Driver's license photos in Russia: bring a 35×45 mm matte photo for an international permit; for a national license you are photographed at the office

Requirements and formats: Russia compared with neighbouring countries

Of the 241 document profiles in our database, 229 contain size requirements, and they use 17 different sizes. The most common is 35x45 mm (148 profiles), followed by 51x51 mm (16), 30x40 mm (14) and 40x60 mm (11). Database figures as of 22 Sep 2026, the date of this article.

Of the 241 profiles in our database, 53 specify a white background, 23 name a specific non-white shade (for example, light grey or off-white), and the rest call for a plain light background without an exact colour. The authority does not publish background requirements for photos for a Russian international driving permit. Figures as of 22 Sep 2026.

Why driver's license applications are rejected or suspended

The official regulations list the following situations:

• You brought paper photos to replace a Russian license. The rules do not provide for a photo supplied by the applicant for a Russian national license: the unit takes the photo.
• You came for an international permit without a photo. Subparagraph "d" of paragraph 34 of the Rules includes a 35×45 mm photo in the list of documents required for its issue.
• Using glossy paper instead of matte. The rules specify matte paper; a glossy print does not comply with subparagraph 28.11 of Order No. 80 and subparagraph "d" of paragraph 34 of the Rules.
• Refusing to be photographed when applying for a national license. The service is suspended until the day the applicant appears in person at the examination unit to be photographed.
• Checking the state fee. From 1 September 2025, the fee for a national license is 4000 ₽ for a plastic card and 6000 ₽ for a new-generation plastic card.
• Transfer of photos when applying through an MFC. The photo is taken by MFC staff (para. 277) and sent electronically; if electronic transfer is not technically possible, the photo is sent on an electronic storage medium by courier (para. 289), which adds days to the processing time.
• Validity of the international permit. It is issued for 3 years, but not beyond the validity of the Russian national driver's license on the basis of which it was issued.

Step-by-step procedure for obtaining an international driving permit

Under paragraph 33 of the Rules, an international driving permit is issued on the basis of a Russian national driver's license without taking any exams.

1. Prepare a photo. A colour or black-and-white 35 × 45 mm photo on matte photo paper is required. The authority does not publish how recent the photo for an international permit must be.
2. Gather your documents. Paragraph 34 of the Rules includes a 35×45 mm photo on matte paper in the list of documents for issuing an international permit.
3. Pay the state fee. Under Article 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the fee for issuing an international driving permit, including a replacement for a lost or damaged one, is 3200 rubles.
4. Submit your documents to the examination unit or an MFC. When MFC staff accept the application, they check that the applicant is the person shown in the photo provided.
5. Collect the document. The international driving permit is issued for 3 years, but not beyond the validity of the Russian national driver's license on the basis of which it was issued.

If you are preparing documents for a trip abroad, you can make your international driving permit photo online and print it on matte paper.

National driver's license: a digital process

In the text of the Interior Ministry's Administrative Regulations No. 80, paragraph 277 states: "The employee of the multifunctional centre photographs the applicant and obtains a sample of their personal signature in electronic form." Photographs are also taken at the examination unit.

From 1 September 2025, under subparagraph 43.1 of Article 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the fee for issuing a national driver's license, including a replacement for a lost or damaged one, is 4000 rubles if it is made from plastic-based materials and 6000 rubles if it is made from new-generation plastic-based materials.

Paragraph 289 of the Regulations states: "In this case, the photograph for issuing the Russian national driver's license and the sample of the applicant's personal signature are sent in electronic form on an electronic storage medium."

The contrast with passport rules: why there are so few driver's license rules

People search for the photo requirements for a driver's license. The authority does not publish requirements on background, pose, head height, glasses, headwear or retouching for driver's licenses.

By comparison, the photo requirements for the Russian internal passport are set out in paragraph 36 of the Administrative Regulations approved by Order of the Russian Interior Ministry No. 773 of 16.11.2020. There the procedure is described in eleven subparagraphs. For example, paragraph 36.1 requires the photo to match the person's age, paragraph 36.2 stipulates that "the distance from the crown of the head to the chin must not exceed eighty percent of the size of the entire image", and the clear space above the head must be 5 (±1) mm. Paragraph 36.7 states: "The background must be white and even, without stripes, spots, images of extraneous objects or shadows. The citizen's eyes must be open, and the hair must not cover them."

The authority does not publish similar requirements for the driver's license. For the photo brought for an international permit, a size of 35 × 45 mm and matte paper are specified. The authority does not publish detailed requirements on framing or how recent the photo must be.

Before submitting your documents, check the current requirements on the authority's official website.