Can a Motor Vehicle Driver's License Be Reissued If It Is Confiscated?
2 Answers
Motor Vehicle Driver's License cannot be reissued if it is confiscated. Handling by the Party Involved: The party involved in the road traffic violation must report to the traffic management department of the public security authority within fifteen days for processing. If the processing is overdue without a legitimate reason, the Motor Vehicle Driver's License will be revoked. Issuance of the Accident Identification Certificate: Except for accidents where liability is clear, the traffic accident identification certificate should be issued as soon as possible to complete the accident handling. The driver's license will only be returned after the traffic police have completed the issuance of the identification certificate and the relevant penalty decision. During this period, reissuance cannot be applied for. Release of the Temporarily Confiscated Driver's License: The driver must handle the traffic violation with the temporary confiscation certificate issued by the traffic police, then submit the certificate to the vehicle management department within 15 days for theoretical study and pass the theory test to release the temporarily confiscated driver's license.
As someone who has been driving for over a decade, I've encountered similar situations. You can't apply for a replacement driver's license when it's been impounded, because the document is still in the hands of the authorities—it's not lost or damaged. Replacement is mainly for cases where the license is lost or damaged, but impoundment means the government has temporarily taken your license, and you can't do anything about it. To get a new license, you first need to resolve the impoundment issue, such as paying fines or clearing violation records. I think the key takeaway is to learn from the experience and avoid violations that lead to impoundment, like drunk driving, which is an easy trap. Safe driving is the most hassle-free approach. Paying attention to traffic rules and regularly checking your car's lights and brakes to prevent impoundment is the wisest move.
