Do I need a medical examination to change my driver's license to a PET card?

May I ask, if I want to change my driver's license to a plastic card (PET), do I need a medical examination? In which cases can I not change my driver's license? - Reader Minh Chien

There is no document regulating the conversion of paper motorbike driving licenses to PET cards. (Source: vietnamfinance)

1. Is it mandatory to change the driver's license to a PET card?

According to Article 37 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT, the cases of changing driving licenses are regulated as follows:

- It is recommended to change from paper driving licenses to PET driving licenses before December 31, 2020.

- People with a valid driving license must renew their driving license before it expires; people with a damaged driving license that is still valid can renew their driving license.

- People with a Class E driving license who are 55 years old for men and 50 years old for women and want to continue driving, if they are in good health according to regulations, can be considered for changing their driving license from Class D or lower.

- In case the year of birth, last name, first name, middle name written on the driver's license are different from the identity card or citizen identification card, the driver's license management agency will carry out procedures to change the driver's license to a new one that matches the information written on the identity card or citizen identification card.

Thus, according to the above regulations, changing a paper driving license to a PET driving license is not mandatory, however, the state encourages individuals to change their driving license to a PET card.

2. Do I need a medical examination to change my driver's license to a PET card?

Pursuant to Article 38 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT, the documents for changing driving licenses issued by the Department of Transport include:

+ Application for changing driving license according to the form prescribed in Appendix 19 issued with Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT;

+ Health certificate of the driver issued by a competent medical facility as prescribed, except for the following subjects:

* People with driving license class A1, A2, A3;

* People who need to separate a limited-term and unlimited-term driving license;

+ Copy of driver's license, identity card or citizen identification card or valid passport with the identity card number or citizen identification card number (for Vietnamese) or valid passport (for foreigners, Vietnamese people residing abroad).

Thus, similar to the application for changing a driver's license issued by the Department of Transport, when an individual submits an application for changing a driver's license issued by the Ministry of National Defense or by the Public Security Department, they must submit a health certificate of the driver issued by a competent medical facility.

In case of changing driving license class A1, A2, A3 and people who need to separate driving license with term and indefinite term issued by the Department of Transport, it is not necessary to submit a health certificate.

3. In what cases can a driver's license not be changed?

According to Clause 6, Article 37 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT (amended and supplemented in Circular 38/2019/TT-BGTVT and Circular 01/2021/TT-BGTVT), driving licenses cannot be changed in the following cases:

- Temporary foreign driving license; international driving license; foreign, military , or police driving license that has expired according to regulations, has been erased, torn, or no longer has the necessary elements to exchange the driving license, or has differences in identification; foreign driving license not issued by a competent authority;

- Driver's license of the Department of Transport but not in the driver's license information system, list of driver's license issuance (management book);

- People who do not meet health standards according to regulations.

- Vietnamese people with foreign driving licenses who stay abroad for less than 03 months and the stay period is not consistent with the driving training period of the country that issued the driving license.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/doi-giay-phep-lai-xe-sang-the-pet-co-can-kham-suc-khoe-khong-248477.html