Fine for an expired driving licence in Egypt

If you are driving with an expired licence, you are breaking the law from the first moment after the expiry date. The matter is simpler than you might think, but there are details that catch many people off guard.

Quick Answer

Driving a vehicle with an expired licence in Egypt is an explicit offence under Traffic Law No. 66 of 1973 and its amendments. The basic fine ranges from EGP 100 to EGP 300 at the court's discretion, with the possibility of having the expired licence confiscated and a police report filed. Renewing the licence after it has expired does not itself attract a fine from the Traffic Authority if done within a reasonable period, but driving before renewal is the offence. If the licence has been expired for more than one year, you may be required to undergo a full medical examination again.

What the Traffic Law Articles Say

Article 65 of the Egyptian Traffic Law criminalises driving a vehicle without a valid licence. Articles 74 and its sub-articles set out the fines applicable to licence-related offences.

In practice: an officer at a checkpoint issues a report for "driving without a valid licence" and refers the matter to the competent summary court. The judge determines the fine within the legally prescribed range, and it typically settles at the minimum of EGP 100 for a first offence, rising with repeat violations.

The officer may retain the expired licence and issue you a receipt. In some cases the vehicle itself is impounded until a driver holding a valid licence arrives to collect it.

A point many people overlook: mandatory vehicle insurance may refuse to cover any accident that occurs while driving with an expired licence. This is a real financial catastrophe, far greater than the fine itself.

How to Renew Your Licence and Avoid the Fine

Renewal is carried out at the traffic unit serving the address on your National ID card. Required documents:

• The old licence (even if expired)
• A valid National ID card
• A medical examination certificate from a government or accredited hospital
• The vehicle registration certificate if you are the owner
• A recent passport-sized photograph

The usual fees for renewing a private licence for 10 years are approximately EGP 155 in base fees, to which service charges and various stamp duties are added, potentially bringing the total to around EGP 400–600 depending on the licence category. Professional licence fees are higher and the term is 3 years.

Caution: If your licence has been expired for more than one full year, some traffic units treat you as a first-time applicant for certain procedures — meaning a new written and practical test. There is no single uniform rule, but it is common practice.

Early renewal is available up to 6 months before expiry, and taking advantage of that window is the cheapest decision you can make.

What If a Police Report Has Already Been Filed?

You have two options:

First: Pay the fine and close the matter. Once the summary court issues its judgment, you go to the court treasury or the relevant police station, pay the specified amount, and collect a receipt. Retrieving a confiscated licence requires producing the payment receipt and first completing the licence renewal.

Second: File an opposition to the judgment. If the judgment was issued in absentia or you believe it contains an error, you are entitled to file an opposition within 10 days of being notified of the judgment under Code of Criminal Procedure No. 150 of 1950. In practice, opposing a minor traffic infringement may cost you more time than the fine itself is worth, so weigh it carefully.

A fine for driving with an expired licence in Egypt is not recorded on your criminal record and does not affect the issuance of other certificates, but repeated offences may be taken into account when renewing the licence later or may lead the judge to impose a higher fine next time.

When Does the Problem Become More Than Just a Fine?

Being involved in an accident with an expired licence opens an entirely different door of civil and criminal liability. The insurance company may seek to recover from you whatever it paid to the other party, and the Public Prosecution may consider an additional charge alongside the accident charge itself.

Likewise, if you are driving a taxi or freight vehicle on an expired professional licence, the situation is more serious: higher fines, possible revocation of the vehicle operating permit, and accountability to your employer or the platform through which you work.

For more on traffic offences in Egypt, see Traffic Law Questions.