Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance (RCA) is a contract concluded between an individual or a legal person who owns a vehicle and an insurance company with the right to offer RCA insurance on the territory of Romania. The owner of a vehicle is required to have a valid RCA contract for the entire period in which the vehicle is registered, even if the vehicle is not used. The RCA insurance has two purposes: the financial protection of the person responsible for an accident and the financial protection of the injured person after an accident.

The insurance premium is influenced by the damage history for a reference period (policyholder's claim record, with one car). Direct settlement, an additional service provided in the RCA contract at an additional charge, allows the injured party to contact, in case of damage caused at the fault of a third party, their own RCA insurer.

After suffering damage as a result of an accident caused by a vehicle, the injured party can contact the insurer of said vehicle and submit the fact-finding report and/or the authorisation for repairs issued by the police or, as the case may be, the “Amicable Car Accident Settlement” form.

The compensation is the amount paid by the insurer to cover the damage. Compensation is paid by the RCA insurer within a maximum of 10 days from the date of the injured party's acceptance of the compensation offer made by the RCA insurer or from the date of the final court decision or the alternative resolution of the dispute.

TAKING A MOTOR VEHICLE TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY TO ANOTHER MEMBER STATE

A motor vehicle can be temporarily or permanently taken to Romania either with or without fulfilling the formalities regarding registration in Romania, as follows:

insofar as the vehicle is registered in another State, the national legislation does not limit in time the right of putting it into circulation for persons who do not have their head office/domicile/residence established in Romania, while such right is limited to a 90-day period from the date of introduction of the vehicle in the country, for persons who have their head office/domicile/residence established in Romania.

Persons who have their head office/domicile/residence established in Romania may register their vehicles with the registration authority (Serviciul Public Comunitar Regim Permise de Conducere și Înmatriculare a Vehiculelor – Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration) in whose jurisdiction their domicile, head office or residence, for persons residing abroad, is situated.

Pending registration, the competent Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration may provisionally authorise the movement of vehicles, based on the documents displayed on the page Documents required for the issue of a provisional movement authorization.

In order to register, the applicant will complete the formalities prior to this operation, namely:

• declaration of the vehicle in the fiscal records of the fiscal body within the local public authority in whose jurisdiction they have their head office/domicile/residence;
• approval and certification of the vehicle’s authenticity, as the case may be, operations performed by the Regia Autonomă ‘Registrul Auto Român’ (autonomous company ‘Romanian Automotive Register’), then they will submit to the competent Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration the documents displayed on the page Registrations - Required documents, depending on the operation required to be performed.

The Romanian Vehicles Register (RAR RA) will issue the vehicle identity card (VIC) directly if the vehicle has an EU type-approval and did not undergo modifications by reference to the approved configuration or following individual approval.

RAR RA will also perform the technical inspection and will certify the authenticity of the vehicle.

BUYING AND SELLING A MOTOR VEHICLE IN ANOTHER MEMBER STATE

A MOTOR VEHICLE CAN BE BOUGHT either with or without fulfilling the formalities regarding registration in Romania, as follows: insofar as the vehicle is registered in another State, the national legislation does not limit in time the right of putting it into circulation for persons who do not have their head office/domicile/residence established in Romania, while such right is limited to a 90-day period from the date of introduction of the vehicle in the country, for persons who have their head office/domicile/residence established in Romania.

Persons who have their head office/domicile/residence established in Romania may register their vehicles with the registration authority (Serviciul Public Comunitar Regim Permise de Conducere și Înmatriculare a Vehiculelor – Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration) in whose jurisdiction their domicile, head office or residence, for persons residing abroad, is situated.

Pending registration, the competent Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration may provisionally authorise the movement of vehicles, based on the documents displayed on the page Documents required for the issue of a provisional movement authorization.

In order to register, the applicant will complete the formalities prior to this operation, namely:

• declaration of the vehicle in the fiscal records of the fiscal body within the local public authority in whose jurisdiction they have their head office/domicile/residence;
• approval and certification of the vehicle’s authenticity, as the case may be, operations performed by the Regia Autonomă ‘Registrul Auto Român’ (autonomous company ‘Romanian Automotive Register’), then they will submit to the competent Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration the documents displayed on the page Registrations - Required documents, depending on the operation required to be performed.
  
  

For vehicles already registered in Romania, the new owner must request, within 90 days from the vehicle acquisition date, from the competent Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration, based on the submission of documents displayed on the page Registrations - Vehicle purchased in Romania.

THE SALE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE may be preceded by one of the following operations:

• temporary registration for export: the operation is carried out by the Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration that performed the registration, at the owner’s request, based on the documents displayed on the page Registrations - Vehicle purchased in Romania;

• deregistration of the vehicle in order to take it out of Romania: the operation is carried out by the Community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration that performed the registration, at the owner’s request, based on the documents displayed on the page Registrations - Export documents required.

*Please note that the deregistration of vehicles can also be carried out ex officio, upon notification from the competent authorities abroad certifying that the vehicle has been permanently re-registered in another State.

To obtain a driving licence in an EU country, the requirements usually include residence, minimum age, fulfilment of the mandatory level of health, and passing a driving test.

Age requirements for obtaining a driving licence in categories A, A1, A2 and B

The minimum age for obtaining a driving licence:

• 16 years of age, for vehicle categories AM, A1 and B1;
• 18 years of age, for vehicle categories A2, B, BE, C1, C1E and Tr;
• 20 years of age, if the person has at least 2 years of experience in driving motorcycles in category A2, or 24 years of age, for motorcycles in category A.

Residence requirements for foreign EU citizens to obtain a driving licence

Persons who have or establish their domicile or residence in Romania can request the exchange of the national driving licences with similar Romanian documents. In order to determine the competence of the Community public service, applicants must declare on their honour that:

• they usually live at least 185 days in a calendar year at an address or addresses in Romania, of which at least one is within the jurisdiction of the Community public service because of personal and occupational ties or because of personal ties which show close links with the said address or addresses, if the persons have no occupational ties; or
• they regularly return to an address within the jurisdiction of the Community public service because of personal ties with that address, although they live in turn in different places situated in two or more Member States, because their occupational ties are in a different place from their personal ties; or
• they usually live at an address within the jurisdiction of the Community public service because of their personal ties with that address, although they also live temporarily in another Member State in order to carry out an activity or a task of a definite duration.

The examination in order to obtain a driving licence is carried out by successively taking the theory test and the practical test, on different days.

Theory tests for several categories can be taken on the same day, unless obtaining one category is conditional upon the prior holding of another category.

In order to undergo the theory test, the computer application developed and managed by D.R.P.C.I.V. (General Directorate for Driving Licences and Car Registration) is used.

The test is taken after completing the necessary formalities, at the head office of the competent Community public service, consisting of: checking the examination file, recording the facial image and registering in the examination computer application.

Candidates declared ‘admitted’ to the theory test can make an appointment for the practical test that is assigned according to the availability of places and the order of application.

The practical test is taken:

• only in the testing ground, for motor vehicles in category AM,
• in the testing ground and on the route, for the motor vehicles in categories A1, A2 and A,
• only on the route, for motor vehicles in categories B1, B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE, Tr, Tb and Tv.

In the case provided for in the testing ground and on the route, for motor vehicles in categories A1, A2 and A, the test is carried out by taking the practical test in the testing ground, and then by taking it on the road on the same day.

If the examination is requested for several categories, the practical tests are taken on different days, allocated for each category of driving licence requested.

Information on accredited driving schools

The authorisation, activity and inspection of driving schools fall within the competence of the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure and Communications, which is why we direct you to this ministry.

Information on testing centres

The examination of candidates at the theory test takes place in rooms suitable for this activity and consists in indicating the answers to the multiple choice questions generated by the computer system.

In the case of Romanian citizen candidates belonging to national minorities, the theory test can be taken, upon request, in the mother tongue, in accordance with Article 19 of Law No 215/2001 on local public administration, republished, as further amended and supplemented.

In the case of foreigners, of citizens of the Member States of the European Union, other than Romania, of citizens of the Member States of the European Economic Area and of citizens of the Swiss Confederation, the theory test may be taken, upon request, in English, French or German.

Candidates can verify their theoretical knowledge through an application made available to the public by the D.R.P.C.I.V., free of charge, through an online service, on its own website: www.drpciv.ro.

Information on mandatory medical checks to prove the ability to drive

Mandatory medical checks fall within the competence of the Ministry of Health, which is why we direct you to this Ministry. They must comply with the requirements provided for in Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on driving licences.

Information on the validity of driving licences

The administrative validity of driving licences, by vehicle category, is as follows:

• 5 years for driving licences issued for vehicles in categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE, Tr, Tb and Tv;
• 10 years for driving licences issued for vehicles in categories AM, A1, A2, A, B, B1 and BE.

Information on the validity of driving licences for elderly drivers

Same validity as in the previous point.

The current legislation does not provide for a limitation of the right to drive motor vehicles on public roads depending on the maximum age of the holder of a driving licence, as long as such person is physically and mentally fit for driving a motor vehicle, as set out by the Ministry of Health.

Information on the accepted formats of driving licences, in addition to the standard format at EU level, issued since 2013

SHAPE AND CONTENT OF THE DRIVING LICENCE (European Union model driving licence)

The shape is rectangular, looking like a credit card. The substrate is made of polycarbonate and the personal information are added by laser engraving. The physical characteristics of the substrate of the European Union model driving licence comply with ISO 7810 and ISO 7816-1. The methods used for verifying the characteristics of the driving licence in order to ensure compliance with international rules are consistent with ISO 10373.

Information and requirements for the use of provisional driving licences

If the driving licence has been handed in, the applicant shall be issued with a replacement proof thereof, which shall record the registration number of the file and the filing date, the applicant’s surname and other name(s), the series and number of the driving licence, the issuing State and the category/categories for which the document is deemed valid, as well as the statement ‘the driving licence has been handed in for exchange’.

If the licence handed in is still valid, the replacement proof thereof shall be issued bearing free movement right valid for no more than 30 days, without exceeding the period of validity of the driving licence, and in all other cases, the proof shall be issued bearing no free movement right.

Provisional driving licences are not issued in Romania.

Renewal or exchange of a driving licence in another Member State

This licence is issued by the authorities of the EU’s country of residence.

If an EU citizen moves to another EU country and their driving licence is lost, stolen, damaged or expired, they should renew or exchange it in the country in which they have their normal residence.

Residence requirements for foreign EU citizens to renew a driving licence

Persons who have or establish their domicile or residence in Romania can request the exchange of the national driving licences with similar Romanian documents.

In order to determine the competence of the Community public service, applicants must declare on their honour that:

• they usually live at least 185 days in a calendar year at an address or addresses in Romania, of which at least one is within the jurisdiction of the Community public service because of personal and occupational ties or because of personal ties which show close links with the said address or addresses, if the persons have no occupational ties; or
• they regularly return to an address within the jurisdiction of the Community public service because of personal ties with that address, although they live in turn in different places situated in two or more Member States, because their occupational ties are in a different place from their personal ties; or
• they usually live at an address within the jurisdiction of the Community public service because of their personal ties with that address, although they also live temporarily in another Member State in order to carry out an activity or a task of a definite duration.

For citizens of the Member States, as well as for their family members who are not citizens of such states, the domicile or residence in Romania shall be proven by presenting documents within their validity period, by the document issued under Government Emergency Order No 102/2005 on the free movement in Romania of citizens of the Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area and of citizens of the Swiss Confederation, republished, as further amended and supplemented, certifying, at the time of request, the right of legal residence in Romania.

Age requirements for renewing a driving licence in categories A, A1, A2 and B

There are no age requirements for renewing driving licences.

Deadlines for renewing an expired driving licence

There are no such deadlines, but it is useful to renew the driving licence as soon as possible.

Information on mandatory medical checks to prove the ability to drive

Information on the mandatory medical checks intended to prove the ability to drive is provided by Order of the Minister of Health No 1162 of 31 August 2010 on the approval of the Minimum Norms regarding the physical and mental skills required for driving a motor vehicle, updated, as further amended and supplemented.

Information on the documents that an EU citizen must file to have their licence exchanged

The exchange of driving licences issued by the authorities of the European Union states shall be carried out without taking a driving test, but in compliance with the provisions of Article 6(1) of the Order of the Minister of Administration and Interior No 163 of 16 August 2011 on exchanging national driving licences issued by competent authorities of other states for similar Romanian documents, as further amended and supplemented, hereinafter referred to as the Order.

The driving licence exchange requires submitting in person, to the competent community public service authority referred to in Article 6(1) of the Order, the application file for the driving licence exchange, which must contain the following documents:

• the national driving licence issued by the EU Member State, when it is in the possession of the holder;
• the identification document, as well as documents attesting the domicile or residence in Romania, as referred to in Article 1(6) of the Order;
• the application form, whose model is provided in Annex No 4 to the Order, filled in legibly, in capital letters, and signed;
• proof of tariffs payment prescribed by law, related to the exchange of the driving licence.

Should a driving licence with a new administrative validity period be requested, the application file for the driving licence exchange referred to in paragraph 1 must also comprise the medical record issued by an authorised healthcare service unit that proves the holder is fit to drive the categories of vehicles mentioned in the driving licence presented for exchange.

Information on the exchange of a non-EU driving licence for an EU licence and the associated deadlines

The Order of the Minister of Administration and Interior No 163/2011 on exchanging national driving licences issued by competent authorities of other states for similar Romanian documents, as further amended and supplemented, sets out in Annexes 1 to 3 the states issuing foreign driving licences that can be exchanged for similar Romanian documents.

Annex No 1 includes the Member States of the European Union, other than Romania, the Member States of the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation, as well as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, until the end of the transition period.

Annex No 2 includes the Member States of the Convention on Road Traffic opened for signature in Vienna in 1968.

Annex No 3 provides for states that are not members of the Convention on Road Traffic, whose driving licences are exchanged for similar Romanian documents without taking a driving test.

Moreover, the driving licence issued by the states listed in Annexes 2 and 3 must be physically submitted within the period of validity and not be subject to restrictions.

If the non-EU state is not included in the Annexes to the above-mentioned Order, the holder of the driving licence must sign up with an approved driving school and take the test for obtaining the Romanian driving licence, in accordance with Order No 268 of 8 December 2010 on the examination procedure for getting a driving licence.

Information on the documents that a non-EU citizen must file to have their licence exchanged

If a person establishes his/her domicile or residence in Romania, the exchange of the non-EU driving licence may be requested only if the relevant state is included in Order of the Minister of Administration and Interior No 163/2011 on exchanging national driving licences issued by competent authorities of other states for similar Romanian documents, as further amended and supplemented, which sets out in Annexes 1 to 3 the states issuing foreign driving licences that can be exchanged for similar Romanian documents.

The non-EU (state referred to in Annexes 2 and 3) driving licence exchange requires submitting in person, to the competent community public service authority referred to in Article 6(1) of the Order, the application file for the driving licence exchange, which must contain the following documents:

• the national driving licence issued by the non-EU state authorities, as well as the authenticated copy translation into Romanian;
• the identification document, as well as documents attesting the domicile or residence in Romania, as referred to in Article 1(6) of the Order;
• the application form, whose model is provided in Annex No 4 to the Order, filled in legibly, in capital letters, and signed;
• proof of tariffs payment related to the exchange of the driving licence;
• the medical record issued by an authorised healthcare service unit that proves you are fit to drive the categories of vehicles mentioned in the driving licence presented for exchange.

Moreover, the driving licence issued by the states listed in Annexes 2 and 3 must be physically submitted within the period of validity and not be subject to restrictions.

Information on possible limitations on the use of the EU driving licence replacing the non-EU driving licence

There are no such limitations provided for in the Romanian legislation