What does the mark on the GCL license mean: point 14 on the driver’s license

03.01.2021

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You can often find that on the back of a driver’s license there is a GCL mark or the inscription “Glasses/lenses are required” (for old-style documents). As expected, this obliges the driver to use vision correction devices when driving a vehicle, since this has been determined by a medical examination. If this requirement is not met, the traffic police inspector has the right to draw up a report on the administrative violation and impose a large fine. Read about the legal intricacies of driving with a GCL to avoid trouble on the road.

What does the GCL mark mean?

The abbreviation GCL itself is an abbreviation for the English phrase “glasses or contact lenses,” which literally means “glasses or contact lenses.” To unify the sample driver’s license (primarily when traveling abroad), the abbreviation was introduced to replace the outdated Russian inscription “glasses/lenses are required.”

The meaning of this mark is simple; it means that, based on the conclusion of a medical commission (which all candidates must undergo before issuing or replacing a license), the driver is obliged to use means to correct visual acuity. In other words, if these means were not used, then the driver is considered unfit to drive a vehicle.

Attention! If the driver's license has a GCL mark, the driver is not allowed to drive a car without vision correction devices.

One of the reasons for introducing this abbreviation is the unification of inscriptions. In old-style driver's licenses you could find various variations - “glasses required” or “lenses required”. However, the inspector could interpret this at his own discretion. For example, a person driving a vehicle with a driver’s license marked “lenses required” could be fined if he decided to replace the lenses with glasses. Now we have got rid of this contradiction.

The requirements for visual acuity are established by Government Decree and are currently as follows:

Category	Worst eye, diopter	Best eye, diopter
A, B, BE, M	0,2	0,6
C, CE, D, DE, Tm, Tb	0,4	0,8

What do the special marks AS and GCL mean in paragraph 12 of the new driver’s license?

The most important document for car owners around the world is a driver's license. This is a universal document that can confirm your identity, like a passport. Also, a driver’s license indicates that the bearer has legal grounds to drive a vehicle of the appropriate category specified in the document itself.

Driving licenses were established by Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 365 (On the implementation of a driver's license). In January 2014, changes were made to the Order to introduce a new model of driver's license into circulation.

According to these amendments, from the beginning of April 2021, unfamiliar marks appeared on the licenses familiar to experienced car owners.

The changes affected such columns as paragraphs No. 12 and No. 14. The designations AS and GCL appeared in these cells.

The article demonstrates the decoding of the driver's license items and the meaning of the newly introduced labels for the new sample documents.

What do the special marks AS mean in paragraph 12 of the driver’s license?

The twelfth paragraph of rights now reflects restrictions regarding the management of vehicles of various categories. The approved designations that appear in the rights will affect such type of restrictions as the type of vehicle transmission. In order to avoid getting into an unpleasant situation, you need to figure out for yourself what AS means in rights, and for whom the new requirements are relevant.

It relates to the steering of a vehicle and is translated from English accordingly - automobile type of steering. This implies the presence of a steering wheel and a car seat, that is, a seat.

To find out who will have this mark on the updated certificate, you must first study the list of situations in which changes to the VU are required. Currently, this designation is given to those citizens who:

have the ability to drive a vehicle weighing no more than three and a half tons;
the number of seats in the vehicle is limited to eight seats;
the driver has the opportunity to drive a vehicle with a trailer whose weight reaches 750 kg;
the driver has no reason to drive a motorcycle.

Summary: if the driver of a vehicle of open categories A and B, the AS mark will not be affixed to the new sample document.

We also draw your attention to the fact that there has also been an expansion of the categories of rights. For drivers who:

have permission to drive a vehicle with a weight without cargo of 550 kg;
maximum speed – 50 km/h;
engine volume – 50 cm3

Additionally, category B1 was introduced. It is this that implies the ability to control motorcycles and tricycles equipped with a steering wheel and a car seat. The AS label is also assigned to this category.

Special notes in column 12

The following discusses special marks on the driver’s license, which can be reflected in the twelfth paragraph of the new sample document.

MS (motorcycle steering) – marks on the new driver’s license are affixed to drivers with category A:

driving a motorcycle with or without a side trailer;
the vehicle weight is no more than 400 kg;
the vehicle is equipped with two, three or four wheels.

At the same time, the driver does not have category B. He is not able to drive a vehicle with a car wheel or seat. The MS tags on the license will be affixed in category B1, which will mean the ability to drive a vehicle with a motorcycle seat and steering wheel.

Otherwise, the tag will not provide such an opportunity.

Summary:

the AS label limits the ability to drive a car with a motorcycle handlebar and seating position;
the MS label limits the ability to drive vehicles with a car steering wheel and seat;
The ML label does not allow the possibility of driving mopeds and scooters.

GCL in paragraph 14 of the driver's license

The fourteenth column contains general labels for all categories and subcategories:

the dates when the license was previously issued, along with this, the length of service of the car owner is taken into account;
medical contraindications to driving a motor vehicle;
general information about the driver.

One of the newly introduced labels that can be found in the fourteenth paragraph of the new rights is GCL. Must wear glasses or contact lenses – the interpretation of this mark indicates the need to wear glasses or contact lenses.

The introduction of this designation has made life easier for many citizens with visual impairments. The mark on the GCL license informs that the driver is legally able to drive a car wearing any optical device for vision correction. Previously, this item was strictly limited. The certificate indicated only glasses or only lenses.

Other designations that are entered in column 14:

The MC (manual control only) mark is installed for those car owners who must drive vehicles using manual control.
With the AT (automatic transmission) label, the car owner has the right to drive a car only with an automatic transmission. This mark will appear for those who have passed the driving test in a car with an automatic transmission. For those citizens who received the driving category with a manual transmission, there are no driving restrictions.
The designation APS (acoustic parking system only) is affixed to those drivers who, for medical reasons, require an acoustic parking system.
HA or CF (must wear hearing aid/communication aid) labels are added to those citizens who need medical devices to compensate for hearing loss while driving. Such devices include a hearing aid.

additional information

With the introduction of the changes, the question also arose about changing the certificate to a new format. We are not talking about mandatory replacement. You can change old rights to new ones at will or upon expiration of the old rights.

To obtain a new type of document, you will need to collect medical certificates and documents confirming passing the exam, which are usually requested by the traffic police. Please note that the new certificate will already contain new categories and marks, according to all the documents provided.

Previously, driver's licenses were intended for use not only on the territory of the Russian Federation. For this purpose, the last name and first name of the owner of the document were written in transliteration. Now, in order to use a driver’s certificate abroad, you need to get an international driver’s license.

We invite you to watch a short and useful video.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

Where should the GCL mark be placed?

Another controversial issue is where the GCL is placed on a driver's license. The abbreviation must be placed on the back of the plastic ID, and then there are nuances.

If we turn to the official legal source, namely Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1097 “On permission to drive vehicles”, then in paragraph 37 there is no direct indication of which column the GCL mark must be entered in. It evasively says that medical indications are entered in the “appropriate” columns of the certificate.

For clarification, let us refer to Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 365 dated December 1, 2017, which clearly states that column No. 14 is provided for marks valid for all categories of vehicles. It is located on the VU layout at the very bottom, under the table of categories.

Note! If the GCL is entered in the wrong box, the driver's license may be revoked. Be sure to check this when receiving it at the traffic police department.

Sometimes you can find information that GCL is entered in column 12 of the driver’s license. This is incorrect information; the mark should always be in column 14 only. They can also put a note “Medical certificate” here, in which case you will always need to have a valid document from a medical institution with you.

What is the penalty if you violate the “prescription” of the GCL mark?

If the license contains the GCL mark, but the driver drives without glasses, then he faces a FINE.

As a rule, in such cases, inspectors charge a violation of Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation “driving without a license” and issue a fine of 5,000 to 15,000 rubles.

“Driving a vehicle by a driver who does not have a license to drive a vehicle (except for instructional driving) shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five thousand to fifteen thousand rubles.”

Note. If you wear contact lenses, the inspector does not have the right to require you to remove them to prove your presence, since this action can be harmful to your health.

What is the penalty for violating the GCL label requirements?

First of all, you need to remember that you cannot drive a car without vision correction equipment if you have a medical commission’s conclusion. However, there is no direct article in the Code of Administrative Offenses that would allow inspectors to fine a driver for not having glasses or contact lenses when driving a vehicle with an active GCL tag on his license. A solution was found and inspectors began to massively issue fines under Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

The traffic police are guided by part 1 of this article, which regulates the punishment for driving a car in the absence of a legal right to do so. The punishment under this article is quite harsh - from 5,000 to 15,000 rubles. The inspector actually makes a logical conclusion that if the driver does not have glasses or lenses, then this is equivalent to his not being allowed to drive the vehicle. Accordingly, there is a legal basis for applying Article 12.7.

In fact, this is not always true and even contradicts other norms of current legislation. To begin with, let’s turn to Federal Law No. 196 “On Road Safety”, where Article 28 sets out possible reasons for termination of the right to drive a vehicle:

The current ID has expired;
A medical examination revealed a contraindication that is incompatible with driving a vehicle;
The driver was deprived of this right on legal grounds (for example, for driving while intoxicated).

At the same time, the list of medical contraindications is also approved by the Government of the Russian Federation (current edition No. 1604 of August 3, 2019). In this list it is impossible to find restrictions on visual acuity; accordingly, this is the basis that Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses was applied illegally.

An interesting situation arises when the driver had medical vision limitations, but at some point in time they were cured. It often happens that a person, for example, has undergone laser vision correction. At the same time, the GCL mark on the driver’s license does not disappear anywhere, and the traffic police inspector can still apply Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

Here is an example of such a case - a court decision from Cherepovets (January 2014). The driver underwent laser vision correction and was stopped by a traffic police inspector. The latter, despite presenting a certificate from the clinic, fined the person 6,000 rubles. The court recognizes that the driver violated only the fact that he did not replace his driver’s license; accordingly, the punishment imposed on him was unlawful.

Attention! If the state of vision has improved so much that it has become possible to drive a car without glasses or lenses, you must undergo a second medical examination and obtain a driving license without the GCL mark.

What is the penalty for driving with a license with a GCL mark without glasses or lenses?

Driving by drivers who have indications for driving a vehicle only with glasses or lenses, without these medical devices, is often equated by inspectors to driving without a license (Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.) This violation provides for a fine of 5 to 15 thousand rubles.

At the same time, drivers whose license contains the GCL mark can independently choose what to drive in: glasses or contact lenses. While an inspector can notice and record the absence of glasses (video recording, witness testimony), it is impossible to check the driver’s absence of lenses. The employee does not have the right to demand that the driver remove and show him the lenses, as this may harm the person’s health.

How to prove to the inspector that the GCL mark is not violated

Let’s imagine a situation where a traffic police inspector stops a driver and, as a “nitpicking”, begins to discuss with him the abbreviation GCL on his license. At the same time, a person has only lenses for correction on their eyes, which are quite difficult to distinguish (especially at night). When communicating, you must remember:

No one can force a driver to remove a contact lens right on the road to demonstrate compliance with the GCL mark. At a minimum, appropriate sanitary conditions have not been created for this;
The responsibility to prove the fact of the violation rests entirely with the inspector, so it is he who must give arguments why, in his opinion, the driver is driving without vision correction;
In the event of an acute conflict, the inspector has the right to send the driver for a medical examination. Only after the expert’s conclusion can a clear conclusion be made about the offense committed.

But in practice, the situation usually develops in a melancholy format of the protocol under Article 12.7. This should not be tolerated, but must be appealed in court.

How to remove the abbreviation GCL from your driver's license

Good vision for a driver is not a far-fetched requirement, but a way to reduce accidents on the roads. Due to vision problems, at least 1,500 accidents occur every year, most of them fatal. If the medical commission has determined that the driver needs glasses or contacts, then it is necessary to use vision correction products. This will definitely save someone's life.

However, many drivers have a natural question about how to remove the GCL abbreviation from their license. This can only be done if vision problems have been resolved, for example, a person has undergone laser correction and now sees quite well. The steps are as follows:

Repeated medical examination for the right to drive a vehicle;
Replacement of a valid driver's license with the provision of a new medical certificate.

Note. If the driver did not want to change his driving license after his vision was restored, then it is possible that he will face proceedings with the traffic police regarding the execution of the GCL mark.

Some drivers resort to a trick - they deliberately wear lenses to an ophthalmologist during a medical examination. The trick is that they don't tell the doctor about it. With a quick examination, there is a chance that the doctor will not notice this in vain. A certificate of full compliance with visual acuity will be issued, and the license will not have a GCL mark. This method is not a conscious civic act, since a driver who has poor vision while driving is a threat not only to his own health, but also to the health of others.

To summarize, it can be noted that most fines for the absence of glasses or lenses in the presence of a GCL mark in the VU go against the norms of the current legislation. For the driver, this means a good chance of successfully appealing in court (which is confirmed by statistics from judicial practice). We recommend that you pay close attention to road safety and do not neglect your vision correction devices.

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In which countries can you drive with a Russian driver's license?

After receiving a new driver’s license, model 2021 (photo above), the owner can use it not only on the territory of the Russian Federation, but also outside its borders. An important condition here is that the country you are going to visit must have signed the Vienna Convention of November 8, 1968. The Convention, in paragraph 1 of Article 41, states that all countries that have signed this document are obliged to recognize the national driving licenses of the participating countries. You can find a list of countries on our website in this article.

It is worth recalling that in addition to the Vienna Convention, there is the Geneva Convention of 1949, according to the rules of which you can drive a car in the territory of the participating countries only with an international driver's license (IDP).