Exchange of expired driving licence is now possible online2/6/2021|Press releasesThanks to a new feature in the Citizen Portal, drivers can now exchange their soon to expire driving licences online. Instead of going to an authority, starting from June they can submit an electronic application and send it through the Citizen Portal using a data mailbox. Regular exchange is free of charge and the new driving licence can be collected at any of the 206 municipal authorities with extended powers. Drivers can request a renewal of their driving licence not sooner than 90 days before the validity expires. “Each year, around 500 or 750 thousand people need to exchange their driving licences, which expired after the ten-year validity. Now, they can do it online from the comfort of their home. In just few clicks on the Citizen Portal, they can submit an application within several minutes. They will then collect their new driving licence at a chosen authority”, said Minister of Transport Karel Havlíček. The new feature eSubmission is available at the Citizen Portal. People can sign in either with eID, eGovernment mobile key, via data mailbox or a bank ID. They will then see a form with already filled out data taken from the Central Register of Drivers. To send the application, the person must have their data mailbox of a natural person connected to the system. It will ensure a clear verification of the person submitting the application. “People in the Czech Republic are using the electronic form of communication with authorities more often. The eGovernment proved its benefits especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the use of electronic communication skyrocketed. An online application for a driving licence is another feature that will save time not only of citizens, but also the authorities”, explained the Minister of Interior Affairs Jan Hamáček. Already 3.7 million people can use their eID to sign in to the Citizen Portal, 307,000 people use their data mailbox of natural person. People can create the data mailbox directly in the Citizen Portal. The driver can then choose any municipal authority with extended powers to collect their new driving licence. A part of the pre-filled data will be also a most recent photo from selected state registers and a digital signature from the last driving licence. SMS or e-mail will notify about the new driving licence Before sending the application, the driver needs to confirm whether the filled out data are correct and that the showed photo corresponds to their current appearance. If it does not correspond, the driver must go to the relevant authority to file the application in person and have a new photo taken. After the data are confirmed, the application will be sent via data mailbox of natural person to the registry of the selected authority. There is also an option to set means of communication, i.e. SMS or e-mail, to which the applicant will receive an information about the approval or rejection of the application. The driver will also receive a notification within 20 days that the licence is finished and ready to be collected. The new driving licence can be also collected upon verified power of attorney. The Citizen Portal already offers drivers to check the current state of their points or information about the validity of their driving licences. The owners of vehicles also receive a notification to their data mailbox about the end of the roadworthiness test.