Decree 675-26 establishes a uniform validity of four years and stipulates that age may not be used as the sole criterion to limit or deny a license
SANTO DOMINGO.– The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, issued Decree No. 675-26, dated September 29, 2026, which modifies the Driver's License Regulations to guarantee the effective application of Constitutional Court ruling TC/0904/26 and avoid a regulatory gap that could generate legal uncertainty for citizens.
The edict repeals the previous No. 330-26 and establishes that driver's licenses and authorizations will have a uniform validity of four years, expiring on the birthday of their holder, in accordance with the provisions of article 208 of Law No. 63-17 on Mobility, Land Transport, Transit and Road Safety.
The Executive Branch indicated that this measure allows the Driver's License Regulations to be adapted to the mandate established by the Constitutional Court and guarantees a uniform regulatory framework for citizens.
He also stressed that age alone cannot be used as the sole criterion to limit, reduce, or deny the validity of a driver's license or authorization.
According to the new provision, driving aptitude must be determined through physical, theoretical and practical evaluations, applied without discrimination based on age, in accordance with the powers attributed to the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT) by Law No. 63-17.
Assessment of driving conditions
The regulations also specify the circumstances under which a driver's license may be suspended or cancelled.
In that regard, the Executive Branch indicated that these measures will only proceed when the holder ceases to comply with the requirements established by law or when it is determined, through a medical certificate, the existence of a permanent physical or mental incapacity that prevents him from driving.
The provision also establishes that any procedure related to the suspension or cancellation of a license must be carried out guaranteeing due administrative process.
In this way, the Government explained, the evaluation of driving conditions must be based on the requirements and mechanisms established by the legislation, and not solely on the age of the holder.
Compliance with the Constitutional Court's ruling
With the modification of the regulations, the Public Administration stated that it seeks to comply with the decision of the Constitutional Court, which declared the differentiation based exclusively on age to condition or reduce the validity period of driver's licenses to be contrary to the Constitution.
The provision incorporates measures aimed at preventing any form of age discrimination during renewal processes.
The Government emphasized that the measure seeks to strengthen legal certainty and guarantee the protection of citizens' fundamental rights, including older adults, promoting their integration into active and community life without arbitrary exclusions.
Likewise, the Executive reiterated its commitment to complying with the decisions of the Constitutional Court and to strengthening the Social and Democratic Rule of Law.
With the entry into force of the Resolution:, the validity regime of licenses is established under a uniform criterion of four years, while the ability to drive must be determined through the corresponding evaluations and not exclusively by the age of the holder.
The measure strengthens legal certainty and the application of objective criteria in the processes related to obtaining and renewing driver's licenses.
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