New Russian rights abroad. What kind of driving license can you drive abroad with?

Traveling by car is a tempting and comfortable event. First, there is no link to public transport, secondly, you can plan your own route and stops along the way. It is easy to rent a car even abroad. But here the question becomes relevant, in which countries do Russian driver license? This topic requires a separate scrupulous consideration.

At present, there are only two types driving documents:

• national - allow you to manage vehicle on the territory of their state;
• international - issued for use on the territory of foreign powers.

It is possible to answer the question of which Russian driver's licenses are valid abroad only in the context of the official documents that regulate this. In particular, we are talking about the Geneva and Vienna conventions.

So, all countries on our planet today can be divided into three groups:

• those who have signed the Vienna Convention;
• those who signed the Geneva Treaty;
• those who did not support any of them.

Accordingly, based on which of the documents the country of visit has joined, it will depend on which driver's license is valid abroad.

States that have not signed any of the conventions recognize only their certificates. This means that it will be possible to drive a car in their open spaces only after the driver passes the relevant exams and receives a local document. There are, of course, exceptions when you can use your national document with a translation attached to it. But before going to such a state, it is better to find out everything in detail.

The signatories of the Geneva Convention of 1949 agreed that in their territories they recognize certificates of international standard. In this case, you can safely take a driver's license to travel abroad and not be afraid that you will not be understood or fined.

The most pleasant category of countries for Russian drivers is the one that includes the participants in the Vienna Convention. This is due to the fact that they recognize any certificates of national and international standard within their borders. The main thing is that they meet the established standards. At the same time, an international document must certainly be supported by a national one, on the basis of which it, in fact, was issued.

It should be noted that in 2006 the format of the driver's license, which is recognized in other countries, was changed. Mandatory requirement is now the numbering of all lines present in the document. After the changes were made, the countries participating in the Vienna Treaty were given 5 years (until 2011) to bring all driver's documents in line.

It would be useful to know that Russian state remained unaffected by this requirement. Received a driver's license new form. To date, documents issued before 2011 remain valid in other countries, if their validity period has not yet expired.

Most often, drivers ask the question, are Russian driver's licenses valid in Europe? The answer is definitely yes. But in 2014, the European community expressed some distrust of the rights claimed by Russians on European roads. According to human rights activists, the Europeans do not like the absence of an inscription-decoding on the Russian title of the document. English language. If earlier in the form under the phrase "Driver's license" the French analogue of this phrase was placed, today there is no translation at all.

In this regard, the European police demand that Russian document accompanied by the rights of international standard. How legitimate such a requirement is, opinions differed. On the one hand, the absence of an inscription contradicts the document adopted in Europe, and on the other hand, the Vienna Convention assumes that national rights are also subject to recognition.

From all of the above, in the context of the question, what kind of driver's license is needed in Europe for Russians, we can draw the following conclusions:

Paragraph 1 of article 41 of the Vienna Convention of 1968 states that all parties that have signed the agreement can freely accept foreign-style driver's licenses as a legally binding document. Thus, answering the question in which countries the Russian driver's license is valid, we can say with confidence that in those that have joined this convention.

The only condition is that they must be issued in the territory of the state of their citizenship and remain valid at the time of departure abroad. To better understand the situation, here is a table of signatories of the two conventions mentioned above:

What are international rights

An International Driving Permit is a standard supplement to national driving licenses that is valid in most countries of the world and must be presented in states that have signed the Geneva Convention.

This document is issued solely on the basis of existing rights to drive a vehicle. To do this, you just need to submit an application and the necessary package of papers to the traffic police. There are no additional exams to take. But you still have to provide a certificate confirming the completion of training at a driver's school.

Things to remember: Russian law have a validity period of 10 years, but international ones can remain valid for only 3 years, after which they must be replaced. Moreover, if the main - Russian - document is lost or loses its legitimacy, the rights to drive the vehicle abroad will also become invalid.

Beginner autotourist: in which countries do you need an international driver's license Watch for rights: fine for an expired license in 2017

Having a driver's license confirms that its owner has the right to drive a vehicle. To travel by car in some foreign countries valid national driver's license. However, a number of countries may require the presentation of an international driving licence. Therefore, before you travel anywhere, you need to find out which countries require an international driver's license.

The International Driving Permit (IDP) is an A6 booklet with a gray cover. This document has been translated into 11 different languages. The International Driving Permit is actually a translation national ID and valid only when presented together with it.

An IDL is issued, taking into account all the requirements of the International Convention on road traffic.

Where international law applies

There are currently two documents international level which regulate the use of driver's licenses:

• the first document is the International Convention on Road Traffic, signed in 1949 in Geneva. Countries requiring an international driver's license have signed this agreement;
• the second document is the International Convention on Road Traffic, signed in 1968 in Vienna. When driving a vehicle on the territory of the states that have signed this agreement, it is enough to have an unexpired national driver's license, which is issued for a certain number of years.

The table clearly indicates in which countries an international driving license is valid. But still, before starting a trip, it is better to clarify information about how things really are. The absence of an IDL entails at least the payment of a decent amount of a fine, or you will not be able to rent a car in a certain country.

There is a lot of discussion about whether an international driver's license is needed in Italy. According to the table, given country allows its guests to use national rights, but in practice there are many misunderstandings with local police officers. Therefore, in order not to get into an unpleasant situation and not spoil the rest, it is better to clarify the information in advance.

Often modern travelers prefer to rent a car in Greece for independent movement around the country. Whether you need an international driving license in Greece, you can find out before you start traveling at the police station in your country. However, as the practice and experience of some drivers shows, it is still more reliable to obtain and take international driving license with you. Having such a document, you will be able to drive without restrictions and not be afraid of a police patrol.

Many of its guests prefer to travel around Spain behind the wheel. Before you hit the road, it is important to figure out if you need an international or national driver's license in Spain. Such information can be searched on various forums on the Internet, however, the answers and advice are ambiguous. But in the event of any incident, in any case, you will turn out to be a violator as a person without the necessary document.

Many travel enthusiasts various countries by car they find out if an international driver's license is needed in Croatia. This country has signed the Vienna Convention and allows you to drive a vehicle on its territory with a regular national certificate. However, this document must also meet modern requirements, so it is more reliable to acquire an IDP.

Attention! Due to recent changes in legislation, the legal information in this article may be out of date!

Our lawyer can advise you free of charge - write a question in the form below:

Experienced motorists often prefer to travel to foreign countries in their own vehicle. The ability to independently adjust the number of stops to view certain sights guarantees only a pleasant travel experience. However positive emotions can spoil the inspection of documents by the inspector if he finds that the driver's license does not comply with the law. Therefore, each driver needs to know in which countries a Russian driver's license is valid, and where international ones are required.

Russian documents that allow you to drive a car on the territory of our state are national driving licenses (NAP) of the old and new models. The old format of the certificate, which was issued before 2011, is valid until the end of its term (clause 8 of the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation of May 13, 2009 No. 365 “On the introduction of a driver’s license”). The new Russian plastic rights, unlike the previous versions of the document, in all respects comply with today's requirements of international standards.

Abroad, depending on the host country, national and international driving licenses are valid. A driver's license for traveling abroad should be selected based on the type of document you have:

A driver's license of a new format, recognized by many foreign countries, gives the right not only to travel by car, but also to rent a car in the host country without any problems.

In states that recognize the NAP of Russia, even large multinational rental companies will provide you with the car of interest for rent (subject to their requirements for driver age and driving experience). You can book a car and clarify additional requirements for the driver in advance on the Hertz website or the Avis Rent web portal.

Features of the legal application of Russian rights abroad

As mentioned above, there are countries that have signed international treaties, and countries that do not participate in any of the agreements regarding the recognition of certain auto rights on their territory. Each case has its own nuances:

1. Vienna convention. The main document, according to which Russian rights allow you to freely drive abroad, is the Convention on Road Traffic, signed in Vienna on November 8, 1968. According to Art. 41 of this convention, the participating countries recognize any national driver's licenses and international rights presented simultaneously with domestic ones. The agreement also determines which driver's license is valid abroad, and establishes clear requirements for the document (Appendix 6 to the Vienna Convention). Yes, by international standards Russian NAPs were developed, a sample of which was approved by the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of May 13, 2009 No. 365 “On the Enforcement of a Driver’s License”.

   However, it should be taken into account that not all signatory states have ratified (officially recognized) the Vienna Agreement (see the table below). Most European countries have ratified the convention, but there are exceptions.

2. Geneva Convention. The Convention on Road Traffic was signed on 19 September 1949 in Geneva. Many of the States parties to this agreement still use the established agreements, although the document is canceled by article 48 of the Vienna Convention. At the same time, the Geneva Treaty requires denunciation (an official one-year notice from the UN Secretary-General of its termination), which has not been carried out, which leaves the convention in force.

   The countries that signed the agreement in 1949 (see table below) only recognize international driving licenses on their territory. At the same time, international rights are valid in the presence of NAP. Consequently, in such countries, Russian certificates of both the old and the new format can only be used in conjunction with international ones.

3. Lack of participation in international conventions. States that have not been parties to any international agreements consider valid car rights issued on the territory of their country. Driving with the NAP of Russia here will be a violation of the Rules of the Road and is punished according to the requirements of local legislation. Which Russian driver's licenses are valid abroad, depending on the country's participation in the Vienna or Geneva Conventions, is described in the table.

Department of the Customs Union for national rights of the Russian Federation in foreign countries

States parties to the Vienna Convention that have ratified the agreement are highlighted in red.

Using this table, it is easy to determine in which countries Russian driver's licenses of the new and old format are valid, however, in some cases, for example, in United Arab Emirates, contrary to the validity of the agreements, are not accepted by the NAP of Russia without an international car certificate.

In the UAE, you can rent a car only if you have international rights, and in the event of an accident, a driver with a Russian license is not officially entitled to sign the report.

At the same time, in the CIS countries where Russian driving licenses are valid, according to the Vienna Convention (even if the states have not ratified the agreement on their territory), driving and temporarily using a car with a new type of NAP is permissible.

Do I need to apply for an international car license?

Paragraph 8 of Art. 25 of the Federal Law "On Road Safety" of December 10, 1995 FZ-No. 196 (as amended on July 3, 2016) regulates the issuance of international rights for a period of not more than three years. They are legitimate only during the period of the Russian NAP. Driving a vehicle on the territory of the Russian Federation under international auto rights is unacceptable and is punishable by an administrative penalty. Driving abroad with this type of document also requires a national driver's license.

The need to obtain international rights is due to the internal laws of the country in which it is planned to travel by car. If you have read the list of states recognizing the NAP, studied the peculiarities of traffic in the country and are still not sure about the legal use of a Russian certificate, it is better to issue an international one in the prescribed manner.

How to get an International Driving License - International Driving Permit: Video

One of the most common questions asked by car travelers who are planning to rent a car abroad “Do you need international driving license?”. Let's try to give a detailed answer to this question. If you have no time to read the details, you can scroll to the last two paragraphs. However, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the features in order to have a complete understanding and be prepared for all situations related to a driver's license when renting a car.

Are Russian driving licenses suitable for car rental abroad?

Over the past 10 years in Russia, driver's licenses, or as they are commonly called "rights", have been changed three times. But in all cases, the right is a laminated plastic card the size of a business card containing information about the driver. Until 2014, the heading "DRIVER'S LICENSE" was duplicated in French by the phrase "PERMIS DE CONDUIRE" on the rights.

Why French and not English? The fact is that in 1968 the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic was signed. According to it, countries that are members of this convention agree to accept driver's licenses, including allowing drivers from these countries to drive rental cars. Russia also signed this document, so Russian driving licenses must be accepted in all countries participating in the convention. And the inscription "PERMIS DE CONDUIRE" appeared because at that time French considered international along with English.

List of countries that have signed the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic: Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Brazil, Great Britain, Hungary, Venezuela, Guyana, Ghana, Germany, Herzegovina, Greece, Georgia, Denmark, Zaire, Zimbabwe , Israel, Indonesia, Iran, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Morocco, Mexico, Monaco, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal , Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Romania, San Marino, Seychelles, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, Philippines, Finland, France, Croatia, CAR, Czech Republic, Chile, Sweden, Ecuador, Estonia, South Africa, Yugoslavia.

Of those countries that have not signed the Vienna Convention, the most popular are the Netherlands, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta. In these countries, you need to present an International Driving Permit.

What is international law?

International law (IDP) in Russia is called a light blue booklet, which describes all the data on the driver in eight languages ​​of the world. In other words, this is something like a certified translation of your Russian driver's license with a signature and seal.

IDPs have at least two features that you need to be aware of. Firstly, the IDP not an independent document, but an annex to national laws. Therefore, IDPs are invalid without presenting a Russian driver's license. The second feature is that IDPs are valid for only three years from the date of issue. After three years, they must be received again.

How and where to apply for international law?

You can make an IDP at any traffic police department in your city. To do this, you need to provide them with the following set of documents.

• Application for an International Driving Permit
• national passport
• Medical certificate of the established form (form 083 / y-89)
• Russian national ID
• Receipt of payment of state duty in the amount of 1000 rubles
• Matte photo size 35×45 mm

It usually takes 20 minutes to an hour to make an IDP, and finished document will be handed over to you on the same day.

So do you need an international license to rent a car?

Against the background of all of the above, we can conclude that in countries that have signed the Vienna Convention, IDPs are optional and it is enough to present a Russian driver's license. Our experience, and the experience of our colleagues, shows that in 90% of cases this will be the case.

But in some cases, employees of rental companies may ask for something other than Russian rights. Explain to them that our VU in the form of a plastic card should be recognized in their country sometimes to no avail. And in the Netherlands, for example, it is not allowed, since this country only recognizes IDPs.

Some rental offices prescribe the need to own an IDP in. And the local police may also require you to present an IDP. In some countries, you may be fined for driving without an IDL.

New Russian driver's license without the inscription "Permis de conduire"

Since 2014, Russia has begun issuing a different type of driver's license with new categories. But, along with this, the line “PERMIS DE CONDUIRE” disappeared in the new rights, only the designation of the document in Russian remained. In other words, a person who does not know the Russian language may not even know what kind of document they are shown.

Rumor has it that this was done on purpose in order to increase the percentage of issuance of international driving permits. After all, for obtaining an IDL you need to pay a state duty, and this must be done once every three years.

Summary

Do you need international rights? Theoretically, in the countries-participants of the convention IDP is not needed. Although there is a small fraction of the likelihood that employees of rental offices will be asked to show something other than Russian rights. And if you want to rent a car in the Netherlands or Cyprus, then without an IDP you will not be given the keys. Plus possible problems with the police and the insurance company. Therefore, our answer to the main question of the article is as follows: it is better to issue an IDP and not take risks. Fortunately it is relatively inexpensive.

life hack

And finally, advice from the Rentcarus portal. According to Russian laws, an IDL is issued for 3 years. But those who will issue you a car on an IDP abroad are unlikely to look at the validity period. Therefore, you can issue an IDP, and every three years, carefully correct the figure with the year of validity of the document to a higher value. It is best to do this with a simple pencil so that the edit is not noticeable. For example, the numbers 0 and 5 are nicely converted into the number 8 🙂 This way you will not have to satisfy the greed of those who came up with a three-year term for the IDP. And why not make an IDP for the duration of national rights, right?

Russian motorists, going on vacation to Europe and other countries, quite often travel in their own vehicle. A car is not only convenient for traveling abroad: it allows you to reduce the costs associated with excursion trips. In addition, personal transport does not bind vacationers, allowing them to go to see the next attraction at the most appropriate time.

Despite the high attractiveness of travel on own car, it can create a number of problems. In particular, before driving, drivers need to decide on what rights they can drive in Europe and in other countries.

International certificate

Driver's license comes in two formats:

1. National. This document is issued by the relevant authorities state power and allows you to drive a vehicle only on Russian territory.
2. International. They are issued only in the form of a small A6 book. With such rights, you can drive in countries that have signed the Vienna and / or Geneva Conventions.

The certificate of the international format of 2017 is an addition to the Russian driver's license. This document contains all necessary information about a particular driver.

An international driving license abroad will be valid subject to the following conditions:

• they are presented simultaneously with the national certificate;
• the number of international rights coincides with the number of national ones.

The certificate of the international format is not valid on the territory of Russia. Its validity period is three years, calculated from the date of receipt.

How to get an MDL?

To obtain international rights, you must contact the territorial department of the traffic police and provide:

• receipt of payment of state duty;
• application for a new certificate;
• Russian law;
• a certificate from a medical institution;
• Russian passport.

To obtain an international certificate, you do not need to retake the exam.

IDL contain information about the authority that issued the document, its validity period, number and series of national rights. It is also mandatory to have a round seal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. On the inside there is a list of vehicles the driver has permission to drive. The third sheet is reserved for personal information about the driver. All information is entered both by hand (in writing) and by means of a typewriter in Latin.

It is important to note that now there is a belief that Russian national rights, made in the form of a plastic card, are valid in Europe and abroad. From point of view international law they are no different from the certificates issued earlier. Accordingly, they are not valid abroad.

Why is an MDL issued?

According to the terms of the Vienna Convention, all driving licenses must be issued within a certain standard.

If we approach this issue from a formal point of view, then the current Russian rights meet these requirements and, accordingly, they can be used without issuing an IDP.

In fact, the situation looks a little different:

1. For example, in a number of countries laws have been adopted, according to which citizens of foreign countries are required to provide an international driver's license to rent a car. Information from this document must be indicated in the car insurance contract.
2. In addition, in some countries, the police do not accept Russian rights as a document on the basis of which the driver is allowed to drive the vehicle. Therefore, in the case of proceedings with inspectors, if the motorist does not provide an IDL, then he faces a fine in an amount equal to the punishment provided for driving without a certificate. In addition, the rights of the international format are sometimes required when applying for a visa to the host country.

The foregoing means that an IDL will be required even if a person is sent to the territory of a state that has signed the Vienna Convention.

About the Vienna Convention

The Vienna Convention defines a specific list of requirements for the format of a driver's license. Accordingly, the countries that have signed this document guarantee that if a motorist uses a license that meets these requirements, he can freely move by car in the territory of the signatory state.

In 2006, a number of changes were adopted to the existing provisions of the Vienna Convention. In Russia, since 2011, an IDL has been issued in a new format that meets all the new requirements. At the same time, the signatory states recognize the old documents as valid, provided that the deadline for their replacement has not come up.

The Vienna Convention, drawn up back in 1968, provides for the division of vehicles into several categories. In particular, category B includes cars, the total weight of which does not exceed 3.5 tons, and the number seats equal to or less than eight.

It is important to note that, for example, if you have a driving license of category B or higher, the motorist does not have the right to drive a motorcycle.

How to be in other countries?

As for the Geneva Convention, the countries that have signed it recognize their international driving licenses as valid.

In cases where you plan to travel to the territory of a state that has not signed any of the documents listed above, then you will need to pass the appropriate exam to drive the vehicle.

Almost all European countries are among the signatories of the Vienna Convention. However, before going abroad, it is necessary to clarify whether the rights of the international format are valid in a particular state. For example, in Ukraine, Russian motorists can travel on national rights, while in the USA or Cyprus an IDL will be required.

In any case, before traveling abroad, it is recommended to issue or renew an international driving license.

Video about international driving license