Since early March, the Traffic Police Department began implementing new regulations for examining, issuing, and exchanging driver's licenses. Concurrently, many localities have reported a shortage of PET card blanks, leading to prolonged delays in issuing physical licenses to citizens.

Mai Van Duc from Hanoi exchanged his class C driver's license (for trucks over 3,5 tons) in August but has yet to receive his plastic card. Although his license information is integrated into the Ministry of Public Security's VNeID electronic identification application, companies hiring drivers still require a physical license. "I applied to 5 companies, and all rejected me because I don't have the PET card yet; now I can only wait," he stated.

Previously, Duc earned over 10 million VND per month as a driver, but he is currently on temporary leave, awaiting his PET license. The approaching year-end period intensifies his anxiety.

Duong Van Manh from Bac Ninh upgraded his license from class B2 (for automobiles with up to 9 seats and trucks under 3,5 tons) to C1 in June. He has not received his physical card, nor has it been updated on VNeID. "A check on the Traffic Police Department's system shows the exchange is complete, but when stopped, I still have to recite my old license number," he explained.

Some drivers report that during automated traffic penalties (fines issued via images), many authorities still demand a photocopy of the driver's license. Furthermore, insurance companies continue to request physical licenses when processing compensation claims. This creates difficulties for drivers who only possess digital data.

The shortage of license blanks is occurring in many localities. *Photo: Ngoc Thanh*

According to the Traffic Police Department, while awaiting PET card issuance, citizens can present their driver's license, vehicle registration, and civil liability insurance integrated into the Ministry of Public Security's VNeID or VNeTraffic applications. However, driver Nguyen Xuan Thien noted that relying on electronic devices can be inconvenient, as many expressways or mountainous areas lack signal, and a dead phone battery would prevent app access.

The Traffic Police Department stated that the supply of PET card blanks has not kept pace with demand due to issues with the material supplier. In early December 2025, approximately 400,000 card blanks will be distributed to localities for printing and issuance to citizens. Previously, over one million blanks were supplied to 34 provinces and cities, but this quantity remained insufficient for the actual demand.

The department reported it is directing relevant units to resolve the bottlenecks, aiming to complete the issuance and exchange of physical driver's licenses by the first quarter of 2026. During duties, traffic police will verify citizen information by cross-referencing integrated documents on the system.

The Ministry of Public Security is also revising regulations on driver's license examinations and issuance, moving towards electronic driver's licenses that will be automatically integrated into shared data. Citizens who wish to have a PET card printed can register and pay the prescribed fee.

Viet An