OMM Newsroom
First-time driving licences are issued through registration and examination offices of the Main State Traffic Police Department (BDYPİ) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The process is governed by Articles 33 and 35 of the Law on Road Traffic, while exam procedures are set out in regulations approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 41 of March 15, 1999.
Key steps
- Check the age and training requirements for the vehicle category you want to drive (see the table below).
- Complete the medical examination required by law and obtain a medical certificate in the approved form.
- Submit your documents in person or online to a BDYPİ registration and examination office serving your place of residence or stay; you will be notified of the exam date and time.
- Pass the theory exam, followed by the practical exam.
- Pay the state fee only through a bank, post office, payment card, electronic payment system or online, and collect your licence.
| Category | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Moped, bicycle with an auxiliary engine, “A1” subcategory | 16 |
| “A”, “B”, “C”, “B1”, “C1” | 18 |
| “BE”, “C1E” | 19 (with at least one year of experience in the corresponding category) |
| “CE” | 21 (with at least three years of experience in category “C”) |
| “D”, “D1”, tram, trolleybus | 23 (up to age 65; with at least five years of experience in “B”, “C” or “C1”) |
Source: Part II of Article 33 of the Law on Road Traffic.
Applicants may prepare for the driving exams independently or attend a driving course at a driving school. However, independent preparation is allowed only for exams for category “A” and “B” licences and “A1” and “B1” subcategory licences. These licences authorize holders to drive motorcycles, passenger cars with no more than eight passenger seats, and trucks with a maximum permitted mass of up to 3.5 tonnes (Part I-I of Article 35 of the Law on Road Traffic). Applicants who prepare independently are admitted to the exams within three days of applying (35.IV.3). Under the Cabinet of Ministers’ rules on independent preparation (clauses 4.1–4.2), such applicants may sit the exam only once. Anyone who fails must complete a training course at an educational institution before being allowed to retake it. Training at a driving course or school is compulsory for licences in other categories.
The law entitles applicants to take the exam at a registration and examination office serving their place of residence or stay (Part III of Article 35). Anyone wishing to take the exam where they are temporarily staying may also be asked to provide proof of temporary residence there. For example, internally displaced persons may sit the exam at their temporary place of residence by presenting a certificate confirming their temporary accommodation in that area.
In all cases, applicants must also submit a medical certificate to be admitted to the exam. No one may take the exam without one.
State fees for the exams and licence are set out in Articles 18.65.4 and 18.65.5 of the Law on State Duty:
| Service | State fee | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Exam (motor vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, trams, trolleybuses) | 40 manats | 18.65.4.1 |
| Retaking the exam (same categories) | 20 manats | 18.65.4.1-1 |
| Exam for another type of driving licence, including a tractor operator licence | 10 manats | 18.65.4.2 |
| Issuing or replacing a driving licence (motor vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds) | 30 manats | 18.65.5.1 |
| Issuing or replacing an international driving licence | 12 manats | 18.65.5.1-1 |
| Licence for tractors, self-propelled machines and other mechanical vehicles | 10 manats | 18.65.5.2 |
Applicants who pass the exams are issued a driving licence within 30 minutes (Part V of Article 35 of the Law on Road Traffic).
The driving exam has two parts: a theory test and a practical test. Applicants take the theory test first; only those who pass can proceed to the practical test. The theory test is administered by computer using information and communication technologies. Each applicant is given 10 questions and 15 minutes to answer. Those who answer at least nine correctly proceed to the practical test; anyone who makes two mistakes or fails to answer within the time limit is deemed to have failed (the exam methodology approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 41, clauses 2.2 and 3.2–3.3).
The practical test assesses the applicant’s driving skills in a vehicle matching the category sought. Applicants must perform specific manoeuvres and drive in designated road conditions. An examiner is present during the test, but the first stage, held on a closed driving course, is assessed using surveillance-camera footage. Applicants fail if they commit serious violations while performing manoeuvres or create a dangerous situation that requires the examiner to intervene. For category “B”, applicants may choose a vehicle with a manual or automatic transmission. Those who take the test in an automatic car are authorized to drive only automatic-transmission vehicles (Part IV-II of Article 35).
I would like to assure prospective drivers that learning the rules of the road and developing driving skills is not difficult, and anyone can learn them to the required standard and pass the exam within 1.5 to 2 months. The key is to prepare carefully for the driving test.
How to check the required documents
Under Part II of Article 35 of the Law on Road Traffic, applicants must submit:
- an identity card (or an identity document for foreign nationals);
- a document from an educational institution confirming training in the relevant category, except for applicants who prepare independently;
- a medical certificate in the approved form;
- proof of payment of the state fee.
Applicants are not required to submit documents that can be obtained through the Electronic Government Information System (35.II-I).
Safety note
Offers from intermediaries to obtain a licence “without an exam” carry legal risks. Make payments only through official channels and using official account details, and check exam results and document submissions through the official system.
Verified: October 14, 2026.
