In Ukraine, the minimum age for drivers may be changed: cars – from 17 years old, buses – from 24

Ukraine plans to change the age requirements for obtaining a driver’s license. The government has finalized a draft law that should bring Ukrainian rules closer to European Union standards.

The document provides for new age limits for different categories of transport, as well as separate rules for drivers who are getting a license for the first time.

Driving a passenger car – from 17 years old

One of the key innovations is the ability to drive a passenger car from 17 years old, but only if accompanied by an experienced driver.

It is also proposed to introduce new categories:

AM – for mopeds, it will be possible to obtain it from 15 years old;

A2 – for motorcycles with a power of up to 35 kW, from 18 years old.

Driving more powerful category A motorcycles will be possible from 20 years old with at least two years of experience in category A2. Without such experience – from 24 years old.

Age limit to be raised for trucks and buses

The changes will significantly affect professional drivers.

For categories C and CE, which allow driving freight vehicles, the basic minimum age is proposed to be set at 21 years.

For categories D and DE, required for driving buses, it is 24 years.

What will change for novice drivers

The first driver’s license, as provided for by the draft law, will be valid for two years.

If during this period the driver is deprived of the right to drive vehicles, the validity of such a license will cease.

Another proposed change concerns foreign documents. Obtaining a driver’s license of another state by a citizen may be grounds for recognizing a Ukrainian license as invalid.

The changes are provided for by the draft law, which implements the provisions of the new EU Directive 2025/2205 on driver’s licenses. So now we are talking about the proposed rules, not the already existing innovations.