What is needed to open a new category in the rights if any of the categories are present?

Types of driving categories

In total, there are 7 main categories approved by the provisions of Art. 25 of the Federal Law “On Road Safety”. , which are further divided into subcategories.

Having a driver's license of one category does not give the right to drive vehicles belonging to another.

How to open a new category in rights

The Law “On Road Safety” states that in order to add a new driving category to a valid driver’s license, the applicant must pass a qualifying exam at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate. However, depending on the driving category, the composition of the exam varies, as well as the number and types of exercises, the successful completion of which is counted in the practical part of testing at the race track. The rules for conducting exams and specific types of exercises, the successful completion of which is counted in the practical exam, are listed in the Methodology for conducting exams for obtaining the right to drive a vehicle; we will discuss this below.

Categories A, M, A1, B1

To open driving categories related to driving motorcycles (two, three and four wheels) on your current license, you must pass an exam consisting of two parts:

• theoretical part on tickets;
• practical driving on the circuit.

The driving test consists of three exercises:

• stops for boarding (disembarking) passengers;
• parking and leaving a parking space;
• maneuvering in confined spaces (“snake”, performing maneuvers at speed, braking, stopping, etc.).

Important

In this case, a city driving test is not conducted to open a new category.

Motorcycle transport is considered the easiest to drive, so having a valid license is a guarantee that the driver knows the traffic rules and is ready for city driving.

Category B

Opening category B while having a license of another category will require the driver to pass a full exam consisting of three parts:

• theoretical on tickets;
• practical in the form of driving a car on a race track;
• practical in the form of driving in the city.

Driving a car on a racetrack includes testing the student’s skills using the following exercises:

• “slide” (“overpass”) – the student’s skills in stopping and starting on an incline are tested;
• “Parking” – the student’s parking skills are tested (parallel parking, stopping to pick up/drop off passengers on an overpass);
• “entering a garage box” – the ability to maneuver and park in reverse;
• “high-speed maneuvering” - testing maneuvering skills, “snake”, “turn”, “90° turn” (two exercises at the examiner’s choice);
• crossing a controlled intersection.

Two minutes are allotted to complete each exercise. After successfully passing the exercises on the race track, students demonstrate their driving skills in urban conditions.

Categories C, D and subcategories

To pass the exam for driving freight and passenger transport to open a new category in your current license, you must also pass an exam consisting of three parts:

• theoretical part on knowledge of traffic rules;
• driving on a race track;
• driving in the city.

Exercises on the circuit for categories C and D are completely the same as exercises for passenger cars. The exam also consists of the student demonstrating proficiency in the skills of high-speed maneuvering, parking, reversing, etc. After passing, the examinee is allowed to take the exam in the city. If the driver successfully passes all three exams, he will be able to open a new category on his license.

Driving with a trailer (BE, CE, DE, C1E, D1E)

Passing the exam for obtaining a driving category related to driving a vehicle with a trailer also consists of three parts:

• theoretical exam on tickets for knowledge of traffic rules;
• exercises on the race track;
• driving in the city.

The exam at the race track consists of sequential performance of four exercises:

• coupling and uncoupling a trailer with a towing vehicle (assistance from other persons is allowed when producing the coupling);
• maneuvering in confined spaces, stopping to unload/load cargo (pick up/drop off passengers);
• entering the garage box in reverse;
• parallel parking, reverse parking on a hill.

Successful completion of the exercises on the race track is the basis for admission to the urban driving test.

Important

A condition for admission to taking the test to drive a vehicle with a trailer is the possession of a valid driver's license of the appropriate category, which is valid for at least one year.

Categories Tm and Tb

Driving trolleybuses and trams stands apart. Admission to take exams and obtain rights in the corresponding categories is permitted from the age of 21. The conditions for preparing and actually passing the exams also differ. The traffic police accepts only the theoretical part; practice at the race track and in the city is completed by the student in the training organization itself. Students of such schools have the title of cadets and even receive a scholarship.

As a rule, they are sent to training organizations by operating enterprises, so it is practically impossible to get into such a school from the outside. During training, drivers not only learn to drive passenger vehicles, but also learn their primary repairs, learn safety precautions when working with electric motor units, etc.

Process of opening category "E" (BE, CE, C1E, DE, D1E)

In order to open the “BE”, “CE” or “DE” category, or the “C1E” or “D1E” subcategory, you will need to pass the following exams:

1. Exam on knowledge of traffic rules theory (tickets);
2. Practical driving test in the city;
3. Practical driving test on a race track, consisting of TWO exercises:

• Ex. No. 9 – “positioning to the platform with the rear side”;
• Ex. No. 10 – “straight forward movement in reverse”.

It is worth recalling that when receiving category “E” you will need to already have at least a year of driving experience with open categories B”, “C” and “D” simultaneously, or at least separately.

For example, when opening the “DE” category, you need to drive a “D” category bus with the corresponding open category for at least a year.

When opening a new category is not necessary

Clause 7 of Art. 25 of Federal Law No. 196-FZ approved a provision regarding the possibility of automatically opening certain categories of driving. Having a valid ID automatically opens “minor” subcategories in the following cases:

• A – to drive vehicles of subcategories A1 and B1 (with a motorcycle seat or steering wheel);
• B – to drive a vehicle of category B1 (not with a motorcycle seat or not with a motorcycle handlebar);
• C – subcategories C1;
• D – category D1;
• CE and DE are C1E and D1E, respectively.

Important

In all other cases, passing the traffic police exam is a prerequisite for opening a new driving category.

How to upgrade your skills from automatic transmission to manual transmission

Students who have undergone training and passed the exam in cars with an automatic transmission receive a certificate that allows them to drive only cars with an automatic transmission. A corresponding note about this is made in the license. Such drivers cannot legally drive cars with a manual transmission.

To obtain the right to drive a car with a manual transmission, you will also have to pass an exam. But such drivers are exempt from passing the theoretical and city driving exams - they just need to successfully pass the exercises on the race track. Having a valid license confirms that the driver has driving skills in the city and knows the rules of the road. Therefore, the only thing he must prove during the exam is his skills in driving a manual car, which are demonstrated on the race track.

How to open group B if there is C

Obtaining a new category of license precedes training in a driving school, where it is necessary to master theoretical and practical knowledge and successfully pass a test.
The driver of a medium and heavy truck, before taking a seat in the cabin of a passenger car, SUV or especially small bus, is required to open group B on his driver’s license. But opening a new category is not always easy. There are a number of obstacles:

1. Class E can be obtained by motorists who have been using vehicles of the B, C or D series for at least one year.
2. Those who have managed funds from class D for at least one year have the right to open the DE category.

There is a special class of licenses issued to owners of cars with an automatic transmission. Therefore, having changed to a new car, where a mechanical device is responsible for transmitting power from the engine, the person behind the wheel also needs to enroll in a driving school. Perhaps he will avoid the theoretical part of the course, but he cannot avoid the practical part.

Having any open series, such a student will not need special training to the same extent as, for example, a complete beginner.

You will just need to collect a package of papers, including the following documents:

1. Driver's license.
2. Medical certificate of health.
3. Passport;
4. Cash order for payment of state duty;
5. License voucher - if available.

After completing the educational practical course, the certificate will be replenished with another mark with the date of assignment of the new category.

Is it possible to prepare on your own?

In 2013, amendments were made to the Road Safety Law. Starting this year, self-preparation for the driving test for driving categories A, B and their subcategories has been cancelled. The same applies to obtaining other driving categories. Without providing a certificate of completion of a driving school, it is impossible not only to issue a completed certificate, but also to obtain admission to the traffic police exam.

Important

Independent study, preparation and retraining for passing exams is not allowed.

To get a license without attending lectures at a driving school, you can take online license training.

Documents for the new category

List of documents required when applying for a new driver's license. It includes:

• personal passport;
• valid rights;
• certificate of completion of a driving school and passing exams;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• written application (filled out on site);
• medical report (if necessary).

Reference

Also, to open a new category in your license, you must provide a photo. If the applicant applies to the traffic police department, the photograph is taken on the spot by a staff photographer.

How to get a license through government services

On the government services website, you can indicate the driving school license number, if you know it. In the future, when obtaining a license from the traffic police, information about the license will simplify the procedure for checking and obtaining a driver’s license.

To change your rights through government services, you will also need to prepare a number of documents, information about which you will need to enter in the same way as in the case of obtaining rights for the first time. Select the type of service received - electronic and enter the following personal data:

How much does it cost to open a new license category?

Despite the fact that the driver already has a valid license, when a new category opens, he is an ordinary student. He will have to pay for the entire training course at the driving school; the cost depends on the training organization itself and the region of residence and does not depend on the duration of training and the category of rights. Typically, training costs 20-30 thousand rubles.

Also, to obtain a driving license with a new category, you will have to pay a state fee for obtaining a driving license (2 thousand rubles). If you obtain a license to drive passenger and cargo transport, and the driver had a license in the passenger categories, he will have to obtain a medical report with the permission of doctors. The conclusion will cost 2-3 thousand rubles. (RUB 1,675 – in municipal clinics).

Public services replacing rights adding a category

For some, this may be a revelation, but you can replace your driver’s license via the Internet by visiting the traffic police department just once in order to pick up the finished driver’s license. If you have already obtained a medical certificate, have access to the Internet and a registered account on the portal, this instruction will be a step-by-step guide to action. Step 1. Documents. You will not need many documents to apply online, namely:

• Passport;
• Medical certificate + 1 copy (form 003-В/У), which was received by the driver after passing a medical examination in a special institution;
• Old rights that are subject to replacement;
• A receipt/cheque confirming that the driver has paid the state duty for the exchange of licenses.

Replacement of driver's license

When replacing a driver's license due to its expiration (10 years), all current categories are automatically renewed, but only if the driver's health meets medical requirements.

How to transfer a category to a new VU

The introduction of a new type of driver's license has somewhat changed the very procedure for transferring categories from old licenses to new ones. The main difficulty lies in the presence of a separate category E in the old type of licenses, which allows you to drive any vehicle with trailers. Now this category has been abolished, and students are trained to drive certain types of vehicles with trailers (BE, CE, etc.). Sometimes the traffic police refuses to automatically open all driving categories if the driver had category E. This practice is illegal, and therefore has been repeatedly refuted in the courts.

Reference

If the driver had driving category E on his old-style license, his new license should automatically be marked with BE, CE, DE, C1E, D1E.

The remaining rules for opening and transferring from old rights to new ones are as follows.

Reference

Category M is automatically assigned if there is any other category in the license.

Documentation

When replacing rights after their expiration, it is necessary to obtain a medical certificate. If license categories not related to driving freight and passenger vehicles are being extended, you must obtain permission from the following doctors:

• therapist;
• ophthalmologist;
• psychiatrist and narcologist.

If the rights additionally include categories C, D, Tm, Tb and their subcategories, then you additionally need to:

• obtain permission from a neurologist and otolaryngologist;
• undergo electroencephalography of the brain.

Thus, if a driver has B and C open at the same time, then he needs to go through all the doctors, which will cost significantly more.

In addition to a medical report, to replace your license you will need to provide the following to the traffic police:

• personal passport;
• old rights;
• receipt of payment of state duty.

How to close an unnecessary category

According to the Rules for passing vehicle driving tests, there is no provision for closing driving categories that are unnecessary for the driver. All marks about open categories are automatically transferred to the new certificate. Therefore, the driver does not have the opportunity to save money and refuse to undergo additional doctors if he previously had open categories related to driving passenger, cargo and cargo-passenger transport.

Exclusion of driving categories is allowed solely for medical reasons - if the driver is unable to successfully pass a medical examination for driving freight or passenger transport, these categories in his license will be closed, and categories of other types of transport will remain valid in his license.

If, over time, the driver’s health allows him to again drive vehicles of categories C, D and their subcategories, then they will again be included in his license without passing additional exams. To do this, the driver will have to undergo a medical examination again and submit its results to the traffic police.

Reasons for refusal to transfer

Transfer of rights to new rights may be refused for the following reasons:

• an incomplete list of documents is provided;
• the documents provided do not comply with legal requirements (for example, the medical report does not contain permission from some doctors);
• the information provided by the driver contradicts information from the internal traffic police database.

Other reasons cannot be considered grounds for refusal to open categories when replacing rights. An unmotivated refusal can be appealed administratively by filing a complaint with a higher official, or by going to court.

The opening of new categories in the current license requires the driver to undergo new training at a driving school and pass all types of exams - the theoretical part, driving on a race track and driving in urban conditions. An exception is the opening of a category for driving a motorcycle. You will also have to pay a state fee of 2 thousand rubles for issuing a new license.

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