Moldova implements new license rules for Transnistrian drivers
Over the past year, there has been an increase in the number of national driving licenses obtained by citizens residing on the left bank of the Dniester and in the municipality of Bender, under the simplified mechanism for equivalence with national driving regulations, according to data from the Public Services Agency (ASP).
Additionally, the number of vehicles registered with neutral plates has increased.
According to the ASP, between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2024, 41,123 driving licenses were issued through the simplified equivalence mechanism to align with national standards. In 2024 alone, 6,727 licenses were issued, a 20% increase compared to 2023, when 5,357 licenses were issued. Currently, approximately 50% of drivers in the Transnistrian region hold national driving licenses.
As for vehicles registered with neutral plates, from September 1, 2018, to December 31, 2024, 12,206 non-commercial vehicles were recorded. In 2024, 2,187 such vehicles were registered, representing an almost sixfold increase compared to 2023, when only 376 vehicles were registered.
Meanwhile, the number of registration certificates issued in 2024 reached 4,073, more than double the previous year's total, according to data from the State Transport Registry.
The process of registering vehicles with neutral plates was resumed in August 2024 at the registration points in Tiraspol and Rîbnița, after a pause caused by blockages and political interference from the administration in Tiraspol, which unilaterally withdrew from the mechanism at the end of December 2021.
It is important to mention that, starting in 2025, drivers from the Transnistrian region will be able to convert their driving licenses in the Republic of Moldova only after passing both theoretical and practical exams. This decision was approved by the Government of Chișinău to improve road safety on domestic public roads and internationally.
“This government decision offers an opportunity for citizens from the left bank of the Dniester and the municipality of Bender, once they are abroad, to benefit from the recognition and conversion of their licenses in European countries with which the Republic of Moldova has bilateral agreements in this field,” explained Daniella Misail-Nichitin, Minister of Internal Affairs.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
