
The difference between a lost and reissued driver's license and the original one is the document number on the license. When the driver's license expires, it needs to be renewed. For renewal, you must bring your ID card, driver's license, medical examination certificate, two one-inch white background photos, and a copy of your ID card. A driver's license, also known as a driving permit, is a document issued by the government transportation department to individuals who qualify to drive. It is usually a card. To obtain a driver's license, one must meet the age requirements and pass a driving test. The precautions for renewing an expired driver's license are: 1. The applicant must truthfully submit the required materials to the vehicle office, declare the specified items truthfully, and be responsible for the authenticity of the substantive content of the application materials; 2. The applicant must meet the application conditions stipulated in the regulations for the application and use of motor vehicle driver's licenses.

I recently went through the process of replacing my driver's license and noticed that while the new license looks similar, there are some changes in the details. The license number remains my ID number, and the validity period stays the same, but the issue date has been updated to the day of the replacement. The most noticeable difference is that the file number on the back page of the license is regenerated, and the old license is directly invalidated by the system. To apply for a replacement, you need to bring your ID card and a photo, with a fee of 10 yuan. Nowadays, you can also apply through the traffic app 12123 on your phone. However, it's important to note that once you receive the new license, the old one becomes invalid even if you find it, and using it could be considered driving without a license. It's advisable not to drive during the replacement period and wait until you have the new license. It's also a good idea to take a photo of your license information as a backup, just in case.

A reissued driver's license is essentially no different from the original one - you can still drive and undergo annual inspections as usual. The main difference is that the issuance date gets updated to the reissue date, while the old license automatically becomes invalid. The reissuance procedure is quite simple: just go to the vehicle office to fill out a loss statement, pay a 10-yuan fee, and bring your ID card. Nowadays, many cities offer online processing with delivery to your home in 2-3 days. One friend found his old license tucked in a book during reissuance, and got fined by traffic police for using both licenses simultaneously. So never keep the old one for convenience, and absolutely don't drive without a license during reissuance. In urgent cases, you can apply for a temporary electronic license, but driving before receiving the physical copy carries significant risks.

After replacement, the driver's license number remains unchanged and is still your ID number. The difference is that the new license's issue date becomes the replacement date, with a replacement record noted on the back. The original license becomes invalid immediately, and police can distinguish it by scanning the QR code. The replacement process is quite convenient now: submit an application via a mobile app, take a photo offline, pay ten yuan, and in some cities, you can get the license the same day. If you replace it across provinces, the file number will change, but it stays the same for replacements within the same city. Another minor change is that the background of the new license photo may be updated to the new photo you submitted, unlike the old license which used the archived photo. After getting the new license, check the issue date immediately. Once, I saw a staff member enter the wrong year, requiring another replacement.

After reissuing the driver's license, its functionality remains exactly the same, but there are two physical differences: first, the core certificate number is updated, and the vehicle system will automatically mark it as reissued; second, the replacement date is printed in the annotation column on the supplementary page. The old license will be locked in the system, similar to a lost bank card. Nowadays, replacing a license is very convenient, and you usually don’t need to visit a service window—just handle it directly on the 12123 app. It’s recommended to apply on a weekday morning to avoid peak hours, and it can be done in about half an hour. Remember, after getting your replacement license, don’t just celebrate—promptly update your electronic license information on your phone. Additionally, if your license is linked to penalty point deductions or traffic violation processing, the replacement won’t affect it at all, as the system data is synchronized in real time.

There are three key differences between old and new driver's licenses: the issuance date changes to the reissue date, the file number is refreshed, and the old license becomes invalid immediately. There is no difference in effect, but the reissuance process takes some effort. For on-site processing, you need to bring the original ID card, three white-background photos, and a nationwide uniform fee of ten yuan. Recently, I found that self-service machines are particularly convenient for reissuing licenses, offering a one-stop service for photo-taking and license-making. If you need to drive while waiting for the new license, some cities allow the use of the electronic driver's license from the Traffic Management 12123 app as an emergency measure. After reissuance, be sure to check the permitted vehicle types section. Once, when helping a friend pick up their license, I found that C1 was mistakenly printed as C2, and we had to return to the counter for a reissue immediately. It's advisable to keep a scanned copy of your driver's license in cloud storage so you can access the information for reissuance if you lose your phone.


