Transport in Prague. Photo: Karel Netolicky
During the ten months of this year, almost 650,000 interested parties who were subject to the mandatory exchange applied for the exchange of their expiring driver’s license. Thus, 77 percent of the 875,000 drivers whose licenses expire this year applied for a new driver’s license. There are still 225,000 ID cards to be exchanged before the end of the year, most in Prague and the Central Bohemia region. The Ministry of Transport informed about this in a press statement.
“Although tens of thousands of people no longer renew their driver’s licenses every year, I still recommend everyone not to postpone the exchange unnecessarily in order to avoid the pre-Christmas rush at the authorities,” said Minister of Transport Martin Kupka (ODS).
It is possible to apply for the replacement of a driver’s license due to expiry no earlier than three months before the expiry of the document. Drivers can apply for a new driver’s license either electronically via the Transport Portal or physically at any municipal office of the municipality with extended powers, or.
When applying electronically, the driver chooses which office he wants to collect his new driver’s license from. You can choose from any of the 206 municipal authorities of municipalities with extended powers, their list is on the website of the Ministry of Transport.
The electronic application is very fast, it does not take more than a few minutes, and the applicant has already filled in all the important data in the system. For the exchange itself, it is necessary to bring a valid identity document and a current driver’s license.
It is possible to submit an application for the replacement of an invalid driver’s license both electronically and physically within the standard period, i.e. within 20 days (no fee), but also within a shorter period, i.e. within 5 working days. This action is already charged in the amount of 700 crowns, while in the case of an electronic application, this administrative fee is paid at the time of collection of the new driver’s license.
As of November 1, 649,866 citizens have exchanged their driver’s license out of a total of 845,424 whose driver’s license has expired or will expire this year. The most driver’s licenses remain to be exchanged in Prague (29,646), Central Bohemia (27,982) and South Moravian Region (26,570). Next year, the exchange of driving licenses due to the end of their validity will affect 448,443 people.
Although from January 1, 2024, thanks to an amendment to the Road Traffic Act, it will no longer be necessary to physically carry a driver’s license when driving, nothing changes about the obligation to have a valid driver’s license. Periodic exchange of IDs will therefore take place in the same way as before.
