Taiwan requires seniors to renew driver’s licenses at 70

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications implemented new regulations affecting older drivers, including lowering the age for mandatory driver’s license renewals from 75 to 70.

The Highway Bureau will send notifications to more than 100,000 senior drivers in different age groups each month, informing them about the new requirements and encouraging them to renew their licenses after receiving the notice. An estimated 1.28 million drivers are expected to be affected.

The bureau said drivers between the ages of 70 and 74 who pass a physical examination and complete two hours of road safety training will receive licenses valid until age 75.

Drivers aged 75 and older must also pass a cognitive function test or provide proof that they do not have moderate to severe dementia. After age 75, licenses must be renewed every three years.

The bureau said drivers aged 70 to 75 will be granted a two-year grace period for license renewal. However, those who have already used the grace period before turning 75 will not be eligible for an additional three-year grace period when renewing their licenses after reaching age 75.

Drivers who fail to renew their licenses within the grace period may be treated as operating vehicles with expired licenses and fined between NT$1,800 and NT$3,600 (US$57 to US$114), according to the bureau.

Drivers who renew their licenses within three months of expiration or voluntarily surrender their original licenses will avoid penalties, though traffic violations such as running red lights will still be punished.

The new regulation is part of three major reforms to driver’s license management, which also include stricter testing and verification procedures and mandatory retraining for drivers committing major traffic violations.

Regarding stricter driver’s license testing, the written test for scooter and motorcycle licenses was changed from true-or-false questions to a 50-question multiple-choice format on Jan. 30. The written examination for automobile driver’s licenses is expected to adopt the same format on June 30.

Drivers whose licenses have been suspended for more than three years will be required to complete a driving course at a certified training institution before reapplying for a license. The ministry said the measure is intended to strengthen knowledge of traffic regulations and safe driving practices and is expected to take effect on June 30.