Ammon News - Lt. Col. Nader Hijazin, head of legal affairs at Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Department (DVLD), said amendments to the vehicle registration and licensing system have been approved to simplify procedures for citizens, particularly regarding renewal of expired vehicle licenses.

Hijazin explained on Wednesday that while vehicle licenses should normally be renewed before expiry, expired licenses will continue to be handled flexibly. When renewed, the expired period will be added to the renewal date so the owner receives a full one-year license term.

Fees will be collected for the expired period based on its duration, with no new charges imposed and no exemptions from previous fees or fines, he noted.

He said the amendments are organizational in nature and aim to streamline procedures, especially annual reviews and the submission of insurance contracts.

Regarding technical inspections, Hijazin said pending instructions would partially exempt vehicles from inspection requirements. Vehicles more than five years old would undergo technical inspection once every two years, under a mechanism that annually determines which vehicles are exempt and which must be inspected based on license plate numbers.

The measure would apply to private passenger vehicles, shared transport vehicles, and private motorcycles, while public transport vehicles would remain subject to annual technical inspections.

Hijazin stressed that the new rules do not apply to driver’s licenses, which remain separate from vehicle ownership licenses and have different validity periods.

He added that vehicles with licenses expired for more than two years will be treated as requiring re-registration and will receive a one-year license from the date fees are paid, with all prior fees and fines still due and no exemptions granted.

Citizens were urged to renew vehicle licenses within 30 days before expiry, noting that renewal procedures can begin during that period while preserving the original expiration date.

Hijazin also highlighted the availability of Licensing Department services through the electronic portal, particularly for vehicles exempt from technical inspection, allowing many procedures to be completed online without visiting offices.

He emphasized that driving with an expired vehicle license remains a legal violation and urged motorists to renew on time to avoid penalties.

The new regulations and instructions will take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette.