Russia To Videotape Driving Tests And Photograph Candidates

Russia will photograph candidates and record audio and video during driving theory exams starting March 1, 2027, under a government resolution reported by Meduza. The measures will capture test-takers and examiners at their workstations, while a separate change will let candidates take the exam without a paper medical certificate if its details are available in a unified database.

During the theory exam, an automated system will photograph candidates and record video in real time. The recording will show the workstations of both test-takers and examiners. Meduza’s report describes the changes as provisions in a government resolution, but does not provide additional detail about how the system will operate or how the recordings will be handled.

The new rules are scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2027. A ban on using photo and audio communication devices and electronic computing equipment during the theory exam was already in place following a rules change in May 2026. The new photography and recording requirements have a later start date, according to Alexander Kholodov, a member of the Public Chamber’s commission on security and cooperation with the ONK, speaking to state news agency RIA Novosti.

The resolution also changes medical-certificate requirements. Candidates will not have to bring a paper certificate if the document is recorded in a unified database. They may sit the exam even if the certificate has expired, but they will not receive a driving license until they obtain a valid new certificate.

How Exam Monitoring Will Change

The measures change how Russian driving theory exams are supervised, adding photography and real-time recording to rules that already prohibit certain devices. The recordings will include both candidates’ and examiners’ workstations, meaning the new monitoring applies to the exam process on both sides of the test.

The medical-document change could reduce the need for candidates to carry paper records when information is already held electronically. However, permission to take the exam with an expired certificate does not remove the requirement for a current one before a license can be issued. That distinction matters for candidates planning the steps between sitting the test and receiving their license.

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Earlier Exam Rules and Certificate Checks

Russia changed part of its theory-exam rules in May 2026, according to Kholodov’s comments to RIA Novosti. That change already prohibited the use of photo and audio communication devices and electronic computing equipment during the exam. The planned photographing of candidates and audio and video recording are additional provisions with a start date of March 2027.

The changes therefore cover two different parts of the licensing process: exam supervision and the handling of medical documentation. The resolution allows database records to replace a paper certificate at the exam, but it does not allow a candidate with an expired certificate to receive a license without first obtaining a new one.

“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

Recording Rules Still Unspecified

The report does not specify how long recordings will be kept, who will be permitted to review them, or whether candidates will receive details about how their images and audio are processed. It also does not describe what happens if the automated system fails or whether there will be alternative arrangements at affected exam sites.

The resolution’s full operational procedures are not set out in the supplied report. The exact process for checking a medical certificate in the unified database, including what candidates should do if their records are missing or incorrect, is also unclear.

Rules Begin in March 2027

The announced requirements are due to take effect on March 1, 2027. Until then, the reported photography and recording provisions are not yet in force; the existing ban on specified devices remains in effect. Further official guidance may clarify how exam authorities will install and use the recording system and how candidates can confirm their medical certificates are in the database.

People planning to take the exam after the start date will need to check the applicable procedures with the relevant authorities. Those whose medical certificates have expired may sit the test under the reported rule, but must obtain a new certificate before a license can be issued.

Key Questions

When will Russia begin photographing and recording driving theory exams?

The requirements are scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2027, according to the government resolution described by Meduza.

What will the exam system record?

The automated system will photograph candidates and record video in real time, capturing the workstations of test-takers and examiners. The report also says the process will be recorded on audio.

Can candidates take the exam with an expired medical certificate?

Yes, the reported change allows candidates to sit the exam even if the certificate has expired. They will still need to obtain a new certificate before a driving license is issued.

Will candidates need to bring a paper medical certificate?

Not if the certificate is recorded in the unified database. The report does not explain what candidates should do if their information is absent or inaccurate.

Source: rss