On April 1, 2024, Federal Law No. 313-FZ of July 10, 2023, came into effect, limiting the use of foreign driver’s licenses in Russia (details in our previous news).
Under the new rules, foreign nationals who obtain Russian citizenship or a residence permit may only use their national driver’s licenses for one year after acquiring their new status.
For those who received a residence permit or Russian citizenship before April 1, 2024, the grace period expires on April 1, 2025. After this date, driving with a foreign license will be considered a violation and will result in a fine under Article 12.7, Part 1 of the Administrative Code (5,000 to 15,000 rubles).
Russian and Belarusian citizens holding Belarusian-issued driver’s licenses are exempt - their documents remain valid indefinitely. Foreign nationals without a residence permit or Russian citizenship, as well as temporary visitors, may continue driving with foreign or international licenses without time restrictions.
Those who obtained a residence permit or Russian citizenship after April 1, 2024, must replace their licenses within one year of status change. The same applies to Russian citizens who entered the country after this date - their foreign licenses are valid for one year from entry.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, over 400,000 people have already exchanged their licenses for Russian ones.
For more information, please contact the consultants of the Confidence Group company.
* The texts of the newsletters are intellectual property of Confidence Group, protected by the copyright laws of Russia. The information may not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without linking to this web site or to pages of this website.
