Replacing rights when changing a surname: procedure and necessary documents

Is it necessary to replace a driver’s license in 2021 if the driver’s personal data changes, including his last name, first name or patronymic? Yes, according to the provisions of the law, which came into force on November 5, 2014, replacement of the device in these cases is necessary.

Only 10 days are allocated for this from the date of change in personal data recorded in any official document. Most often we are talking about cases of changing the surname after marriage. Then the marriage certificate serves as the basis for replacing the rights. In this case, the new certificate will have the same validity period as the previous document.

Until November 2014, after changing your last name (for example, due to marriage), you were allowed to drive with your old license. It was only necessary to constantly carry with you the original or a copy of the marriage certificate so that, if necessary, present it to the traffic police inspectors. However, the procedure for obtaining a new driver's license in connection with a change of surname is now not very complicated and usually does not take more than 1 hour.

Do I need to replace my license when changing my last name?

Until recently, entering officially changed initials into the VU was not considered necessary, since every 10 years the crust is updated, again acquiring relevance. But after amendments were made to the regulation “On Road Traffic”, this procedure became mandatory, as Art. 196 part 1.

You can drive with an old driver's license, but until the first violation. When drawing up a protocol, the inspector will cancel the document with inappropriate information about the owner, and after that his further movement by car will be punishable by a fine.

Penalty for late replacement

Clause 35.b of Resolution No. 1097 classifies a driver’s license that does not reflect the owner’s changed personal data as invalid. Therefore, driving a car with such a document means committing an administrative offense (Contents of the paragraph on the legal portal www.consultant.ru, paragraph 2, article 12.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). Punishment for this is a warning or a fine of 500 rubles.

However, in practice, it is not always possible to determine that the driver’s last name has changed, but his ID has not been changed. After all, the traffic police inspector often demands to present a license, a vehicle certificate and a compulsory motor liability insurance policy, and not a general passport, which will reflect the driver’s new name. But if somehow it turns out that the name in the VU is not relevant, then sanctions cannot be avoided. To prevent this from happening, it would be correct to refrain from traveling until you receive a new document.

Replacement procedure

Replacing a driver's license due to a change of surname occurs in several basic steps. The absence of one of the stages becomes the reason for refusal to issue a new document.

• All necessary certificates and papers are collected;
• A single fee is paid;
• An application is submitted to the responsible authority.

After going through the above steps, the citizen needs to wait his turn and receive a new ID (if a medical certificate is present in the list of documents, then the validity period of the issued card will begin to be calculated anew. Otherwise, the validity period of the old card will be duplicated).

Where to contact

In order to replace a driver’s license due to a change of surname, a person should contact one of three authorized structures:

• Local traffic police department;
• Multifunctional Center;
• Online portal of State Services.

The first two bodies operate according to almost the same algorithm: the car enthusiast personally visits a specialist, presents him with a package of prepared papers, waits for his turn and receives a crust in his hands.

But when contacting the MFC

The procedure for replacing the driver's license takes a little longer, since the data provided by the client is still checked through the traffic police database. But the multifunctional center does not have a territorial connection to the driver, which is considered an advantage.

If the choice fell on the State Services portal, then with its help it will be much easier and cheaper to exchange rights. Indeed, in addition to the fact that the entire process of replacing a license is carried out via the Internet, the driver will additionally receive a substantial discount on payment of the state fee. The only disadvantage of this option is the length of the online queue, in which you can stand for a week.

Required documents

Having learned about the legal requirements regarding the replacement of rights when changing a surname, motorists are simultaneously interested in what documents are needed to carry out this procedure. The following crusts are included in the mandatory list:

• Internal passport (if you don’t have one, you can use a military ID or a valid international passport);
• Old VU;
• 4 photographs, size 21x35 mm;
• Certificate of divorce or marriage (if the reason for changing the last name is different, then you need to present another certificate confirming the change of personal data);
• Written statement;
• Receipt for payment of state duty;
• Extract from the completed medical examination.

If the application to exchange the certificate is made through the state website, then an additional certificate from SNILS will be required from the driver. Otherwise, the list of mandatory papers for the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, MFC and State Services is completely identical.

How is a driver's license replaced due to a change of surname?

Regardless of the method of re-registration, the applicant will need the following documents:

• application in the prescribed form;
• passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
• old driver's license;
• documents for the vehicle (if the applicant is its owner);
• a document on the basis of which a driver’s license is changed (for example, a marriage certificate);
• receipt of payment of duty.

If the applicant has a special status with the note “a medical certificate is required,” this must also be included in the register of papers. An application for changing a driver’s license can be downloaded from the official website of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate or taken from the same organization on paper. It must be filled out manually. Blots, cross-outs and corrections are not allowed.

Let's figure out what documents are required in case of a change of rights when changing the surname:

• passport with new information;
• a document that proves the legality of the last name change (usually a marriage certificate);
• old VU;
• a document confirming that the driver has paid the standard fee;
• application for re-registration of the driver's license.

If you don’t want to sit and wait your turn, you can replace it through State Services. This is more convenient, since there is no need to go anywhere to submit all the documents to update the data. Just go to the State Services website and then follow these steps:

1. Register (if registration has been completed previously, then simply go to the portal).
2. Open the “Services” section.
3. Click on “Replace driver’s license”.
4. Complete all actions required. The instructions will be written on the screen.
5. Wait for the re-registration to complete.
6. Go to the traffic police department and get a new driver's license.

The regulation on the single portal “State Services” (Federal Law of July 27, 2010 N 210-FZ “On the organization of the provision of state and municipal services”) simplified the exchange process. The application and scans of the necessary documents can now be submitted online, but for this you must first register on the website. By typing “driver’s license” into the search bar in your personal account, you should select the “Driver’s license exchange” option offered by the system.

After entering your passport data into a special form, you need to make copies of other documents, as well as your personal signature and photograph. All this is sent to the system in the form of an application, but before that you can sign up for a queue at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate. Before sending the application, you must pay the state fee - when using the State Services website, a 30% discount is available.

The receipt will be sent by email and can be printed. An invitation to receive a driver's license will be sent to the phone number specified in the application. When replacing a driver's license due to a change of name, you can pick up a new document only at the traffic police department on the agreed day and time.

In general, the procedure is the same as in the traffic police. You need to prepare the appropriate papers and appear at the MFC. The required documents for replacing a driver's license are standard, the only difference is in the processing time.

It is important to understand that the center acts as an intermediary between the client and the traffic police. Here they will take your photo, check and send the papers to the MREO, and then determine the date for issuing a new license. As a rule, the MFC has its own website, where you can find up-to-date information on any issue, including contact numbers of departments.

Is a medical commission necessary?

In case of replacement of the driver's license, a medical certificate is certainly required. But when a motorist is going to exchange a document due to a change in passport data, the presence of the mentioned paper will only extend the validity of his new license. In this case, only those doctors who are established by law should be examined. Namely:

• Ophthalmologist;
• Expert in narcology;
• Psychiatrist;
• Therapist.

Additional services of specialists (ophthalmologist, neurologist, etc.) may be required only when the driver has abnormal health conditions.

When do you need to change your ID?

Most drivers wonder about the need to change their old license. The circumstances forcing a motorist to undergo such a procedure are:

• expiration of their validity period,
• the state of the certificate is unsuitable for further use,
• loss or theft of a document,
• making changes to personal data,
• deterioration of health or the appearance of restrictions for medical reasons,
• falsification or incorrect registration of rights.

If your full name changes, you must ensure that your old license is replaced in a timely manner.

Are changes necessary to the title and insurance?

We have already considered the question of whether you need to change your rights when changing your last name after marriage, or at your own request. It's time to find out about the fate of the accompanying documents required to drive a car: title and insurance policy.

Advice! In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, when changing personal data, a citizen is simply obliged to submit an application for an exchange of the old vehicle passport. After all, this crust contains information about the owner of the vehicle.

And if the initials and registration address entered into it do not match the traffic police database, the driver will have serious problems (at a minimum, he will have to pay a fine, and in the worst case scenario, he can even lose his car altogether).

With OSAGO everything is much simpler. After changing the surname as a result of marriage, divorce or at his own request, the client just needs to call the insurance agent and report his new personal data. At the same time, no one will immediately issue you another policy. The current initials will be entered into the database, and after the expiration of the insurance period, the citizen will receive the next card, but with corrected information.

Package of documents

When changing your name and replacing your ID, you need to collect the following documents:

• statement,
• certificate certifying the fact of change of surname,
• old and no longer valid rights,
• passport, as amended,
• if there is temporary registration, you will need a certificate confirming this fact,
• receipt for payment of state duty.

Sometimes, at the request of the inspector, you need to present a certificate of non-deprivation of rights. There is no such provision in the traffic rules, but such a requirement may exist. Insurance is not required when replacing a license. With photography the situation is twofold. Sometimes, to obtain a license, you need to provide 3 photos measuring 3.5x4.5 cm. When the traffic police department can issue licenses automatically, a photo may not be required. This information should be clarified in advance at the department where you plan to obtain your license.

IMPORTANT !!! The fee for changing a certificate will be 2,000 rubles. If you submit an application through the official Gosuslugi website, you can save a lot. The driver will only need to pay 1,600 rubles.

You can also make payments using the Gosuslugi mobile application. In this case, after submitting the documents, you need to wait until the amount for payment of the state duty is calculated. If the motorist has an international class license, they must also be replaced.

Replacement cost

We can conclude that you need to change your driver’s license when you change your last name. But motorists will also be interested to know the cost of such a procedure. It consists of the following individual criteria:

• Payment of state duty (1,600 rubles - for people drawing up a document through State Services, and 2,000 rubles - for citizens who personally visited the traffic police or MFC);
• Commission (depending on the chosen communication channel ranges from 100 to 200 rubles);
• Medical certificates (the average price of a medical examination is about 1000 rubles).

It is important to know! The total amount may increase significantly if the replacement of rights occurs untimely. After all, for driving with such a crust, as well as for delay, the Code of Administrative Offenses provides for a fine of up to 15 thousand rubles.

I have fines – will they be forced to pay?

They can force you. But this is illegal. Payment of all existing traffic police fines as a condition is mandatory only when returning the license after deprivation. When replacing rights, you do not need to do this.

If an employee prints out a list of fines for you and demands that you deal with them, indicate that you will definitely sort them out and demand that they issue you a new certificate, regardless of payment. If the employee refuses, then demand a written refusal (it is required when submitting a written or electronic application). In 99% of cases, this is where everything will end successfully for you. Otherwise, the refusal can be appealed to the court.

Validity period of new rights

In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, the certificate is considered valid for 10 years from the date of issue. However, if you change the crust due to loss, theft or change of personal data, then the expiration date from the old document will be duplicated on the new document.

In order to extend its validity period, the replacement of rights when changing the surname must be carried out with a medical examination. Then traffic police officers will be able to change the outdated license to a zero one, the legal force of which also extends to 10 years.

What are the deadlines?

There is none of them. As we mentioned above, in this case you will have difficulties driving a car legally. But if you don’t drive, then you won’t be required to pay either a fine or additional payments for government services.

This even applies to the case when you won’t drive for a very long time and your license has expired (its validity period is 10 years), or if you think for a very long time whether to change your driver’s license after changing your last name.

How much do the rights themselves change?

Replacement, as a rule, occurs on the same day of application. If you sign up and submit an application through the State Services portal, you can even choose a convenient time for your visit (from free ranges).

However, this applies to all methods where you can change rights:

• to the traffic police in person,
• in the traffic police when registering through State Services,
• at the MFC.

Below we will look at the detailed procedure for obtaining a new certificate in our case.

Punishment for driving with an old driving license

Previously, the instructions stated that you can drive with an inappropriate license only until the first traffic cop, since when you go through the database, the information from the crust will not match the real data of the driver. For such a violation, the Code of Administrative Offenses provides for penalties ranging from 5 to 15 thousand rubles. If a citizen continues to ignore the rules, then a financial penalty may replace the forced confiscation of the driver's license. Therefore, it is better to change an outdated card immediately.

We learned what documents are needed to replace rights when changing your last name and how to carry out this procedure step by step.

In conclusion, we would like to add that you should not delay the moment of exchanging your ID, since in the future the price of a plastic crust may increase significantly. And if you get caught by traffic police officers, you risk leaving a substantial amount of money to pay the fine.

Important note!

• This article provides basic information, but each case is different.
• In 92% of all situations there are important nuances that can affect the outcome of the entire case.
• An experienced lawyer will study all the materials of the case and indicate in which direction to move.

Therefore, our website employs on-duty legal consultants who delve into each case and are aimed at solving it.

Ask a Question

or consult toll-free (Moscow), (St. Petersburg), 8 (all of Russia).

The only subtlety is that if your unpaid fines fall under Article 20.25 of the Administrative Code, then directly in court a sanction in the form of arrest for up to 15 days may be applied to you (but this is also illegal).

We apply through the government services website

Moreover, re-issuance of a driver’s document is also possible through the government services portal. This is a fairly popular method today, as it helps to avoid queues and waste of time .

First, you will need to register on the government services website. To do this, fill in your personal data (first name, last name, phone number) in the registration field.

After registration, you need to select the department “Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation” . There you need to select the item containing the words about issuing a driver’s license.

Find it (the cost, procedure, documents required for registration are described there) and click “Get a service” . Next, select the region, type of service, and the reason for replacing the document.

Just like at the traffic police department, you will have to fill out an application, only in electronic form . The data you previously specified will be automatically entered into the form.

You will only be required to provide the missing information (date and place of birth, unit code, place of residence, medical certificate information).

After this, you will need two photos (your personal one and a photo of your signature). Upload them to the portal. Once completed, you will be given a date for your visit.

Here you can also print the form and pay the state fee.

What it is

Men change their surnames very rarely.

For example , inaccuracies were discovered in the surname in comparison with the surname of the ancestors and the person decides to restore historical justice.

The person's last name indicated on the driver's license must match the information in the passport. According to the current legislation, the process of changing a surname begins with obtaining a new passport. Based on the data in the new passport, changes are made to all other documents of the individual that are required on a daily basis.

What happens if you don't change your rights?

Traffic police inspectors like to scare and even impose a large fine for driving a car with a license with an old name.
But this is illegal. Inspectors refer to Part 1 of Article 12.7 of the Administrative Code, which provides for a fine of 5 to 15 thousand rubles for driving without a driving license, as well as the same Federal Law “On Road Traffic Safety,” which states that the right to drive is confirmed by a driver’s license. “But everything is legal here,” you say, “After all, the driver has nothing to prove his right to drive!” And you will not be entirely right. The fact is that even in the absence of a supporting document, the right to control does not go away. And the grounds for termination of the right to drive are spelled out there - in Article 28 of the Law on Road Safety.

But there is still a violation, since there is a direct obligation to change the rights when changing the surname. In this case, the driver must legally be prosecuted under Part 1 of Article 12.3 of the Administrative Code, which provides for a fine of 500 rubles.

No one obliges you to change your old rights immediately after changing your last name, since the mere presence of such a document is not an offense. Current legislation does not provide for the imposition of any sanctions specifically for the use of an expired driver’s license.

But in this case it automatically becomes invalid, and you will not be able to drive with them. Otherwise, you will be punished as for driving without a license: according to Art. 12.7 of the Administrative Code, this entails a hefty fine of 5 to 15 thousand rubles, as well as evacuation of the car to the impound area.

According to the law, replacing a driver’s license when changing your last name in 2021 is mandatory. Re-registration of a temporary residence permit is allowed to take place in any region of Russia. To do this, you need to make an appointment at the traffic police or a multifunctional center.

Domestic and international laws need to be changed. For a new VU, you will not have to take an exam or undergo a medical examination, so in terms of time and cost this procedure is less expensive than issuing new documents.

In 2021, you can change your rights due to a change of surname in three ways:

• At the MFC. To re-register documents, you will need a complete package of documentation, except for a medical certificate. Read more here.
• Through the State Services portal. If you need to get a driving license faster and save money, then this option is the best. The online resource allows you to submit an application for a traffic police office in advance and pay the fee online. The applicant comes to the traffic police at the appointed time and within 15 minutes receives a new document. More details in this article.
• At the traffic police department. If there is no queue when visiting the traffic police department, your license will be changed very quickly - within an hour. In practice, there are fewer queues at the MFC.

The new (amended) rules for issuing licenses to drive vehicles (hereinafter referred to as vehicles) came into force on November 5, 2014. According to this document, both national and international VU are considered to have lost their validity in the event that its owner’s personal data specified in this document has changed.

Until this moment, the driver was required to have with him a document confirming his identity and a paper, which was the basis for changing his last name. An example is the fact of changing a surname due to marriage or its dissolution. In this case, the document certifying the change of personal data was a certificate issued by the registry office.

We suggest you read: How to return goods purchased on credit within 14 days

It follows from this that now replacing a driver’s license when changing a surname is a mandatory procedure. The traffic police has the right to require the driver to replace the driving license when changing personal data (change of surname) on the basis of clause 35 of the “Rules for conducting examinations for the right to drive vehicles and issuing a driving license.”

It is important to take into account the fact that the VA loses its eligibility immediately from the moment the driver changes his/her last name (first name or patronymic), namely from the date that appears on the certificate received when he/she changed his/her personal data. From this moment on, the driver's license must be replaced due to a change of surname.

Innovations in the Legislation not only determined that the exchange of a car license when changing personal data is now mandatory, but also established the validity period of the new rights after the replacement. At the same time, according to clause 32 of the Rules for issuing a driver’s license, it clearly states that in the event of a change of driver’s license due to a change in personal data, the validity period of this document remains unchanged.

Thus, a driver’s license that a driver has already received under a new surname will be considered valid for the same period as the old driver’s license. Thus, replacing a driver's license after a change of name does not extend its validity (namely 10 years) and does not extend it.

Having in hand a complete list of the documents described above, the driver can submit them to the traffic police department at the place of registration/place of residence. If the entire package is collected and there are no missing papers/certificates, then the procedure for exchanging rights will take very little time.

The current government services website provides drivers with the opportunity to change their license online. In order to do this, you should proceed like this:

1. Replacing a medical certificate is no longer a mandatory procedure. An old certificate will do, but experts strongly recommend getting a new one.
2. The deadline for issuing a new driver's application has been shortened. If earlier this procedure took about a month, today specialists from the MREO and the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate issue a new driver’s license within an hour.
3. Now replacing a driver's license is mandatory in any case. Previously, replacement of rights was not required in only one case - if a change of surname occurred due to marriage. Instead of replacing your license, you could carry a notarized copy of your marriage registration certificate with you. Now this procedure has been abolished and the replacement of rights after marriage is mandatory.
4. Photography is now carried out directly at the department - there is no need to bring photographs with you.
5. No certificate of completion is required. A driver's card will be sufficient.

How much does it cost to re-register a license?

When changing your driver's license, you will have to incur certain costs. These primarily include state duty . If before 2015 it was only 800 rubles, now its cost has increased to 2000 rubles. You will also be charged an additional fee if you pay the fee through a bank branch.

If you do not have a valid medical certificate, then the cost of going to the hospital and dispensaries must be included in the list of costs.

If you decide to undergo an examination quickly and go to a paid institution, then the costs will be correspondingly higher. On average, a certificate will cost from 1000 to 2500 rubles.

Completing the application may also include some costs. If, for example, you cannot or do not want to fill out an application yourself, a traffic police officer can help you with this. This service will cost approximately 150 rubles.