Vietnam ministry rejects proposal to let 16-year-olds take driver’s license tests

The ministry was responding to a petition from voters representing An Giang Province seeking permission for 16-year-olds to study for and take driving license exams.

It oversees transportation following a recent merger with the former Ministry of Transport.

The ministry said current Vietnamese law allows people aged 16 and older to operate mopeds.

Only those aged 18 and above are eligible to take driving tests and be issued licenses for motorcycles and other motor vehicles.

Under Vietnam’s Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, driver’s licenses for motorcycles with engine capacity of up to 125 cc, as well as higher categories, are issued only to drivers aged 18 or older, the ministry said.

The ministry added that the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, to which Vietnam is a signatory, does not encourage issuing motorcycle licenses to people under 18.

The convention allows member states to refuse recognition of driver’s licenses held by drivers younger than 18.

Voters representing An Giang Province had argued that many students were physically mature and had to travel long distances to school, making it necessary for them to ride motorbikes independently.

The ministry also noted that from March 1, the Ministry of Public Security has taken over responsibility for managing driving tests and issuing licenses nationwide.