Article 27. Classification of Vehicles and the Right to Drive Them

1. Motor vehicles are divided into the following categories and subcategories:

1) subcategory "AM"—mopeds and quadricycles with equivalent technical characteristics;

1.1) subcategory "A1"—motorcycles (light motorcycles) with an engine of working volume not exceeding 125 cm³ and maximum power not exceeding 11 kW (or 15 horsepower);

2) category "A"—motorcycles, with the exception of vehicles falling under subcategories "AM" and "A1";

3) subcategory "B1"—tricycles and quadricycles;

4) category "B":
a. motor vehicles with a permissible maximum mass not exceeding 3,500 kg or not more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat, with the exception of vehicles falling under category "A", or

b. a motor vehicle with a permissible maximum mass not exceeding 3,500 kg or not more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat, with the exception of vehicles falling under category "A", coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass does not exceed 750 kg, or

c. a motor vehicle with a permissible maximum mass not exceeding 3,500 kg or not more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat, with the exception of vehicles falling under category "A", coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, and the total permissible maximum mass of such a vehicle combination does not exceed 3,500 kg;

5) subcategory "C1":

a. cargo motor vehicles, with the exception of vehicles falling under category "D", whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 3,500 kg but does not exceed 7,500 kg, or

b. cargo motor vehicles, with the exception of vehicles falling under category "D", whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 3,500 kg but does not exceed 7,500 kg, coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass does not exceed 750 kg;

6) category "C":

a. cargo motor vehicles, with the exception of vehicles falling under category "D", whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 3,500 kg, or

b. as well as cargo motor vehicles, with the exception of vehicles falling under category "D", whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 3,500 kg, coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass does not exceed 750 kg;

7) subcategory "D1":

a. motor vehicles (buses) intended for the transport of passengers and having more than 8 but not more than 16 seats in addition to the driver's seat, or

b. motor vehicles (buses) intended for the transport of passengers and having more than 8 but not more than 16 seats in addition to the driver's seat, coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass does not exceed 750 kg;

8) category "D":

a. motor vehicles (buses) intended for the transport of passengers and having more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat, or

b. motor vehicles (buses) intended for the transport of passengers and having more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat, coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass does not exceed 750 kg;

9) category "BE":

a. a motor vehicle of category "B" coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg and exceeds the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, or

b. a motor vehicle of category "B" coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg, and the total permissible maximum mass of such a vehicle combination exceeds 3,500 kg;

10) subcategory "C1E"—a motor vehicle of subcategory "C1" coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, and the total permissible maximum mass of such a vehicle combination does not exceed 12,000 kg;

11) category "CE"—a motor vehicle of category "C" coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg;

12) subcategory "D1E"—a motor vehicle of subcategory "D1" coupled with a trailer not intended for the transport of passengers and whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, and the total permissible maximum mass of such a vehicle combination does not exceed 12,000 kg;

13) category "DE"—a motor vehicle (bus) of category "D" coupled with a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg;

14) category "T"—trolleybus.

2. Persons holding a driving license for vehicles of categories "C" and "CE", as well as of subcategories "C1" and "C1E", are permitted to transport not more than 8 passengers in vehicles of those categories and subcategories (cargo motor vehicles); for the transport of more passengers, the driver is also obliged to hold a driving license for vehicles of category "D" or "DE", or of subcategory "D1" or "D1E".

3. A driving license is issued:

1. for subcategory "AM"—to persons who have reached the age of 16; and for categories "A", "B" and "C" and subcategories "A1", "B1" and "C1"—to persons who have reached the age of 18;

2. for category "D" and subcategory "D1"—to persons who have reached the age of 21, and where conscripted into the armed forces and other troops of the Republic of Armenia—who have reached the age of 19, and who hold a driving license for vehicles of category "B" or "C", or of subcategory "C1";

3. for categories "BE", "CE" and "DE" and subcategories "C1E" and "D1E"—to persons who have reached the age of 19 and who hold a driving license for vehicles of category "B", "C" or "D", or of subcategory "C1" or "D1", respectively;

4. for category "T"—to persons who have reached the age of 20.

5. National and international driving licenses that comply with the requirements of the international treaties of the Republic of Armenia are valid in the Republic of Armenia, provided that:

1. international driving permits issued by the competent authorities of the Republic of Armenia are not valid for driving vehicles within the territory of the Republic of Armenia;

2. driving licenses obtained in other countries by citizens of the Republic of Armenia, including dual citizens, that comply with the requirements for driving licenses under the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and its subsequent amendments and supplements are valid within the territory of the Republic of Armenia for three months from the moment those persons enter the Republic of Armenia.

6. The right to drive vehicles arises from the moment of receipt of the driving license.

7. International driving licenses for driving vehicles of categories "A" and "B" and subcategories "AM", "A1" and "B1" are issued to persons who have reached the age of 18, and international driving licenses for driving vehicles of categories "C", "D", "BE", "CE" and "DE" and subcategories "C1", "D1", "C1E" and "D1E"—to persons who have reached the age of 21.

8. A national driving license is issued for a period of ten years, and an international driving license—for a period of up to three years, but not exceeding the period of validity of the national driving license or of the medical fitness certificate.

9. The practical examination for granting the right to drive a trolleybus is conducted by organizations operating trolleybuses, in the manner established by an order of the head of the state body authorized by the Government of the Republic of Armenia in the field of transport and communications.

10. A national driving license of the Republic of Armenia granting the right to drive vehicles of category "A" shall also grant the right to drive vehicles of subcategories "AM" and "A1", as well as vehicles of subcategory "B1" having a motorcycle-type saddle or handlebars. A national driving license of the Republic of Armenia granting the right to drive vehicles of category "B" shall also grant the right to drive vehicles of subcategory "B1" (with the exception of vehicles having a motorcycle-type saddle or handlebars). A national driving license of the Republic of Armenia granting the right to drive vehicles of category "C" shall also grant the right to drive vehicles of subcategory "C1". A national driving license of the Republic of Armenia granting the right to drive vehicles of category "D" shall also grant the right to drive vehicles of subcategory "D1". A national driving license of the Republic of Armenia granting the right to drive vehicles of category "CE" shall also grant the right to drive vehicles of subcategory "C1E". A national driving license of the Republic of Armenia granting the right to drive vehicles of category "DE" shall also grant the right to drive vehicles of subcategory "D1E".

11. In case of loss or exchange of a driving license issued by the competent bodies of the Republic of Armenia (including those exchanged in other countries), as well as of one issued by the competent bodies of the former Soviet States before 21 February 1992, the holder thereof shall be issued, in the manner established by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, a new driving license for the right to drive vehicles of the same category without taking qualification examinations.

12. On the basis of driving licenses obtained in other countries by dual nationals of the Republic of Armenia and complying with the requirements applicable to driving licenses under the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968 and its subsequent amendments and supplements, a national driving license of the Republic of Armenia shall be issued without taking qualification examinations.

13. A driving license obtained in other countries and complying with the requirements applicable to driving licenses under the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 8 November 1968 and its subsequent amendments and supplements shall be exchanged without taking qualification examinations.

14. National and international driving licenses of the Republic of Armenia shall not be issued in lieu of lost or stolen foreign national and international driving licenses (with the exception of those issued by the competent bodies of the former Soviet States before 21 February 1992).

15. National and international driving licenses obtained in other countries and not complying with the requirements of the international treaties of the Republic of Armenia shall not be exchanged for national and international driving licenses of the Republic of Armenia, and a duplicate of a lost driving license shall not be issued.

16. Persons who are not citizens of the Republic of Armenia are permitted to drive vehicles in the territory of the Republic of Armenia with an international driving license only in the presence of a national driving license.

17. It is prohibited to carry out entrepreneurial and/or employment activities directly connected with driving vehicles in the Republic of Armenia with foreign national or international driving licenses, with the exception of cases of conducting international transport. The prohibition provided for in this part shall not apply, on the principle of reciprocity, to citizens of the member States of the Eurasian Economic Union.

18. A national driving license issued in another country which is not a party to international treaties jointly with the Republic of Armenia in the field of ensuring road traffic safety shall, on the condition of reciprocity, be considered valid for driving a vehicle in the territory of the Republic of Armenia only in the case where it is presented with a notarised translation into Armenian, with the exception of cases where all entries in the given driving license are made or duplicated in Latin letters.

19. Foreign national and international driving licenses shall be considered valid for driving vehicles in the territory of the Republic of Armenia for vehicles of the categories and subcategories corresponding to the said driving licenses, from the moment the holders reach the age established by this Article.