Drivers Can Now Appeal Decisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Service Centers Without Going to Court

The Cabinet of Ministers has updated the procedure for issuing driver's licenses, vehicle registration, and providing related administrative services. The innovations primarily concern people who lost documents due to the war, persons who were held captive, as well as relatives and guardians of people missing under special circumstances.

In addition, the government introduced additional mechanisms for appealing decisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs service centers and clarified the rules for admitting drivers to operate certain categories of vehicles during martial law.

Appealing Decisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Service Centers: What Changes

The resolution provides that all issues related to obtaining the right to drive vehicles, issuing driver's licenses, and other administrative acts in this area will be regulated by the Law "On Administrative Procedure."

Citizens will have the opportunity to appeal decisions, actions, or inactions of employees of the territorial service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs not only in court but also administratively — to the relevant regional service center of the Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Such complaints will be reviewed by the heads or authorized officials of the regional service centers.

A similar mechanism is also extended to the sphere of registration, re-registration, and deregistration of vehicles.

Free Restoration of Driver's License After Loss Due to War

The government clarified the procedure for restoring driver's licenses lost as a result of armed aggression against Ukraine.

Persons officially recognized as victims and who have suffered property damage due to Russian aggression will be able to receive a new license instead of the lost one without paying the administrative fee and the cost of the form. To do this, along with the application, it is necessary to submit a document from the pre-trial investigation body recognizing the person as a victim in the relevant criminal proceeding.

When issuing a new license, the Ministry of Internal Affairs service centers will verify information about the person through a number of state registers, including the Unified Register of Persons Deprived of Personal Liberty due to Armed Aggression against Ukraine, as well as other state information resources. If technically possible, such verification will be carried out automatically.

Restoration of Vehicle Registration Certificate: Who Is Exempt from Payment

Benefits also apply to vehicle owners who lost their vehicle registration certificate due to the consequences of the war.

Such persons will be able to receive a new registration certificate free of charge instead of the lost one and will not reimburse the cost of the document form. To do this, it is necessary to confirm the victim status in a criminal proceeding regarding damage caused by armed aggression. Documents can be submitted, among other ways, through the electronic driver’s cabinet and the "Diia" portal if technically possible.

Similar provisions are also provided for cases of submitting documents at the Ministry of Internal Affairs service centers or through administrative service centers (CNAP).

New Benefits for People Who Were Held Captive

Separate guarantees are established for persons officially confirmed to have been deprived of personal liberty due to armed aggression against Ukraine.

Within one year after the adoption of the relevant decision by a special commission, such persons will be exempted once from paying for vehicle re-registration services due to loss of the registration certificate and restoration of the driver's license if documents were lost during captivity. In addition, they will not be charged for the cost of document forms.

The same provisions have been introduced into the procedure for providing paid services by Ministry of Internal Affairs units. The costs of producing forms in such cases will be reimbursed from the special fund of the state budget allocated to the Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

What Will Change for Missing Persons and Their Guardians

The resolution regulates for the first time the procedure for re-registering vehicles whose owners are recognized as missing or missing under special circumstances.

The re-registration of a vehicle in case of loss of the vehicle registration certificate can be carried out by the guardian of such a person’s property without changing the vehicle owner. To do this, it is necessary to submit documents proving the guardian’s identity, the certificate of appointment, and the property inventory act.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs service center will verify information about the guardian’s appointment through the Unified Register of Persons Missing under Special Circumstances. If the certificate of appointment is canceled or the vehicle is not included in the property inventory act, the re-registration will be denied.

The new vehicle registration certificate will contain a special note that the document was issued to the guardian in the interests of the vehicle owner.

New Rules for Truck Drivers During Martial Law

The Cabinet of Ministers also updated the procedure for admitting drivers to operate vehicles during martial law.

The provision allowing persons with a category B driver's license to operate category C and C1 vehicles in Ukraine remains in place.

In addition, the right to drive category CE vehicles will be granted to drivers who already have category C, have undergone retraining according to approved programs, and have successfully passed the practical exam at the territorial service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The Purpose of the Changes

The adopted changes aim to adapt the work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs service centers to the conditions of martial law, simplify the restoration of documents for citizens affected by the war, introduce additional guarantees for people who were held captive or whose relatives went missing, and bring administrative procedures into compliance with the requirements of the Law of Ukraine "On Administrative Procedure."

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