This proposal is part of the draft decree amending and supplementing several articles of Decree 168/2024 on administrative penalties for order and traffic safety violations in the road traffic sector, including points deduction and restoration for driver's licenses.

The Ministry of Public Security is currently soliciting feedback on the draft until 19/4. It is expected to take effect from 1/7 and will amend and supplement many regulations regarding the authority to impose administrative penalties for various positions.

Specifically, the maximum fine for public security officers on duty is proposed to increase from 500.000 VND to 7.500.000 VND, a 15-fold increase.

Rach Chiec traffic police team fines dilapidated vehicles near Binh Phuoc overpass (Thu Duc City). *Photo: Quynh Tran*

Company-level Mobile Police unit commanders will have the authority to impose fines up to 15 million VND, a 10-fold increase from the current 1,5 million VND.

Local leadership positions, such as Police Station Chiefs, Post Chiefs, and Team Leaders, will also see their fining authority increased to 22,5 million VND, a 9-fold increase from the current 2,5 million VND.

Notably, commune-level police chiefs, who are closest to the public, will experience the most significant change, with their maximum fining authority increasing from 2,5 million VND to 37,5 million VND, a 15-fold increase.

This increase in limits, coupled with the authority to confiscate evidence and apply remedial measures, provides local police forces with sufficient legal tools to promptly address violations at the grassroots level, reducing procedural pressure on higher authorities.

Similarly, commune People's Committee chairpersons will also have their maximum fining authority for road traffic violations raised to 37,5 million VND, a 7,5-fold increase from the current 5 million VND.

The draft also adds the position of Head of the Department of Data Management, Exploitation, Processing, Operations, and Digital Transformation under the Traffic Police Department to the group authorized to impose fines up to 60 million VND. This highlights the priority given to using data and technology for transparent and objective monitoring and handling of violations.

The highest leadership positions, such as provincial-level Police Directors or Traffic Police Department Directors, will retain their maximum fining authority of 75 million VND.

Explaining these proposals, the drafting agency stated that these changes aim to align with Decree 189/2025, which details the Law on Handling Administrative Violations, recently amended and supplemented.

For example, according to Decree 189, public security officers on duty have the right to impose fines up to 10% of the maximum fine for the corresponding field as stipulated in Article 24 of the Law on Handling Administrative Violations. Specifically, the maximum fine in the road traffic sector is currently 75 million VND. Therefore, traffic police officers will have the authority to impose on-the-spot fines of up to 7,5 million VND, ensuring consistency in legal regulations.

Traffic police authorized to fine driving test fraud

Since 1/3/2025, the Ministry of Public Security has taken over the state management responsibility for the administration, testing, and issuance of driver's licenses from the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction).

However, in practice, traffic police have not yet penalized violations related to driving tests because their authority for specific actions has not been defined.

In this latest draft, the Ministry of Public Security has amended and supplemented the definition of authority for traffic police regarding penalties for violations related to driver's license testing.

Specifically, traffic police will soon have additional authority to penalize fraudulent acts during testing, such as: unauthorized alteration or use of testing software, scoring equipment, or testing vehicles; using computers in the theoretical testing room connected to external networks contrary to regulations; intentionally allowing vehicles or scoring equipment to operate inaccurately during the test; placing unauthorized signs or symbols on the testing ground or testing vehicles during the test, as shown in the table below:

Hai Thu