The Ministry of Transport has just issued Circular No. 35 regulating training, testing, and granting of driving licenses; granting and using international driving licenses; training, testing, and granting certificates of training in road traffic law knowledge. The Circular takes effect from January 1, 2025.

Mr. Luong Duyen Thong, Head of the Department of Vehicle and Driver Management (Vietnam Road Administration) said that the new point of Circular No. 35 stipulates that all classes of car driving licenses must study full theory. However, in addition to the centralized learning form as currently regulated, from January 1, 2025, learners are allowed to study remotely and self-study with guidance.

Specifically, those who need to be granted driving licenses of the following classes: B, C1, C, D1, D2, D, BE, C1E, CE, D1E, D2E and DE must complete the required theoretical program and can choose one of the following learning methods: Concentrated at a driving training facility or distance learning, self-study with guidance according to the provisions of law on driver training and testing activities.

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From January 1, 2025, there will be many new points in driver training and testing. Photo: Anh Hung

For practical driving lessons, you must study in a concentrated form at a driving training facility.

The fact that students can learn theory online is a new feature that creates favorable conditions for learners. Mr. Khuong Kim Tao, former Deputy Chief of Office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, has repeatedly proposed changing the form of theory learning to suit the practical situation, especially in the context of the current widespread Internet.

Because current regulations allow B1 class drivers to self-study theory subjects and only take the test at the training facility. Other classes must be studied in a centralized manner.

Therefore, officially allowing distance learning, guided self-study, that is, online training, or centralized training instead of the previous only centralized training form is a progress, helping to save costs and time for both learners and training institutions.

Another notable point in Circular No. 35 is the removal of the subject of transport operations. Accordingly, learners of driving licenses of classes B and C1 will study theory with the following contents: Laws on road traffic; driving techniques; structure and common repairs; ethics, traffic culture and prevention of harmful effects of alcohol and beer when participating in traffic; learn software to simulate traffic situations.

Regarding the time for car driving training, Mr. Thong said that the new circular of the Ministry of Transport stipulates: The time for reviewing, taking final exams and taking holidays and Tet to build the total training time in the driver training program must not exceed 90 days.

The duration of subjects and the number of kilometers traveled in the new circular are for the first time called "minimum" compared to the old regulations. The total course duration is also limited to a maximum of no more than 90 days for all training levels.

At the same time, the new regulation also clearly states: "Learners will be tested at the end of the course when they attend at least 70% of the theoretical subjects; study enough time and at least 50% of the kilometers of practical driving lessons on the driving range; study enough kilometers and at least 50% of the time of practical driving lessons on the road".

Limiting the training program time also helps students avoid being registered but the center only keeps them without organizing classes and exams right away. This causes difficulties for students.

From January 1, 2026, new driver's licenses will be issued.

Circular No. 35 stipulates that from January 1, 2026, driving licenses will be issued in a new form in accordance with the provisions of the 1968 Vienna Convention (International Convention on Road Traffic and Convention on Road Signs and Signals).

The reason is that the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety has legalized the regulations on driver's license classification according to the 1968 Vienna Convention. Accordingly, the Circular also legalizes the regulations on national driver's license forms according to this Convention.

From January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, driving licenses will still be issued according to the current driving license form but classified according to the provisions of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety.

According to the provisions of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, driving licenses issued before the law takes effect (from January 1, 2025) will continue to be used according to the validity period stated on the license. When the license renewal period comes, it will be renewed according to the corresponding class as prescribed in this law.