Must the photos on the driver's license renewal and the medical examination form be the same?

[MacEmily]

The photos on the driver's license renewal and the medical examination form must be the same, but different regions may have different regulations. Drivers can consult relevant personnel at the local vehicle management office. Driver's license renewal process: The driver should prepare 3 photos (1-inch size), which must be recent, front-facing, color photos with a white background and without a hat (those who need vision correction must wear glasses). The driver must obtain a medical condition certificate from a county-level or military hospital at the regiment level or above. The certificate must have a photo attached, and the medical institution should stamp the photo. The driver must fill out the "Motor Vehicle Driver's License Application Form," which also requires a photo to be attached. The driver's license must not be suspended, revoked, canceled, or have accumulated 12 penalty points, unresolved violations, or unpaid fines. If any of these conditions exist, they must be resolved before renewal. The driver must submit the medical condition certificate, the "Motor Vehicle Driver's License Application Form," the current driver's license, and the required photos to the vehicle management office where the license was originally issued. The office will process the renewal within one working day upon approval.

[CalvinFitz]

I just went to the DMV to renew my driver's license, and the staff on-site specifically emphasized that all submitted photos must be of the same version and background. The photo on the medical examination form will be cross-checked with the driver's license system. If facial recognition fails to match, you'll have to retake the photo, which is a hassle after making the trip. I heard that nationwide, the three certificates are now unified, and the photo serves as the baseline data for electronic records. Don't cut corners with photos—printing a set directly is the safest bet. Last time, I lazily used photos taken at different studios, and the lady at the counter said the lighting color temperatures didn't match, forcing me to retake the photos.

[ORobert]

The policy is actually quite clear. Last year, the new regulations from the Ministry of Public Security required that driver's license photos must be verified against the ID photo database. When you undergo a medical examination, the hospital will take and upload your photo on-site, and the vehicle management office retrieves this data source. When I accompanied my dad to renew his license, he brought his own prepared ID photo, but the counter directly retrieved the medical insurance photo taken during his physical exam half a year ago. The staff explained that the system now enforces this linkage, making bringing your own photo redundant. If you haven't had a recent physical exam, remember to wear dark-colored clothes when visiting an authorized photo point, as the electronic version will be synchronized across all systems.

[AveryLee]

I learned this the hard way! Three months ago when renewing my license, I used a white-background photo for the medical exam but submitted a blue-background one for the driver's license application - it got rejected immediately. The DMV clerk pointed at the regulation and read: 'All submitted images for procedures must maintain consistency.' He suggested either taking all photos on-site or redoing the medical examination form. Later I discovered some chain photo studios offer 'DMV service packages' - for 38 yuan they provide a CD with electronically coded photos recognized by both hospitals and DMV offices. Had I known earlier, I'd have spent this small amount to avoid taking leave days and queuing up again.