International driver's license and national driving license

Regulations regarding international driver's licenses and national driver's licenses

Currently, foreigners who wish to operate vehicles on Vietnamese territory must be familiar with the regulations regarding international driver's licenses and national driver's licenses (domestic driver's licenses), as well as the process of converting a national driver's license to the corresponding license in Vietnam. The following will provide specific information on these topics in order to provide foreigners with a clear understanding and ensure compliance with the regulations and avoid administrative penalties according to Vietnamese law.

1. What is an international driver's license?

According to Circular No. 29/2015/TT-BGTVT issued by the Ministry of Transport on July 6th, 2015, the regulations on the issuance and use of international driver's licenses are as follows:

Definition: An international driver's license is also known as the International Driving Permit (IDP) in English. This is a driver's license issued by the competent state authority of participating countries (including administrative regions) in accordance with the Vienna Convention, according to a standardized format.

Features of the international driver's license issued by Vietnam:

• The format of the international driver's license is a booklet with A6 dimensions (148mm x 105mm), with security markings, a gray cover, and white internal pages.
• The number of the international driver's license consists of the national identifier for international traffic of Vietnam, which is "Vietnam," followed by 12 digits representing the national driver's license number.
• The international driver's license consists of 9 pages of information, including:
  • Page 1 (cover) contains basic information about the international driver's license in bilingual Vietnamese and English.
  • Page 2 specifies the scope of use of the international driver's license in bilingual Vietnamese and English.
  • Page 3 specifies the driver's information and license classification in Vietnamese.
  • Page 4 is blank.
  • Page 5 specifies the driver's information and license classification in English.
  • Page 6 specifies the driver's information and license classification in Russian.
  • Page 7 specifies the driver's information and license classification in Spanish.
  • Page 8 specifies the driver's information and license classification in French.
  • Page 9 specifies the permitted vehicle categories in French.
• The international driver's license has a maximum validity period of 3 years from the date of issuance and must be within the valid period of the national driver's license.
  

   

The role of the international driving license issued by Vietnam: According to Article 2, Article 10 of Circular No. 29/2015 / TT-BGTVT: The international driving license issued by Vietnam is not valid within Vietnam's territory, but it is valid in countries participating in the 1968 Vienna Convention.

2. What is a national driving license?

According to Circular No. 29/2015 / TT-BGTVT of the Ministry of Transport, a national driving license is a driving license issued by the competent authority of each country, valid within that country's territory.

Requirements for participating in road traffic Road users must have the following documents:

• Vehicle registration

• Driving license for drivers of motor vehicles

• Certificate of technical safety and environmental protection for motor vehicles

• Certificate of civil liability insurance for motor vehicle owners.

Role of national driving license For drivers participating in road traffic, the national driving license is valid within the territory of Vietnam and the territory or region in which Vietnam has committed to recognizing each other's driving licenses.