HCMC – A shortage of plastic driver’s license blanks has disrupted issuance in several provinces, affecting thousands who have passed their exams. To manage the situation, some localities have borrowed blanks or temporarily suspended driving tests.
The Department for Roads of Vietnam is currently reviewing bids for a contract worth over VND141.9 billion to supply PET license blanks for 2025. Two bidders, MK Smart JSC and the Technical Center for Document and Business Services, have submitted proposals valued at VND107.77 billion and VND132.9 billion after discounts, respectively.
The shortage stems from a surge in demand, driven in part by motorcycle license holders upgrading from paper-based licenses to PET versions for digital integration with the VNeID app. While the new licenses are not mandatory under upcoming traffic regulations, they remain valid indefinitely.
By October, 3.5 million licenses had been issued, surpassing the planned 3.4 million for 2024. To address the shortfall, authorities have requested an additional one million blanks for the remainder of the year.
The Department for Roads of Vietnam stated that supplies are being distributed every 15 days, with full delivery expected by early December.
