Driving licence in Romania

Regardless of age, in the first year after obtaining the licence the driver is called a beginner (Romanian: începător) and has to display on the windscreen and the back window of the car the distinctive sign (a black exclamation mark (!)

Beginning with 1999, the driving licence format was changed from that of a pink booklet to a credit-card sized card.

People wanting to obtain a driving licence in Romania must, firstly, attend a number of classes in a traffic law school before beginning the actual practice.

A police officer is in the teacher's seat, while the candidate is driving, and a so-called "witness" is in the backseat to ensure all parties acted lawfully during the examination.

Shall the candidate fail the exam, they are rescheduled but must take an additional six more hours of practice, or three classes.

Every category has a minimum age required for obtaining it: Beginning with 2009, the driving licence respects the EU format without any English translations anymore which may confuse many non-Romanian language speakers or non-EU residents.

Cover, first, and last pages of the Romanian driver's licence between the 1970s and the 1990s. The R code indicates an issuing before 1981.