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A Russian government resolution will require candidates to be photographed and theory exams to be recorded on audio and video starting March 1, 2027. The changes also affect medical certificate requirements, though candidates with expired certificates will still need a current one before receiving a license.
Russia will begin photographing candidates and recording audio and video during driving theory exams on March 1, 2027, under changes set out in a government resolution. The measures will add monitoring to the exam process, including real-time video of candidates’ workstations and examiners’ workstations, Meduza reported.
An automated system will photograph candidates during the theory exam. It will also record video in real time, covering the workstations used by both test-takers and examiners. The source report says the process will be recorded on audio and video; it does not specify how long recordings will be kept or who will be able to access them.
The changes also alter the rules for medical certificates. From March 1, 2027, candidates will not have to bring a paper certificate to the exam if their certificate is listed in the unified database. Candidates may sit the exam even if that certificate has expired, but they will not receive a driving license until they obtain a new one.
Alexander Kholodov, a member of the Public Chamber’s commission on security and cooperation with the ONK, told state news agency RIA Novosti that the changes follow an existing ban on certain devices. His account distinguishes that current restriction from the new requirement to photograph candidates, which begins in 2027.
How Exam Monitoring Will Change
The rules add identity and exam-process monitoring to Russia’s driving theory tests. Photographing candidates and recording activity at both sides of the exam could help officials document who took a test and how it was conducted. The government resolution, as described by Meduza, does not state the authorities’ specific rationale or explain how recordings will be used, so those potential effects should not be treated as a stated policy purpose.
The medical-certificate changes could also affect what candidates need to bring and when they can complete the process. Removing the paper-document requirement for certificates held in the database may reduce reliance on physical paperwork. Allowing someone with an expired certificate to sit the exam does not waive the requirement for a valid certificate before a license is issued.
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Existing Device Ban and New Rules
Some exam rules changed in May 2026, according to the report. Kholodov told RIA Novosti that the use of photo and audio communication devices and electronic computing equipment is already prohibited during the exam. That ban is in effect, while photographing candidates under the new system is scheduled to begin later.
The changes reported by Meduza are part of a government resolution and are due to take effect on March 1, 2027. The new date is more than a year after the May 2026 changes Kholodov referenced. The measures cover both exam surveillance and the handling of medical certificates, but they do not change the reported requirement to obtain a current certificate before a license is issued.
“The use of photo and audio communication devices and electronic computing equipment is already banned. That ban is in effect, but photographing candidates will only take effect starting March 1, 2027.”
— Alexander Kholodov, a member of the Public Chamber’s commission on security and cooperation with the ONK, speaking to RIA Novosti
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Recording Access and Retention
The report does not explain how long audio and video recordings will be stored, which agencies or officials may review them, or whether candidates can request copies. It also does not describe how the automated photography system will verify identities or what happens if the system fails during an exam.
The stated rules give the effective date and outline the recording and certificate changes, but the available report does not detail how the requirements will be implemented at individual exam centers. Further operational guidance may clarify those points before the rules take effect.
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Implementation Before March 2027
The requirements are scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2027. Before then, authorities may provide further instructions on equipment, data handling and exam-center procedures; the source report does not identify a separate implementation timetable. Candidates approaching the new start date will need to check whether their medical certificate is recorded in the unified database and remember that an expired certificate must be renewed before a license can be issued.
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Key Questions
When will the new driving-test rules take effect?
The changes are scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2027.What will be recorded during the theory exam?
Candidates will be photographed, and the exam will be recorded on audio and video. Real-time video will cover the workstations of test-takers and examiners.Can a candidate take the exam with an expired medical certificate?
Yes. Under the reported changes, a candidate may sit the exam with an expired certificate, but a new certificate is required before a driving license can be issued.Will candidates need to bring a paper medical certificate?
Starting March 1, 2027, candidates will not need to bring a paper certificate if it is recorded in the unified database.How long will the exam recordings be kept?
The report does not say how long recordings will be retained or who will be permitted to access them.Source: rss
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