New driving licence to be issued

On 19th January, a new driving license will come into use in the EU. The plasticised credit card-sized licence will replace the 100 or so models found in Europe today.

It may or may not include an electronic chip – depending on each member state’s choice – that contains the information printed on the licence or other data, with the aim of reducing fraud.

The new licence will have to be replaced every ten years (or every 15 years if states choose this option). Licences for professional drivers will be valid for five years. Does this mean that all currently valid driving licences will have to be replaced? Over the longer term, yes. However, renewals will be phased in as the licences expire. Driving licences with unlimited validity – like those in Belgium – will have to be replaced by 19 January 2033. States may require physical or mental aptitude tests for licence renewals if they consider it necessary. For professional drivers, a medical exam will be mandatory every time the licence is renewed.

An important change being brought in with the new licences will be the tougher rules for obtaining a motorcycle licence. Applicants for a licence for a scooter (ie the smallest type of motorcycle) will now have to pass a theoretical exam and aptitude tests may also be required. For larger motorcycles, there are two possibilities: either direct eligibility at age 24 (up from 21 today) upon passing a theoretical and practical exam; or access from age 20 after at least two years’ experience on a smaller motorcycle. In practice, this measure is expected to push motorcyclists to acquire experience on smaller cycles first before moving up to more powerful motorcycles. Road safety will likely improve as a result.

The new rules are also expected to end what is known as “driving licence tourism” by preventing those whose licences have been revoked in one state from applying for a new licence in another member state.