Obtaining a Driver's License a Burden: 'Jamanak'

The newspaper 'Jamanak' reports that obtaining a driver's license in Armenia has become a burden for future drivers. Residents who reached out to the editorial office claim that after passing the theoretical exam for a driver's license, they must wait 6 months to take the practical exam at the 'Sevan' and 'Abovyan' testing centers.

A concerned citizen explained the situation: 'I had a positive result during the theoretical exam, which I passed in August. The very next day, I wanted to register for the practical exam, but at the 'Sevan' testing center, my turn is only scheduled for February 2-3. I thought I would wait, in hopes that after the new law was adopted, days would become available. September came, but in the first week, no days opened up. Now I'm seeing that my turn has already been pushed back to February 27-28. If we believe the saying that 'no one gets it the first time', then my second attempt will also be in 6 months, and my theoretical exam will expire. It turns out that this new law is just to fill the budget. We pay the fees to obtain our licenses, and bribery has been legalized again,' the citizen expressed their frustration.

When referring to the new law, citizens mean that now, for a fee, one can retake the exam starting from the day after receiving a negative assessment. The legislative package received approval at the Government of the Republic of Armenia on May 15. The first time an individual receives a negative result, they can participate in the exam the following day for a fee of 45,000 AMD; on the third day, the fee is reduced to 30,000 AMD. If an individual receives a negative result for the second or any subsequent time, they can now utilize expedited services with new deadlines: on the seventh day for 45,000 AMD and on the fourteenth day for 30,000 AMD instead of the former 30-day wait.

It should be noted that the Ministry of Internal Affairs had implemented a queuing system in the testing departments. Analyzing the wait times at various centers across the regions of Armenia, it was observed that the distribution is not uniform. For example, at the 'Sevan', 'Abovyan', and several other testing centers, the dates for registration are already at the end of February, while in the 'Gyumri' center, the next available date is in the first week of October.

Furthermore, it must be emphasized that even with the queuing system, the intended functions have not been fulfilled under congested departments, and the belief that paying more will expedite the examination is nearly nonexistent. The Ministry of Internal Affairs told 'Jamanak' that the current situation is due to the flexibility of the queuing system: 'If at this moment a certain department shows the next available date in February, it is possible that in the near future an open date and time will be available within this month. The queuing system is flexible, and any individual can both book and cancel their chosen date.' Additionally, due to the changes initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, citizens now have the opportunity to apply to another Testing Department for the practical exam. Currently, there are also departments where individuals can register immediately and participate in the exam within a few days,' the Ministry's statement concluded.

This means that, for example, a citizen living in the town of Sevan must leave their local department and travel to Gyumri to take the driver's license exam on a sooner date. This is yet another inconvenience introduced by the new system.