Dynamics of obtaining driving licenses and national model registration certificates by citizens of the Republic of Moldova residing in the Transnistrian region, as well as registration of vehicles with neutral model plates
In 2024, there was an increase in the number of national model driving licences obtained by citizens residing on the left bank of the Nistru River and the municipality of Bender, based on the simplified mechanism for bringing their right to drive vehicles into line with national standards, as well as an increase in the number of vehicles documented with neutral license plates.
According to the information submitted by the Public Services Agency, on the basis of the simplified mechanism that operated until the end of last year, between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2024, 41 123 national model driving licences were issued. During 2024, the simplified mechanism issued 6 727 driving licences, representing an increase of around 20% compared to 2023 (5 357 licences). Thus, about 50% of drivers in the Transnistrian region hold national driving licenses.
It is necessary to specify that, in order to ensure the safety of road traffic on public roads in the country and in international traffic, in terms of increasing the quality of the process of obtaining driving licences, Government Decision No 5/2025 amended the Regulation on the examination procedure for obtaining the right to drive vehicles, the issuance and validity of the driving licence, approved by Government Decision No 181/2022. Accordingly, from 2025, the alignment of the right to drive vehicles obtained in the settlements of the left bank of the Nistru River and the municipality of Bender with national standards will be carried out on the basis of passing a theoretical and practical exam corresponding to the category / subcategory of vehicles for which the alignment of the right to drive is requested.
According to the State Transport Register, in the period from September 1, 2018 to December 31, 2024, 12 206 non-commercial vehicles from the Transnistrian region were documented with neutral license plates in the vehicle registration offices in the cities of Tiraspol and Rîbnița. In 2024, 2 187 vehicles were registered with such plates, reaching an almost 6-fold increase in neutral plate registration dynamics compared to 2023, when 376 vehicles were registered. In the same period (01 September 2018 – 31 December 2024), 21 628 registration certificates were issued, of which 4 073 certificates were issued in 2024, which is more than double compared to 2023 (1 919 certificates).
It should be noted that only in August 2024, primary documentation was resumed in the vehicle registration offices in the cities of Tiraspol and Rîbnița after a long break caused by blockages and politicization on the part of Tiraspol, which unilaterally withdrew from the mechanism at the end of December 2021.
We remind that the mechanism of registration with neutral model plates does not replace the basic process, widely used by residents of the region, regarding documentation with national number plates, and access to international road traffic is allowed only if the state of the Republic of Moldova is clearly identified on the vehicle, the driver has a national driving license and other documents issued by the competent national authorities.
