Driving license Redobtainment Category

Yes, in certain specific cases it is mandatory to take this examination. This examination is taken only during the suspension period, as many times as necessary, until you pass it.

Taking this examination is mandatory for the cases in which the driving licence was suspended:

• for driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages;
• for non-compliance with the rules regarding right of way, overtaking or passing on the red color of the traffic light or driving in the opposite direction, if this resulted in a road accident causing damage to a vehicle or other material damage;
• for a period of 180 days when the act committed by the driver of a motor vehicle or tram was investigated as an offence against the safety of traffic on public roads and the prosecutor or the court ordered the closing of the case under the conditions of Article 16 paragraph (1) letter b) second thesis of the Code of Criminal Procedure, waiver of criminal prosecution, waiver of the application of the penalty or postponement of the application of the penalty if the obligation provided for in Article 85 paragraph (2) letter g) of the Criminal Code was not ordered;
• for a period of 180 days in the case of the road accident from which the death or bodily injury of a person resulted if a traffic rule was violated for which this emergency ordinance provides for the suspension of the exercise of the right to drive and the court or the prosecutor ordered the closing of the case under the conditions of Article 16 paragraph (1) letters b), e) and g) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, waiver of criminal prosecution, waiver of the application of the penalty or postponement of the application of the penalty if the obligation provided for in Article 85 paragraph (2) letter g) of the Criminal Code was not ordered or termination of the criminal trial under the conditions of Article 16 paragraph (1) letters e) and g) of the Code of Criminal Procedure; (Letter d) was amended in the law and updated also on Școala Rutieră on 31-01-2022)

Based on Article 106^1 paragraphs (1) and (2) of OUG 195/2002

In the case in which you committed an act for which taking this examination is mandatory but you do not pass the examination or do not attend the examination before your suspension period expires, the suspension period is extended automatically by another 30 days. That is, you will get your driving licence back 30 days later than the date on which your suspension was initially due to expire.

Example 1: if you have your driving licence suspended for 60 days, if the examination is mandatory, and you go to take the examination and pass it, you get your driving licence back in 60 days.

Example 2: if you have your driving licence suspended for 60 days, if the examination is mandatory, and you do not take the examination or take it as many times as you want but do not pass it, you get your driving licence back in 60 + another 30 days = 90 days.

Based on OUG 195/2002 Article 106^1 paragraph (3)

This examination can be taken at any traffic police service. Therefore, the examination can be taken in any county, not only in the county of residence or in the one within whose area the act was established. Please note that it refers to the traffic police services and does not refer to any police station. Access the website of the road service of the county in which you want to take the examination to find out the address where the examination is taken, what are the days and hours at which the examination can be taken, the telephone number at which the appointment for the examination can be made, as well as other necessary information. Access this page, where you can find information for each County separately - Click here!.

The examination can be taken whenever you want (during the suspension period), once a week and is free of charge. In the case in which you have taken the examination in a county and did not pass it, you can take it again either in the same county or in another county, at your choice. If it is necessary to take it several times because you did not pass it the first time and you do not want to wait until next week to take it again in the same county, you can go even the next day to take the examination in another county in which the examination can be taken on that respective day.

It is important to remember that this examination can be taken only during the suspension period. You can make an appointment at any time to take the examination, but the date that you choose to go to take the examination must fall within the suspension period.

In the case of those who received a replacement proof with the right to drive for 15 days, they will be able to take the examination starting from the first day after the 15 days during which they had the right to drive have passed, but no later than the date on which their suspension period expires.

In the case of those who received a replacement proof without the right to drive, they will be able to take the examination starting from the first day, but no later than the date on which their suspension period expires.

Based on OUG 195/2002 Article 106^2 paragraph (1)

The identity document or passport, as applicable, within the validity period, and the replacement proof of the driving licence, regardless of whether it was issued with or without the right to drive. If you no longer have that replacement proof of the driving licence, it is necessary to go to any public notary to give a statement in this regard, a statement that you will take with you on the day of the exam and that you must present to the staff in the examination room, so they know from the beginning that you have such a statement.

The exam can be taken regardless of whether you have paid the contravention fine or not. The condition regarding the payment of the fine applies when the reduction of the suspension period is requested.

The obligation to provide proof of payment of the fine applied for committing the contravention that determined the suspension of the right to drive is mandatory only if the reduction of the suspension period is requested (condition introduced starting with 26-05-2025). More information can be found below, in the section “THE CASES IN WHICH IT IS NOT MANDATORY TO TAKE THE EXAM BUT THE SUSPENSION PERIOD MAY BE REDUCED BY ONE THIRD”

The exam lasts a maximum of 20 minutes, having a total number of 15 questions and you must answer 13 of them correctly. The questions have 3 answer options a), b) and c), of which only one can be correct, there are no multiple-answer questions as in the exam for obtaining the driving licence. All these questions can be found here on Școala Rutieră in the Reobtaining category. The exam is not difficult, the idea is to learn and not to give answers from “experience” or “practice” but from the law. Therefore, to increase your chances of success in regaining the licence, you will have to choose here on Școala Rutieră the Reobtaining category and go through all the 4 learning steps, the most important step being “Step 3 Learning environment”.

In most counties this exam is taken on a computer, but there are also counties in which this exam is taken on paper. Therefore, it is recommended to have with you a pen/fountain pen that writes in blue.

After you have passed the exam for verifying the knowledge of traffic rules, if this exam was mandatory in your case, you must wait for the suspension period to expire. After the suspension period has expired, go personally to the road service of the county in which the driving licence was issued (the police unit that has you in its records), where you will submit a request for the return of the licence. You must have with you the replacement proof of the driving licence (in original) and the identity document (original). After submitting these documents, you will eventually pick up your precious driving licence, without which many of us cannot manage.

Read everything that is written in the continuation of this guide because it is possible, depending on the act committed, to have the right to reduce your suspension period by one third, even if the exam was mandatory in your case. After all, why not benefit from this right, especially if you have already passed the exam for verifying the knowledge of traffic rules.

Yes, your suspension period can be reduced by one third (for example: from 120 to 80, from 90 to 60, from 60 to 40 or from 30 to 20), but it is necessary to pass an exam for verifying the knowledge of traffic rules (Questionnaire 13 out of 15). It must be known that this reduction is not granted ex officio. If you want to benefit from this reduction, after passing this exam you must make a special request to ask for your suspension period to be reduced, it is a standard request that you can find at the traffic police services. This request is submitted within the first two thirds of the suspension period (Regulation Art. 220^1 paragraph (3)). If the request is made correctly and you meet the conditions (specified below), it will certainly be approved, you do not have to worry. More details about this request will be found below.

Attention! This exam for the reduction of the suspension period will be taken within the first 20 days of suspension, including on the 20th day (the days are calendar days). The exam can no longer be taken if more than 20 days of the suspension period pass. (OUG 195/2002 Art. 106). This obligation is no longer valid starting from 29-06-2024 because Article 106 of OUG 195/2002 was repealed on this date. It is recommended that, in the situation in which you want to take the exam after the 20th day of suspension, you contact the County Police Inspectorate in the county where you are going to take the exam (Click here!), in order to verify whether the institution has implemented the legislative amendment of 29.06.2024, which repealed Article 106 of OUG 195/2002.

Based on OUG 195/2002 Article 104 paragraph (1) and Article 106

In order to benefit from this reduction, you must meet these three conditions:

• to have been declared admitted to the exam for verifying the knowledge of traffic rules (questionnaire 13 out of 15);
• to have the driving licence for more than one year at the time when you commit the act, more exactly, not to be a beginner;
• to provide proof of payment of the fine applied for committing the contravention that determined the suspension of the right to drive (condition introduced starting with 26-05-2025).

Based on OUG 195/2002 Article 104 paragraph (1)

The suspension period is reduced by one third, only at the request of the holder (Attention! Only if you make a request in this regard and meet the conditions specified just above), for the following acts:

• if the holder of the driving licence has committed contraventions that accumulate 15 penalty points; (it is reduced by one third (from 30 to 20))
• overtaking the columns of vehicles stopped at the red colour of the traffic light or at the level crossings with the railway; (it is reduced by one third (from 30 to 20))
• non-compliance with the meaning of the red colour of the traffic light; (it is reduced by one third (from 30 to 20))
• non-compliance with the signals, indications and instructions of the traffic police officer exercising his service duties; (it is reduced by one third (from 30 to 20))
• failure to appear at the competent police unit in whose area a road accident occurred, resulting only in material damages, except for the cases provided for in art. 79 paragraph (2); (it is reduced by one third (from 30 to 20))
• the use of mobile phones when the drivers of vehicles are during movement on public roads, except for those provided with hands-free devices, simultaneously with the violation of a rule for the traffic of vehicles; (it is reduced by one third (from 30 to 20))
• the adoption of aggressive behaviour in driving vehicles on public roads; (it is reduced by one third (from 30 to 20))
• non-compliance with the rules regarding passing on the red colour of the traffic light, if by this a road accident occurred, resulting only in damage to a vehicle or other material damages; (it is reduced by one third (from 60 to 40))
• non-compliance with the temporary traffic prohibition established on a certain segment of public road; (it is reduced by one third (from 60 to 40))
• non-compliance with the traffic rules when passing an official column or joining such a column; (it is reduced by one third (from 60 to 40))
• driving in the opposite direction of traffic, except for the cases in which the overtaking maneuver is performed in compliance with the traffic rules; (it is reduced by one third (from 60 to 40))
• failure to give right of way to pedestrians engaged in the regular crossing of the public road through the specially arranged and signalled places, located on the direction of movement of the motor vehicle, agricultural or forestry tractor or tram; (it is reduced by one third (from 60 to 40))
• failure to give right of way to vehicles that have this right; (it is reduced by one third (from 60 to 40))
• non-compliance with the rules regarding overtaking; (it is reduced by one third (from 60 to 40))
• the adoption of aggressive behaviour in driving vehicles on public roads, if by this a road accident occurred, resulting in damage to a vehicle or other material damages; (it is reduced by one third (from 60 to 40))
• driving the vehicle with dangerous deficiencies in the braking system or in the steering mechanism; (it is reduced by one third (from 90 to 60))
• exceeding by more than 50 km/h the maximum speed allowed on the respective road sector and for the category to which the driven motor vehicle belongs, established, according to the law, with approved and metrologically verified technical means; (it is reduced by one third (from 90 to 60))
• the possession, installation or use in traffic on public roads of special audible or luminous warning means on vehicles that do not have this right. (it is reduced by one third (from 90 to 60))
• non-compliance with the rules regarding right of way or overtaking, if by this a road accident occurred, resulting only in damage to a vehicle or other material damages; (it is reduced by one third (from 90 to 60))
• the unjustified driving of motor vehicles on the emergency lane of motorways. (it is reduced by one third (from 90 to 60))

Based on OUG 195/2002 Article 104 paragraphs (1 and 2)

Not all those who have their licence suspended can reduce their suspension period. There are some situations in which the reduction cannot be applied. These cases are the following:

1. if you have accumulated, again, at least 15 penalty points within the next 12 months from the date of expiry of the last suspension of the exercise of the right to drive;
2. driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages, if the act does not constitute, according to the law, an offence;
3. exceeding by more than 70 km/h the maximum speed allowed on the respective road sector and for the category to which the driven motor vehicle belongs, established, according to the law, with approved and metrologically verified technical means;
4. failure to stop at the level crossing with the current railway when the barriers or half-barriers are lowered or in the process of being lowered or when the red light and/or sound signals are in operation;
5. performing, by the driver of a motor vehicle, on the motorway, the manoeuvre of making a U-turn or moving in reverse, driving in the opposite direction of traffic, driving or crossing from one traffic direction to the other through prohibited areas, respectively through the median area or the connections between the two carriageways;
6. the suspension period was increased, according to the law;
7. the suspension period of the exercise of the right to drive is applied by adding up several suspension periods provided by law at least one of which is provided for by Art. 102 paragraph (3) or Art. 102 paragraph (4).

Art. 102 paragraph (3) (for point 7 above)

• driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages, if the act does not constitute, according to the law, an offence;
• driving the vehicle with dangerous deficiencies in the braking system or in the steering mechanism;
• exceeding by more than 50 km/h the maximum speed allowed on the respective road sector and for the category to which the driven motor vehicle belongs, established, according to the law, with approved and metrologically verified technical means;
• the possession, installation or use in traffic on public roads of special audible or luminous warning means on vehicles that do not have this right;
• non-compliance with the rules regarding right of way or overtaking, if this caused a road accident, resulting only in damage to a vehicle or other material damages;
• the unjustified driving of motor vehicles on the emergency lane of motorways.

Art. 102 paragraph (4) (for point 7 above)

• exceeding by more than 70 km/h the maximum speed allowed on the respective road sector and for the category to which the driven motor vehicle belongs, established, according to the law, with approved and metrologically verified technical means;
• failure to stop at the level crossing with the current railway when the barriers or half-barriers are lowered or in the process of being lowered or when the red light and/or sound signals are in operation;
• performing, by the driver of a motor vehicle, on the motorway, the manoeuvre of making a U-turn or moving in reverse, driving in the opposite direction of traffic, driving or crossing from one traffic direction to the other through prohibited areas, respectively through the median area or the connections between the two carriageways.

The suspension period is not reduced for the cases in which the right to drive is suspended for 180 days, namely the 3 cases established by the administrative measure from Article 103 paragraph (1) letters c), d) and e).

Art. 103 paragraph (1) (for point 7 above)

(1) The suspension of the exercise of the right to drive motor vehicles, agricultural or forestry tractors or trams is ordered:

c) for a period of 180 days when the act of the driver of a motor vehicle or tram was investigated as an offence against the safety of traffic on public roads and the prosecutor or the court ordered the dismissal under the conditions of art. 16 paragraph (1) letter b) second thesis of the Criminal Procedure Code, the waiver of criminal prosecution, the waiver of the application of the penalty or the postponement of the application of the penalty if the obligation provided for in art. 85 paragraph (2) letter g) of the Criminal Code was not ordered;
d) in the case of a road accident resulting in the death or injury of a person, caused as a result of the violation by the driver of a motor vehicle, agricultural or forestry tractor or tram of a traffic rule for which this emergency ordinance provides the suspension of the exercise of the right to drive, when the prosecutor or the court ordered the dismissal under the conditions of art. 16 paragraph (1) letters b), e) and g) of Law no. 135/2010, with subsequent amendments and completions, the waiver of criminal prosecution, the waiver of the application of the penalty or the postponement of the application of the penalty if the obligation provided for in art. 85 paragraph (2) letter g) of Law no. 286/2009, with subsequent amendments and completions, was not ordered, the acquittal under the conditions of art. 16 paragraph (1) letter b) or the termination of the criminal trial under the conditions of art. 16 paragraph (1) letters e) and g) of the Criminal Procedure Code, as the case may be, for the following periods: (Letter d) of article 103 was amended in the law and updated also on Școala Rutieră on 29-06-2024)

• 1. 60 days if for the violation of the traffic rule the suspension of the exercise of the right to drive for 30 days is provided;
• 2. 90 days if for the violation of the traffic rule the suspension of the exercise of the right to drive for 60 days is provided;
• 3. 120 days if for the violation of the traffic rule the suspension of the exercise of the right to drive for 90 days is provided;
• 4. 150 days if for the violation of the traffic rule the suspension of the exercise of the right to drive for 120 days is provided.

e) repealed (for a period of 180 days, when the holder of the driving licence was convicted by a final court judgment for the offences provided for in art. 334 paragraph (1) and (3) of the Criminal Code.) (Letter e) was repealed on 02-03-2023)

Based on OUG 195/2002 Article 104 paragraph (2)

When is the exam for reducing the suspension period taken?

In case you want to submit an application for reducing the suspension period, the exam for checking the knowledge of the traffic rules will be taken within the first 20 days of suspension, including on the 20th day. The exam is no longer taken whenever desired throughout the entire suspension period, as it is done when, for the offence committed, the exam is mandatory and you do not submit an application for reduction. This obligation is no longer valid starting with 29-06-2024 because Article 106 of OUG 195/2002 was repealed on this date. It is recommended that, in the situation in which you wish to take the exam after the 20th day of suspension, you contact the County Police Inspectorate in the county where you are going to take the exam (Click here!), in order to check whether the institution has implemented the legislative change of 29.06.2024, which repealed Article 106 of OUG 195/2002.

In the case of those who received a replacement proof with the right to drive for 15 days, they will be able to take the exam starting from the first day after the 15 days in which they have the right to drive pass.

In the case of those who received a replacement proof without the right to drive, they will be able to take the exam starting from the first day of suspension.

Where is the exam for reducing the suspension period taken?

This exam can be taken at any traffic police service. Therefore, the exam can be taken in any county, not only in the county of domicile or in the one on whose area the offence was recorded. We draw attention that it refers to the traffic police services and does not refer to any police station. Access the internet page of the road service of the county in which you wish to take the exam in order to find out which is the address where the exam is taken, which are the days and hours when the exam can be taken, the phone number at which the appointment for the exam can be made, as well as other necessary information. Access this page where information for each County separately is found - Click here!.

The exam can be taken whenever you wish, once a week and is free of charge. In case you took the exam in one county and did not pass it, you can take it again either in the same county or in another county, at your choice. If it is necessary to take it several times because you did not pass it the first time and you do not want to wait until next week to take it in the same county, you can go even the next day to take the exam in another county in which the exam can be taken on that day.

It is important to remember that this exam for reducing the suspension period can be taken only within the first 20 days of suspension, including on the 20th day. You can make an appointment whenever you want to take the exam, but the date you choose to go to take the exam must be one of the first 20 days of suspension, including the 20th day. This obligation is no longer valid starting with 29-06-2024 because Article 106 of OUG 195/2002 was repealed on this date. It is recommended that, in the situation in which you wish to take the exam after the 20th day of suspension, you contact the County Police Inspectorate in the county where you are going to take the exam (Click here!), in order to check whether the institution has implemented the legislative change of 29.06.2024, which repealed Article 106 of OUG 195/2002.

What happens if I do not pass the exam for reducing the suspension period?

In case you committed an act for which taking this exam is NOT mandatory, but you wish to take it in order to reduce your suspension period but you do not pass the exam, either on the first attempt or after several attempts, the suspension period IS NOT extended, meaning that you will recover your licence on the same date on which your suspension initially expired.

Based on OUG 195/2002 Article 106 and Article 106^2 paragraph (1)

The identity document or passport, as applicable, within its validity period, and the replacement proof of the driving licence, regardless of whether it was issued with or without the right to drive. In case you no longer have that replacement proof of the driving licence, it is necessary to go to any notary public in order to make a declaration that you will take with you on the day of the exam and that you must present to the exam room staff so that they know from the beginning that you have such a declaration.

The exam testing knowledge of the traffic rules can be taken even if you have not yet paid the contravention fine, because the law does not make taking the test conditional on proof of payment. The fine may be paid later, when submitting the application for reducing the suspension period.

ATTENTION! At the time when you submit the application for reducing the suspension period, you have the obligation to provide proof of payment of the fine applied for committing the contravention that determined the suspension of the right to drive (condition introduced starting from 26-05-2025).

ATTENTION! Although the exam can be taken even if the fine has not yet been paid, at the time of submitting the application for reducing the suspension period you must provide proof of payment of all payment obligations provided by art. 104 paragraph (1) letter c). More precisely, starting from March 27, 2026, for persons domiciled in Romania, the payment only of the fine that determined the suspension is no longer sufficient, but proof must be provided of the payment of all payment obligations owed to the local budget from the domicile, resulting from road contravention fines applied as a driver of a motor vehicle, agricultural or forestry tractor or tram, according to OUG no. 195/2002. For persons who do not have domicile in Romania, proof of payment only of the fine that determined the suspension of the right to drive remains sufficient.

The exam lasts a maximum of 20 minutes, has a total number of 15 questions, and you must answer 13 of them correctly. The questions have 3 answer options a), b) and c), of which only one can be correct. Several answer options cannot be correct, as in the exam for obtaining the driving licence. All these questions are found here on Școala Rutieră in the Reobtaining category. The exam is not difficult. The idea is to learn the legal rules and not to answer based on “experience” or “practice”, but based on the law. Therefore, in order to have a good chance of successfully re-obtaining your licence, you will have to choose here on Școala Rutieră the Reobtaining category and go through all the 4 learning steps, the most important step being “Step 3 Learning environment”.

In most counties this exam is taken on a computer, but there are also counties where the exam is taken on paper. Therefore, it is recommended to have with you a pen/fountain pen that writes in blue.

After passing the examination for verifying the knowledge of the traffic rules, if you qualify for a one-third reduction of the suspension period, you must submit the request for reducing the suspension period.

According to the legislation in force, the request for reducing the suspension period is submitted personally to the road service within whose territorial jurisdiction the contravention was committed in the first two thirds of the period of suspension of the exercise of the right to drive (for example, if you have a suspension of 60 days, the request will be submitted in the first 40 days of suspension). This request can be submitted either personally at the counter or online by email (it is recommended to submit it personally at the counter, to avoid any confusion regarding its transmission by email). Access this page where you find links to the website of the County Police Inspectorate (IPJ) from the desired county, page on which you will search for the section with contact details of the Road Service, where the contact details are usually posted - Click here!.

Together with the request for reducing the suspension period, you must submit the following documents at the counter or attach them to the email together with the request:

• copy of the replacement proof of the driving licence front and back, with the back completed by the police officer, confirming that you passed the examination;
• copy of the identity document;
• copy of the contravention report (where the contravention sanction is specified);
• copy of the proof of payment of the fine applied for committing the contravention that determined the suspension of the right to drive (condition introduced starting with 26-05-2025).

Normally this analysis takes about one week but sometimes it can take up to one month, depending on how busy the system is, therefore we recommend you to submit this request immediately after taking the examination. Fortunately, the result regarding the approval of the suspension reduction request is transmitted online and is always favorable if you meet the conditions.

The last step, after the suspension period has passed, you go personally to the road service of the county in which the driving licence was issued (the police unit where your record is kept), where you will submit a request for the restitution of the licence, being necessary to have with you the replacement proof of the driving licence (in original) and the identity document (original). After submitting these documents you will finally be able to collect your driving licence.

The period of suspension of the exercise of the right to drive begins depending on the type of replacement proof issued when retaining the driving licence:

1. If the replacement proof is issued with the right to drive (15 days), the suspension begins from the day following the one on which the validity of the proof expires. This means that the holder may drive until the end of the period for which the proof is valid.

2. If the replacement proof is issued without the right to drive, the suspension begins immediately, from the moment when the complementary contravention sanction is applied through the report.

Thus, if the driver of the vehicle has proof with the right to drive for 15 days, the suspension will begin from the 16th day. If the proof is without the right to drive, the suspension begins right from the moment the report is drawn up and the complementary contravention sanction is applied.

Yes, it can. Even if for the offence committed the examination to verify knowledge of traffic rules was mandatory, you have the right to benefit from the reduction of the suspension period by one third, but you must NOT be in one of the situations for which the reduction of the suspension period is NOT possible (check above at “What are the cases in which one CANNOT benefit from the reduction of the suspension period?”) and you must meet the conditions in order to be able to benefit from this reduction (check above at “What are the conditions for benefiting from the reduction of the suspension period by one third?”).

It must be mentioned that in this situation the examination to verify knowledge of traffic rules is no longer taken throughout the suspension period as is done if you do not want the reduction of the suspension period and must be taken in the first 20 days of suspension. More details about the procedure regarding the reduction of the suspension period can be found above at “The cases in which taking the examination is not mandatory but one can benefit from the reduction of the suspension period by one third”. This obligation is no longer valid starting from 29-06-2024 because Article 106 of OUG 195/2002 was repealed on this date. It is recommended that, if you want to take the examination after the 20th day of suspension, you contact the County Police Inspectorate in the county where you are going to take the examination (Click here!), in order to verify whether the institution has implemented the legislative amendment of 29.06.2024, which repealed Article 106 of OUG 195/2002.

Yes, this proof with the right to drive may be surrendered, whenever desired within that 15-day period, and after submitting the request to surrender it you will receive proof without the right to drive, after which the suspension period will begin (Attention! Right after submitting the request and surrendering the proof with the right to drive, you will no longer be allowed to drive!).

Surrendering the proof with the right to drive can help you if you do not want to wait for those 15 days (or part of them) to pass and you want the suspension period to begin sooner. It can also help you if you want to take the examination sooner to verify knowledge of traffic rules, regardless of whether this examination is taken because it is mandatory and/or you want to reduce your suspension period.

Surrendering the proof with the right to drive is done, by the driver, at any road police unit, on one of the days within the validity period of that proof. Please note that it refers to the road police units and does not refer to any police station.

Necessary documents: identity document (original), replacement proof of the driving licence (original) and completed standard request (you receive it at the counter).

Based on Article 111 paragraph (8) letter b) of OUG 195/2002

In this case, the suspension period begins from the moment when the judgment became final. If before the challenge you had the obligation to take the examination to verify knowledge of traffic rules, you have this obligation also after the court rejected/dismissed your challenge. If before the challenge you had the right to take the examination to verify knowledge of traffic rules for the purpose of reducing your suspension period by one third, you have this right also after the court rejected/dismissed your challenge. Check above, in the first part of this guide, what the obligations and rights are depending on the offence committed.

The examination to verify knowledge of traffic rules may be taken even if you have not yet paid the contravention fine, because the law does not make taking the test conditional upon proof of payment, however, proof of payment will be required later, when submitting the request for the reduction of the suspension period.

ATTENTION! Although the examination may be taken even if you have not yet paid the contravention fine, at the moment when you submit the request for the reduction of the suspension period you have the obligation to provide proof of payment of the fine applied for committing the contravention that determined the suspension of the right to drive (condition introduced starting from 26-05-2025).

ATTENTION! Although the examination may be taken even if the fine has not yet been paid, at the moment of submitting the request for the reduction of the suspension period you must provide proof of payment of all payment obligations provided for in Article 104 paragraph (1) letter c). More precisely, starting from March 27, 2026, for persons who have their domicile in Romania, the payment of only the fine that determined the suspension is no longer sufficient, but proof of payment must be provided for all payment obligations owed to the local budget of the administrative-territorial unit where they are domiciled, arising from road contravention fines applied as drivers of a motor vehicle, agricultural or forestry tractor or tram, according to OUG no. 195/2002. For persons who do not have their domicile in Romania, proof of payment of only the fine that determined the suspension of the right to drive remains sufficient.