DDPs. This, as expected, did not happen.

However, employers have now been punished for allowing foreigners to work with temporary residence permits obtained in another country. Regulates bringing the management of vehicle fleets to justice Art. 12.32.1 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

Allowing citizens to work under foreign temporary employment risks a fine of 50 thousand rubles. Officials of the internal affairs bodies are brought to justice for the perpetrators (Article 23.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

The employee himself for driving a vehicle with a foreign DDP while performing his job function is also fined 5-15 thousand rubles. on the basis of Part 1 of Art. 12.7 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

Prohibition on driving a vehicle with a foreign license when driving for personal purposes

For personal purposes, driving a vehicle with a foreign DDP is always permitted. The exception is the case when the VP does not comply with the requirements of the Vienna Convention. A driving document in such a situation is considered invalid in Russia.

To be able to drive a vehicle, the holder of an invalid license must graduate from a driving school in Russia, going through the procedure for obtaining a driver’s license from start to finish.

Do Russian citizens need to exchange foreign VPs for Russian ones?

An ambiguous situation has developed with Russian citizens residing permanently on the territory of the Russian Federation.

On the one hand, in the absence of a Russian DDP, they can use a foreign one on the basis of Art. 25 Traffic Safety Regulations. There is also no direct ban on driving without a Russian driver's license for citizens of the Russian Federation in any regulatory act.

On the other hand, in paragraph 6 of Art. 41 of the Vienna Convention states that states have the right to prevent their residents from using VP received abroad.

Judicial practice on this issue is contradictory. Most often, of course, Russians are not held accountable for driving with foreign VPs. But it happens the other way around.

For example, in one of the courts in St. Petersburg in 2016, they confirmed the need to impose a fine on a citizen of the Russian Federation who was driving a vehicle with a German DDP for not having a driver’s license issued in Russia.

Justification - a citizen of the Russian Federation is not a person temporarily or permanently staying in Russia, and clause 12 of Art. 25 of the Road Traffic Regulations allows only these entities to drive a vehicle with a foreign DDP. A citizen must have a VP issued in his home country.

Although we do not have case law in our state, this case is not an isolated one. I advise you, when moving to Russia for a long time, to take care of obtaining a local VP.

Validity period for foreigners' identity cards

Unlike other European countries, in Russia it is allowed to drive vehicles with foreign VPs until their expiration dates. This applies even to those who moved to the Russian Federation for permanent residence or received citizenship. The main thing is that the DDP issued in another country meets the requirements of the Vienna Convention, otherwise you will be fined under Part 1 of Art. 12.7 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

Attention! You can often find information online that foreign VPs need to be replaced within 2 months after moving to Russia for permanent residence, since after 60 days it will be impossible to drive a vehicle with a non-Russian license. No! This provision was removed from the legislation at the end of 2014.

Limiting the validity period of the certificate to six months

A bill is currently under consideration to limit the validity of non-Russian temporary residence permits to six months from the moment of obtaining a residence permit, obtaining citizenship or returning citizens of the Russian Federation to their homeland for permanent residence.

The need for such an innovation is due to the fact that DDPs from other states are often issued for a period much longer than the validity period of Russian DPs.

It turns out that anyone can go to another country and get a driving document there not for 10 years, like ours, but for 30 or 50, and then return with it to Russia and drive with this certificate until old age. Agree, this is not fair. The bill is precisely aimed at preventing such a situation.

If this project comes into force, it turns out that Russian guests from the Eurasian Economic Union will be allowed to work with foreign VPs for only 6 months, after which they will need to exchange their ID for a Russian one.

Other guests of the country who will move to the Russian Federation for a long time will also have to replace their temporary residence permit within six months, regardless of where they plan to work.

Let's sum it up

• It is prohibited in the Russian Federation travel with a non-Russian DDP that does not comply with the 1968 Vienna Convention.
• A ban has been introduced since 2017 on the use of foreign temporary residence permits by migrants who work in transportation.
• The ban on the use of foreign VP does not apply in relation to transportation workers, if they are citizens of Belarus or Kyrgyzstan. Other migrants must have Russian DDPs, otherwise they will be fined.
• Planned Allow citizens of the EAEU countries to drive vehicles for work.
• Validity period of a foreign DDP unlimited, but it is planned to reduce it to 6 months, after which visitors who do not replace their VP with Russian ones will be fined.

Conclusion

For today, that's all I wanted to tell you. If you have any information on the topic discussed, be sure to leave your comments.

Good luck to everyone on the roads! See you again on the blog pages!

Images for the article were taken from here: https://www.drive2.ru/r/acura/163