Driver's license photo in 2021 – requirements, size, new type, photograph, wearing glasses

Is it necessary to take a photo with glasses on if you have difficulty seeing?

Attention: Requirements for photographs of international licenses There are differences when driving abroad.
They also apply to photographs. Exactly what photographs are needed for an international driver’s license are specified in Appendix No. 2 of Order No. 206 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. In a specially designated place (“Photographie”), a photograph of the owner measuring 35 x 45 mm, made on matte photographic paper in black and white or color, is pasted. The photograph must have a clear image of the face strictly from the front without headdress. It is permitted to submit photographs wearing hats that do not hide the oval of the face by citizens whose religious beliefs do not allow them to appear in front of strangers without hats. For citizens who constantly wear glasses, it is mandatory to take photographs with glasses without tinted lenses. Drivers who have both options on their driver's license have the freedom to choose between driving with contact lenses or glasses. The GCL (Glasses or Contact Lenses) mark on the new driver's license also indicates that the driver is required to use medical devices for vision correction. If your driver's license has this mark, then you have the right to drive a vehicle with both lenses and glasses.

At the same time, if the traffic police officer does not have any difficulties in determining whether you are wearing glasses or not, then it is almost impossible to identify the presence of lenses without removing them. No one will demand that you remove and show your lenses, and the inspector will have to take your word for it.

Special notes in the new rights

The new driver's license contains two points (12 and 14), where you can find special notes that limit the motorist in driving specific categories of vehicles. In column number 14, such designations are hidden under the abbreviations AS and GCL, the decoding of which says the following:

• A citizen does not have the right to travel on any type of transport (including a truck crane, truck, bus and electric forklift) whose weight exceeds 3500 kg;
• A person is allowed to carry no more than 8 passengers in the cabin;
• The citizen has completed an additional course at a driving school, which makes it possible to drive a car with a trailer weighing up to 750 kg;
• The driver did not receive proper training to drive motorcycles.

Note number 12 on the new driver's license is more relevant to categories A and M, since it sets out restrictions for mopeds, scooters and motorcycles (including those with electronic engines). Namely:

• AS – prohibits movement on covered electric carts and rickshaws with a motorcycle steering wheel of a fork or pendulum type;
• MS – limits the control of small-sized vehicles with a car steering wheel and a similar seating position (small forklifts and hoists fall under this criterion);
• ML – prohibits riding two-wheeled vehicles with a small engine (scooters and mopeds).

A car enthusiast can receive such tags for various reasons. But the traffic police has no right to establish restrictions on a driver’s license without reason.

Therefore, if you find the listed abbreviations in column 12 or 14, you must immediately contact the responsible employee with an application to exchange the crust (you can also perform a similar action through the State Services website, but in this case you will have to wait a little longer).

If you have poor eyesight, is it necessary to have your license photograph taken with glasses?

The doctor may first check your visual acuity using a letter chart, and then ask you to name in which direction the circle does not close. And here no tricks will help. What kind of vision do you need to have to get a driver's license? The right to drive a vehicle is issued to those drivers whose vision indicators are within the normal range:

• for drivers of category “B” (restriction as - the driver can drive a car with a steering wheel) visual acuity must be at least 0.6 units in one eye and 0.2 units in the other;
• for drivers of category “C” - not less than 0.8 units in one eye and 0.4 units in the other.
• for drivers of category A, A1 or B2 with a motorcycle-type steering wheel - not lower than 0.6 on one and 0.2 on the other.

Maybe someone will need it, I won’t go into details why and why. But when changing the driving license to a new type of driving license (the so-called international one), I encountered a problem: The inspector issuing the driving license asked to wear glasses for the photo, since the certificate said “glasses are required,” although they usually write “glasses or contact lenses.” My vision is not 100%, but close to it. I travel with glasses, contacts, or without anything at all, in my “eyes.”

Knowing that traffic police officers, especially in the outback, when they see a photo with glasses, and the patient is driving without them, they begin to ask questions, and as a last resort: to impose a fine of 2500. (the amount may not be exact) Accordingly, I refused, he refused take photographs and did not issue a driver's license. I didn’t have the desire or time to change the certificate, so I decided to look into the issue. Intuitively, I understood that this was an anachronism from the time of King Pea. But in fact: In the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation dated May 13, 2009 N 365. This right extends to people whose religious beliefs do not allow them to walk without hats. Appendix No. 3 of the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 355: Appendix No. 3 (as amended on October 20, 2015) The issuance of a driver’s license (hereinafter referred to as the certificate) is carried out using automated workstations. The numbering of the sections of the certificate is printed in lilac, the rest of the entered information, including the table of categories and subcategories on the reverse side, is printed in black. (Paragraph as amended, put into effect on April 1, 2014 by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated January 9, 2014 N 6. A color photograph of the holder is taken digitally during the ID issuance process on a gray background and printed in a specially designated area of ​​the ID.The photograph must have a clear image of the face strictly from the front without headgear.

Obtaining a driver's license is a very important event in the life of every motorist, so you should not only know and follow the traffic rules perfectly so as not to lose them, but also know all the nuances that relate directly to this document.

In addition to the driver’s first and last name, as well as the validity period of the license, additional notes may be made in this document. Exactly which additions can be displayed in this document will be described in detail in this article.

Legislative regulation

Now let’s look at the question of what specific legal acts need to be guided by when answering the question of what a license photo should look like.

We remember that we were interested in three aspects: a photo for an international license, a photo for a national Russian license, and a photo for a medical certificate of a candidate for a driver’s license. So let’s look at the regulatory legal acts that interest us in these three aspects:

• requirements for photos for international licenses are set out in Appendix No. 2 to Order No. 209 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated April 18, 2011;
• requirements for photographs of a national standard are set out in Appendix No. 3 to Order No. 365 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated May 13, 2009;
• requirements for the appearance of a medical certificate in form 003-vu are set out in Appendix No. 2 of Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated June 15, 2015 No. 344n.

Provisions for an international certificate are also contained in the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, more about which you can read on our website.

Appearance of old and new licenses

In connection with Order No. 6 of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs dated January 9, 2014, the appearance of driver's licenses has undergone significant changes.

The main differences between driver's licenses issued after November 5, 2014 and old licenses are as follows:

1. The new type of license displays a special table that deciphers the meaning of vehicle categories that the owner of the driver’s license has the right to drive.
2. A barcode has been added for automatic accounting of this document.
3. New subcategories have been added.
4. New license marks have appeared that indicate possible restrictions when driving a vehicle.
5. New document security elements have been added.
6. The driver's license is made from higher quality and durable plastic.
7. A mark has appeared for drivers who have the right to drive a car only with an automatic transmission.

The introduction of a driver's license of a more modern and secure type does not cancel the validity of previously issued permits to drive a car, so every driver can freely use the old-style document until its validity expires.

Then, to replace it, you will need to contact an organization that deals with replacing driver’s documents, pay the state fee, and receive a new document.

Currently, this procedure does not take much time and can be carried out not only in traffic police departments, but also in numerous multifunctional centers where you can pre-register to receive this document.

Do I need to exchange my old driver's license for a new one?

As a rule, when new forms of automobile documents are introduced, all drivers are interested in whether it is necessary to change the old-style documents to new ones. In short, it is not necessary . Previously issued driver's licenses will be valid until the date specified on them.

The rest of this article discusses innovations affecting passports and vehicle registration certificates. Additions have been made to the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation “On approval of forms of documents identifying a vehicle and requirements for them”:

Order “On approval of forms of documents identifying vehicles”

What do the special marks on a driver's license mean?

Special marks on licenses issued after November 5, 2014 may not be clear to holders of such a document.

Among such marks, the driver most often sees the following symbols:

Medical certificate is required

This mark can be affixed to the driver’s document only if, during the medical examination for the right to drive a car, any limitations in the driver’s health were identified.

Such restrictions are indicated on the medical certificate. If after passing the medical examination there is such an inscription, then the new license will be marked with o.

A driver whose driving documents have a similar mark will need to always have a medical certificate with him and present it to the traffic police inspector upon request.

Glasses or lenses

Glasses or contact lenses are required - such a mark may appear on a driver’s license if, during a medical examination, the ophthalmologist identified visual impairments of the driver.

You can drive a car with this mark only if you wear glasses or contact lenses.

It should be noted that this mark greatly simplifies life for many motorists, as it allows you to choose which vision correction products to use.

If the license indicates o, then in this case the use of contact lenses is not provided, and even if they are present, the driver may be suspended from driving.

If the driver's license is replaced with a new license, then if there are medical indications for the use of special means of vision correction, the document establishes an o that allows the driver to use both glasses and contact lenses.

Duplicate

If the driver's license was lost or stolen, then the new document will necessarily contain o.

This designation has no practical meaning and does not impose any restrictions on the use of the car.

Manual control

This mark in the driver’s documents may indicate that the driver has the right to drive a car equipped with a special backup mechanism that allows the car’s pedals to be replaced by manual control.

The decision to indicate this mark on the license is made on the basis of a medical report when the driver is examined for the right to drive a vehicle.

Blood type

This column is mandatory on driver’s licenses issued after November 5, 2014. In a life-critical situation, when it is necessary to compensate for large blood loss during an accident, such a mark can save a life.

Driving experience

This mark indicates the driving experience of the license holder, and usually indicates the year in which the main driving document was obtained, after passing the relevant exams at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate.

About category "E"

If the license holder is indicated on the driver's document, he can drive the following vehicles:

In the new driver's documents, various combinations are possible, for example: E - BC, E - CD or E - BCD, which allow the driver to drive several categories of vehicles with a trailer.

Trolleybus, tram

These marks allow you to drive a trolleybus or tram after passing the appropriate qualification exams.

AS and MS

O in a new type of license, indicates permission to drive quads and tricycles that do not have a motorcycle steering wheel.

Oh, on the contrary, it allows driving the above vehicles, which have a motorcycle seating position and manual control in the form of a motorcycle steering wheel.

The advantages of the traffic police database for those deprived of a driver's license are described in the article: traffic police database for those deprived of a driver's license.

What is the fine for driving without a driver's license in 2021?

Restrictions on any category

This mark can be obtained automatically, if the driver, when passing the medical examination to drive a vehicle of license category “B”, did not inform the doctors about his desire to drive a moped, then a medical certificate will be issued only for category “B”, and a mark about ban on category "M".

Other marks that may be on a driving document issued after November 5, 2014:

1. AT - automatic transmission. This mark may appear on your license if training at a driving school was carried out on cars with an automatic transmission. In this case, the driver is prohibited from driving a vehicle with a manual transmission.
2. HA/CF - if there is such a mark on the license, the driver is required to use a special device to correct hearing.
   Indications for such restrictions are also established during the process of passing the commission to drive a car.
3. ML - the mark prohibits driving mopeds for medical reasons. You can get this restriction, as previously reported, completely by accident if you do not inform doctors about your desire to drive this category of vehicles when passing a medical examination.
4. APS - if this mark is on the license, the driver is prohibited from driving a vehicle that is not equipped with an acoustic parking system.
5. A1 - this mark also appeared only in the new type of license. If you have such a mark on your license, you can get a driver’s license from the age of 16, but only for light motorcycles with an engine capacity of up to 125 cm3.
6. B1 - if you have this mark on your license, you are allowed to drive ATVs and tricycles with an engine capacity of over 50 cm3.
7. C1 - this mark is placed on driving documents issued after November 5, 2014, and allows you to drive trucks whose maximum weight is in the range of 3500 - 7500 kg.
8. D1 - this mark on the license allows you to drive buses in which the number of seats for passengers is more than 8, but less than 16.
9. M - this mark on the license makes it possible to drive mopeds and scooters with an engine displacement of less than 50 cm3.
10. Tm - allows you to drive a tram.
11. Tb - the presence of this mark will allow you to control the trolleybus.

Driver's license 2019

Due to changes in legislation in the field of traffic rules, a new driver's license was adopted and approved. The changes affected not only the appearance of the document, but also the data specified in it:

• The new driver's licenses meet international standards, which allows them to be used not only in Russia, but also in most European countries.
• In 2021, driver's licenses are made of durable plastic that does not react to solar ultraviolet radiation, and the inscriptions on the document do not fade during the entire validity period.
• The protection against counterfeiting has been improved: a special pattern is applied to the ID based on a mesh interweaving of thin lines and complex patterns. On the reverse side, a barcode is applied to the surface of the device, containing all the information about the owner from the traffic police database.

On what basis is it placed?

Special marks are given only on the basis of testimony from medical workers, or on the basis of documents on completion of training at a driving school.

Some are for informational purposes only and do not have any restrictions on driving.

If the driver's license contains the designation "GSL", then such a mark is made on the basis of testing the quality of vision of the driver.

O can be done only if, with the use of corrective devices, visual acuity is restored to an acceptable level, otherwise driving may be prohibited for medical reasons.

The information on the driver's license is also made on the basis of medical examinations of the visual organs.

If the driver is blind in one eye, then in this case you cannot do without a special acoustic parking system.

Visual impairment may be an obstacle to obtaining licenses to drive certain types of vehicles.

O, “M”, “A1”, “B1” cannot be written on a driver’s license for the following reasons:

1. If the visual efficiency is below 0.6 in the best eye, and below 0.2 in the worst.
2. For diseases that limit the movement of the eyeball, as well as paresis of the eyelid muscles.
3. If the field of view is limited by more than 20 degrees.

In the case where a citizen’s professional activity is related to driving a vehicle, more stringent requirements apply and o can be established only in the presence of minor deviations, for example, visual acuity in the better eye must be at least 0.5.

The basis for the presence of the HA/CF mark on licenses issued after November 5, 2014 is also the conclusion of doctors during a medical examination.

As a rule, such a designation is made in case of hearing loss, when a person has significant difficulties in identifying sounds in everyday life, including when driving a vehicle.

When passing a medical commission for the right to drive a car, a decrease in acuity is determined if a person cannot distinguish whispered speech at a distance of 5 meters.

O is indicated on the driver’s license not only in the presence of diseases that can negatively affect the driver’s reaction time, but also even in the case when the driver declares a deterioration in health, so if you do not want to constantly carry an additional document with you, you should not complain about the condition health when passing a medical examination.

Responsibility for non-compliance with regulations

If there is any mark on the driver's license, then failure to comply with restrictions on driving a vehicle will result in fines ranging from 5 to 15 thousand rubles, as well as suspension from driving a car.

To exclude such a development of events, it is necessary to responsibly treat the marks of the specified rights that are issued after November 5, 2014.

Failure to comply with restrictions on driving a vehicle due to health conditions may not only entail administrative liability, but also be an aggravating circumstance in the event of an accident caused by a driver who does not comply with the instructions specified in the driver’s license. In this case, deprivation of rights may be supplemented by criminal liability.

Additional marks and an increased degree of security for a driver’s license will make driving on Russian roads safer, and will also greatly facilitate the process of checking a driver’s license, establishing its authenticity, and even finding out the number of unpaid fines for traffic police officers.

The rules for replacing a driver's license in 2021 at the place of residence are discussed in the article: rules for replacing a driver's license in 2021.

How to change your driver's license through the MFC, see the page.

Find out about the law on replacing a foreign driver's license with a Russian one in 2021 from this information.

A correct photograph taken in accordance with all requirements is an important condition for issuing a driver's license. However, in the context of constantly changing legislation, it can be difficult to keep track of the necessary parameters. In recent years, the characteristics of the driver's license photo have changed several times.

Photo for a new license

Modern requirements for photography are reflected in Appendix No. 1 to Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 365 dated May 13, 2009, as amended on January 9, 2014. The established parameters comply with the international standard for driving documents under the Vienna and Geneva Treaties of 1968 and 1971, respectively.

Despite the innovation and emerging additional requirements, the previous rights have not lost their legal significance. Therefore, until their expiration date, old and new documents are equivalent. Old-style rights correspond to the following parameters:

• made on a laminated sheet with a photograph of the driver on a white background;
• made on plastic with a photograph on a scarlet background;
• in any case, their legitimacy is equal to the remaining shelf life, after which the documents should be replaced with new ones according to the modern standard.

The rights of the new model have the following characteristics:

• the photograph of the driver is made in color;
• the size of the photo on the right is 21x30 mm;
• the photograph is printed directly onto plastic using an electronic device;
• A barcode with encrypted information about traffic violations is placed on the license.

In the context of changing standards, new requirements are being placed on photography. The documents regulate not only the technical parameters of the driver’s image, but also how the person should be positioned in the picture, what his facial expression should be, and even what is best to wear to be photographed for his license.

Replacing a document

According to modern requirements, each time a driver’s license is replaced for any reason, a photograph must be taken. The main reasons may be:

• replacement due to expiration of rights;
• recovery of lost documents;
• production of rights after theft;
• replacement due to a change in driver data;
• reinstatement after deprivation of the right to drive by court;
• obtaining rights in connection with the elimination of medical contraindications.

Today, the photo on the driver's license is taken directly at the traffic police department on the day the driver applies for the preparation of documents. However, a citizen has the right to submit a completed photograph on electronic media if it meets all the requirements imposed by the traffic police regulations. When restoring or changing your license, you must prepare documents to replace your driver’s license:

• passport;
• old driver's license;
• completed application form;
• receipt of payment of the duty;
• in some cases, a medical certificate.

All of the above requirements are mandatory. The absence of at least one document leads to refusal to issue a new driver's license. Let's look at what photographs are needed for a license according to the regulations that are relevant this year.

Where can I take a photo for my driver's license?

It would seem a very simple question, where to take a photo for a driver’s license? And the answer to it suggests itself, they say, what could be easier, you go to any photo studio, and there specially trained people for a certain amount solve all your issues with photography and do everything in the best possible way. However, this is not always the case.

Those of us who have already encountered the work of our government bodies with any function know that they love to create bureaucracy in our country, oh how they love it. Therefore, for any, even the most insignificant action, there are always a bunch of instructions and regulations. Therefore, before you issue such an important document as a driver’s license, make sure three times that you are doing everything correctly and in accordance with existing requirements.

The same is true with photos. You can, of course, blindly rely on the professionalism of the photo studio workers. But is it really necessary for you to then run three times to redo the photo because it doesn’t meet the requirements? I think this is unnecessary. Nowadays, the most valuable resource is time, forgive the tautology. Therefore, I think this option can be safely discarded, provided that we are talking about a photo specifically at a national university, i.e. Russian model. If we are talking about international rights or a medical examination for a license, then some liberties are allowed. But more on that below.

Because in 2011, our state switched to new standards for driving licenses; many traffic police departments themselves began to provide the photo service for licenses. This is due to the fact that from now on the photo directly in paper format is not required.

All photos are taken in digital format and applied to plastic licenses using special technology. And since you and I have no doubt at all about the high professionalism of the valiant guardians of the law, we will take for granted the fact that the photos taken at the traffic police department meet all the requirements. Otherwise it can not be. Therefore, this option is the most optimal.

By the way, as an option, you can take a photo of your license yourself using a digital camera and a special Photoshop program - “Photo for Documents”. However, is the game worth the candle? This program is not free. In addition, she still needs to learn how to use it, and this takes time. I think that the money you save (about 250 rubles on average) will not actually be savings.

To summarize, purely my subjective opinion, the best option for a place where you can take a photo is the traffic police department.

In what cases do you need to take a photo yourself?

There is a somewhat incorrect wording of the question here. There are no cases when you MUST take photos yourself. We are talking about registration of international rights or a photo for a medical certificate for registration of rights.

Because In this case, it is allowed to use a photo on paper, then you can act independently in terms of printing the photo in a studio. Moreover, they look just like the old license photo. But more on this below.

In addition, we do not forget that we still have traffic police departments that do not quite meet all the requirements of the law in terms of technical equipment. If in the area where you live there is such an “out-of-date” department, then yes, you will need to take care of preparing the photo yourself so that there are no difficulties in obtaining your license.

Photo requirements

Today, almost all traffic police MREOs are equipped with photo studios for photographing drivers according to existing requirements. It is not necessary to bring your photo in 2021. This is not even recommended due to the large number of requirements, violation of which does not allow the use of the image.

Thus, it is not necessary to memorize the given list of photo requirements for the driver. However, you should familiarize yourself with them before visiting the traffic police, paying special attention to the requirements for facial expressions and appearance. If the driver is dressed inappropriately, he may be denied a license. In general, the same requirements that were relevant in 2021 apply in 2021:

• photo size – 21x30 mm;
• in a photo studio it is necessary to maintain a light regime without shading, glare and spots;
• there should be no objects or other people in the background;
• the background should be uniform and not very bright;
• the face in the frame should occupy 80% of the photo area;
• There must be a margin of 2 to 4 mm above the head.

You should pay more attention to the requirements that are imposed on the driver himself and his appearance during the photographing process. In 2021, a citizen is required to:

• look strictly into the lens of the lens;
• since the photograph is taken from the front, you should keep your head straight, avoiding tilting down and to the sides;
• Any facial expressions, in particular smiling, are prohibited;
• you cannot squint, as the camera must record the color of the pupils;
• When photographing, you must wear a formal suit; low necklines and bare shoulders are prohibited;
• A woman with bright makeup may be denied registration of driver's documents;
• It is prohibited to be photographed wearing scarves and hats;
• According to the 2021 requirements, driving license photos with or without glasses are no longer allowed to the same extent as before.

The last two points of the requirements deserve comment. As for headdresses, the exception is those attributes that the driver cannot remove for religious reasons. In this case, the person must correspond to the image on the license, so a religious person will always need to wear the headdress depicted in the document while driving.

The 2021 requirements also focus on whether it is necessary to have the right to be photographed wearing glasses. Despite the presence of a note about visual impairments, which is placed in the document itself, a driver with poor vision is required to take a photo with vision-correcting accessories. However, the lenses of the glasses must be transparent and not hide the color of the eyes.

Due to the new requirements, the question arises whether the person in the photo can be wearing lenses. There are no restrictions on this, so glasses or lenses in the photo are at the discretion of the driver. Only the use of decorative accessories is prohibited if the driver does not have vision problems. Similar requirements apply to photographs for international rights. The difference is in the size of the photograph - in the second case it should be 35x45 mm.

Cost of a set of services

You can order a replacement driver’s license from the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, using the State Services portal or through the MFC. The most profitable option is to fill out documents online without leaving your home, since State Services offers a discount on fees. Taking this into account, the cost of replacing a driver’s license in 2021 will be only about 1,200 rubles.

If you draw up documents directly at the traffic police or at the MFC, you will need to pay 2,000 rubles to pay the state fee. Depending on the option chosen, you can overpay up to 10% of the amount, taking into account the commission. The largest overpayment is charged when using electronic wallets. In addition, you can spend about a thousand if you order the filling out of an application form for replacement of rights, if you use the services of intermediaries.

The cost of a photo for a license at the traffic police is included in the total price of the service. If you order a photograph from a third-party studio, its price will be about 200-400 rubles, depending on the region of residence.

>How traffic police officers deceive drivers who use lenses instead of glasses

What photo is needed for a medical certificate?

As for a photo for a medical certificate to obtain a driver's license, it is not required.

In 2015, by order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation No. 344n, dated June 15, 2015, a new form of certificate was introduced for the examination of candidates for obtaining a tertiary education.

The certificate on the new form has the abbreviation 003-vu. In the new certificate form, the photo column has been removed. Accordingly, to receive it in 2020, a photo is not required.

With or without glasses?

We have already raised this question, somewhat indirectly. You remember that it is prohibited to be photographed wearing ordinary sunglasses, both nationally and internationally. But what if the driver is forced to wear glasses for vision correction due to health reasons?

The legislator gives a clear and unambiguous answer to this question. If such a situation occurs, then the potential or current driver must be photographed wearing the glasses that he uses for health reasons. However, these glasses should not have tinted lenses.