Digital licenses and stricter penalties: How EU's new driving law affects Czechia

The European Parliament has approved sweeping new rules that will change how driving licenses are issued, renewed, and recognized across the EU: if you drive in Czechia, this applies to you.

Key updates include the introduction of a digital driving license, stricter penalties for serious offenses, and a mandatory probationary period for new drivers.

For drivers in the country, the new law means that offenses committed abroad (say, during a trip to Austria, Poland, or Slovakia) will be communicated more closely and faster with Czech authorities. This includes exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 kilometers per hour, drink driving, or causing fatal accidents.

Penalties like suspension or revocation will apply across borders. On an EU-wide level, new drivers under 18 will be allowed to get a license at 17 (this law came into effect in Czechia a couple of years ago), but must drive under supervision until adulthood.

Under the new EU rules, drivers will be able to access a digital driving license on their mobile phones, which is intended to become the primary format by 2030. The traditional paper license will remain available, and MEPs ensured that drivers can still request it. 

Physical licenses must now be issued even more promptly, typically within three weeks, giving Czech residents a flexible transition while preparing for a future where mobile licenses become the norm.

Licenses will remain valid for 15 years for cars and motorcycles, and five years for trucks and buses, with stricter medical checks for older drivers.

Aside from being more at risk of penalties, the changes reflect the EU’s “Vision Zero” strategy: a push to eliminate all road deaths by 2050. 

Czechia, where around 450 people still die on the roads each year, is expected to benefit from the new emphasis on risk awareness and improved training. The updated driving test will cover blind spots, pedestrian safety, and distraction from mobile phones, areas where Czech drivers have struggled.

Drivers should prepare for a gradual rollout. The directive will take effect 20 days after publication in the EU’s Official Journal, though it is yet uncertain when this will happen. Czechia will have three years to adapt its laws. A further year will follow for implementation. 

The Ministry of Transport has already confirmed that a mobile driving license app is in development, expected to complement the current plastic version by 2030.

The new law aims to enhance accountability for offenses committed abroad while facilitating the issuance of licenses. Czechia is also making efforts to improve driving domestically: the government is introducing new laws to check vehicle emissions and better regulate self-driving cars by 2026.