Good News for Those Disqualified from Driving Licenses

For citizens who have been disqualified from driving rights, a proposal is being made to introduce a more targeted procedure for restoring driving rights. This was announced in a draft law circulated by the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Currently, the restoration of driving rights after the disqualification period is carried out based on examinations, regardless of whether this disqualification is a first-time occurrence or not.

"Studies of international practices and the analyses conducted show that after the disqualification period expires, especially in cases of first-time disqualifications, more targeted methods aimed at changing the driver’s behavior are applied, while ensuring proper control over it. For example, additional courses, retraining of those deprived of driving rights, installation of alcohol monitoring devices in operated vehicles, setting limitations on the testing period for individuals with restricted capabilities, and other procedures are utilized," the draft law states.

Considering the applicability and accessibility options, the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes to change the current model of restoring driving rights by introducing a severely limited possibility of 6 penalty points granted for a one-year probationary period after the expiration of the disqualification period.

The package of proposals suggests changing the current model of restoring driving rights by introducing the following more targeted procedures:

1. The right to drive of citizens of the Republic of Armenia, whose driving rights have been revoked based on a valid police action, may be restored once within one year after the expiration of the disqualification period, without passing qualification examinations, upon payment of the state fee stipulated by law, and a probationary period of one year shall be established; in case of a second or subsequent revocation, restoration shall be granted after passing qualification examinations.
2. In the case of a probationary period, provide 6 penalty points instead of 13.
3. In case an individual in the probationary period exhausts the 6 penalty points, disqualification from driving vehicles for one year shall be imposed.
4. For the restoration of the driving rights of persons deprived of such rights after the expiration of the disqualification period without passing qualification examinations and establishing a probationary period, a state fee of fifty thousand drams shall be set.

At the same time, a transitional provision is established, under which individuals disqualified after January 1, 2020, will also only be able to restore their driving rights once by paying the corresponding state fee and receiving 6 penalty points instead of 13, under the conditions of a one-year probationary period from the restoration.