To get a driver tachograph card, you need a standard application form, a copy of your ID, a copy of your valid driver’s license, proof of residence in Romania, a 25×32 mm color photo and proof of payment of the fee. The issuing fee is 300 lei per card, under the ARR fee schedule in effect since December 30, 2025, and the card is valid for 5 years.
This practical guide walks you step by step through the required documents, the cost and the application process, as well as the documents you need to change your tachograph card – on renewal, when your details change, or when replacing a lost or stolen card – for each type of card issued by the Romanian Road Authority (ARR). For an overview of what the card does, see our article Tachograph Card Information from A to Z.
What a tachograph card is and who needs one
The tachograph card is a personal smart card that is inserted into the digital tachograph and records driving activity, breaks and rest periods. It is mandatory for every driver operating a vehicle fitted with a digital tachograph (usually goods vehicles over 3.5 tons or buses/coaches), under Regulation (EU) No 165/2014.
The Romanian Road Authority (ARR) issues four types of tachograph cards: the driver card, the company card (transport operator), the workshop card (authorized fitting/repair center) and the control card (for the competent authorities). For technical details on the device itself, see the guide The Digital Tachograph – Useful Information for Drivers and Fleet Managers.
Documents required for the driver tachograph card
The tachograph card application is filed at any ARR regional agency and must include the following documents:
- Standard application form (available at the ARR agency or on the portal arr.ro);
- Copy of your ID (identity card or passport);
- Copy of a driver’s license valid for at least one of the categories B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D or DE;
- Proof of residence in Romania;
- A recent 25×32 mm color photo;
- Proof of payment of the issuing fee.
*Citizens of non-EU countries must also submit proof of their right to work in Romania.
Documents required for the company (operator) card
The company card allows the transport operator to lock and download tachograph data. To have it issued, the company representative files the standard application form and proof of payment of the fee at the ARR agency in the area where the company operates.
Documents required for the workshop (service) card
The workshop card is used to activate, install, calibrate or back up data from the tachograph and is issued to authorized centers. The required documents are: the standard application form, a copy of the authorization, a copy of the designated technician’s ID and proof of payment of the fee. Learn more about workshop services on the page Smart Tachograph Service.
How much a tachograph card costs – the 2026 fee
The fee for issuing, renewing, replacing or changing a tachograph card is 300 lei per card, under the ARR fee schedule applicable from December 30, 2025 (approved by the ARR fee order). Payment can be made by bank transfer, at the treasury or through platforms that offer this service.
| Card type | Validity | Issuing time | Fee |
| Driver | up to 5 years | one month from the application date | 300 lei |
| Company (operator) | up to 5 years | up to 15 days | 300 lei |
| Workshop (service) | up to 12 months | up to 15 days | 300 lei |
| Enforcement | 2 years | according to ARR protocols | 300 lei |
The deadlines in the table apply to first-time issuance. When you apply for renewal or a change, ARR issues the card within 5 days, and when replacing a lost, stolen or damaged card, within 8 business days – details below.
ARR fees can be updated by order of the relevant ministry, so we recommend checking the exact amount on ARR’s official fee page when you file your application.
How to get a tachograph card – step by step
- Prepare the file with the documents above and fill in the standard application form in capital letters, without corrections;
- Pay the 300 lei fee and keep the proof of payment, which is attached to the file;
- File the application at any ARR regional agency or through the dedicated portal tachocard.arr.ro, where available;
- Wait for the application to be processed – for first-time issuance, ARR issues the driver card within one month of the application date (Art. 5(2) of Ministry of Transport Order No. 459/2017);
- Pick up or receive the card and check the details printed on it.
Documents required to change a tachograph card: renewal, change and replacement
In legal terms, “changing” a tachograph card covers three different procedures, each with its own deadline, documents and consequences: renewal (the card is about to expire), change (the details on the card have changed) and replacement (the card was lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed). The rules are set out in Order of the Minister of Transport No. 459/2017, which implements Regulation (EU) No 165/2014.
| Situation | When to apply | Fee | Validity of the new card | Issuing time |
| Renewal – the card is about to expire | at least 15 days before the expiry date | 300 lei | up to 5 years from issuance | up to 5 days |
| Change – your name, address or license number has changed; incorrect data on the card; malfunctioning card | within 7 days of the change or of discovering the issue | 300 lei | same expiry date as the old card | 5 days |
| Replacement – lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed card | within 7 days of the event | 300 lei | same expiry date as the old card | 8 business days |
Documents required to renew a tachograph card (on expiry)
For a renewal, you file exactly the same documents as for first-time issuance, plus proof of payment of the renewal fee. The application is filed at any ARR regional agency at least 15 days before the card’s expiry date:
- ARR standard application form;
- Copy of your ID (identity card or passport);
- Copy of a driver’s license valid for at least one of the categories B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D or DE;
- Copy of the document proving your current residence in Romania;
- Recent 25×32 mm color photo;
- Proof of payment of the renewal fee – 300 lei;
- For citizens of non-EU and non-EEA countries: the document proving the right to work in Romania.
To pick up the new card – valid for up to 5 years from the date of issue – you hand in the old card, which ARR keeps for 12 months and makes available to the enforcement authorities on request. ARR issues the new card within 5 days of the application date. If you apply after the 15-day deadline, you are charged the fee for issuing a new card.
Documents required to change a tachograph card (name, address, new license)
Under Art. 9 of Ministry of Transport Order No. 459/2017, you must apply to change the card in three situations:
- The administrative details on the card have changed – your name, address or driver’s license number (including after exchanging your license);
- You find that the card contains incorrect data;
- You find that the card is malfunctioning.
The application is filed at any ARR regional agency within 7 days from the date the changes occurred or from the date you discovered the error, together with:
- All documents proving the change in the administrative details on the card – for example, the new driver’s license, the new ID or the marriage certificate in case of a name change;
- Or, as applicable, the supporting documents needed to correct the incorrect records;
- Proof of payment of the card change fee – 300 lei.
On ARR’s official page, the full set of documents is listed for changing the card after exchanging your license – standard application form, copy of ID, copy of the new license, proof of current residence in Romania, 25×32 mm color photo and, for citizens of non-EU and non-EEA countries, the document proving the right to work. Bring all of them so you don’t have to make the trip twice.
Watch the validity: the new card keeps the same expiry date as the old card (Art. 10(3)), so you don’t get another 5 years. The old card is handed in when you pick up the new one; otherwise you are charged the fee for a new card. The issuing time is 5 days from the application date.
Note: for the “driver’s license change” scenario, the ARR page mentions a new card valid for 5 years from the date of issue, while the order provides that the old card’s expiry date is kept. Confirm your situation with the agency where you file your application.
Documents required to replace a lost, stolen or damaged card
You have up to 7 days from the date the card was stolen, lost, damaged or destroyed to file the replacement application at any ARR regional agency. The file is much shorter:
- The replacement application;
- The certificate issued by the police unit where the theft report was filed – in case of theft;
- A sworn statement – in case of loss or destruction;
- Proof of payment of the replacement fee – 300 lei.
ARR issues the new card within 8 business days of receiving the application, and it has the same expiry date as the card it replaces. If you apply after the 7 days, you are charged the fee for issuing a new card. If you later recover the lost or stolen card – or if it was damaged – you must hand it in immediately to the ARR regional agency for your place of residence.
Until you receive the new card, you must still comply with driving and rest times and be able to prove the activity carried out, under Regulation (EU) No 165/2014. Check with the ARR agency the exact conditions under which you may keep driving without a card.
Deadlines, certified copies and costly mistakes
- The deadlines are not just guidelines. Missing the 15-day deadline for renewal, or the 7-day deadline for a change or replacement, means you are charged the fee for issuing a new card (Art. 8(2), Art. 10(2) and Art. 12(2) of Ministry of Transport Order No. 459/2017).
- Copies must be certified. Each document submitted as a copy is signed by the holder and bears the statement “I, the undersigned …, declare on my own responsibility, under the criminal law penalties for false statements, that this document is a true copy of the original.”
- You can send someone else. The application can also be filed by a person authorized through a notarized power of attorney.
- The old card must be handed in. For renewals and changes, you can only pick up the new card if you return the old one.
Tachograph card without a CPC – is it possible?
Yes, the tachograph card and the certificate of professional competence (CPC) are two different documents, and you can get the card without holding a CPC. To have a driver card issued, you only need a license valid for the categories listed above, not a CPC. The two can be obtained in any order.
Keep in mind, however: to actually drive a goods vehicle over 3.5 tons or a passenger vehicle for commercial purposes, the CPC remains mandatory by law. The tachograph card only covers recording of driving activity, not the right to carry out professional road transport.
Tachograph card readers and data download
A tachograph card reader is a device (usually with a USB interface) that reads and downloads data from the driver card to a computer or phone. The reader always works together with dedicated software, without which the data cannot be interpreted.
The law requires drivers to download data from their own card at least once every 28 days, and transport operators to download data from the tachograph at least once every 90 days. For fleets, the most efficient approach is to eliminate the periodic trips and download data remotely and automatically – exactly what is offered by the tachograph data reading and download module and the remote download solution from CargoTrack.
Need help obtaining, downloading or managing data from your fleet’s tachograph cards? Contact the CargoTrack team for a tailored solution for monitoring and managing digital tachographs.
Tachograph card FAQ
What documents are required for a tachograph card?
For the driver card, you need a standard application form, a copy of your ID, a copy of a valid driver’s license (categories B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D or DE), proof of residence in Romania, a 25×32 mm color photo and proof of payment of the fee. Citizens of non-EU countries must also submit proof of their right to work in Romania.
How much does a tachograph card cost in 2026?
The fee for issuing, renewing, replacing or changing a tachograph card is 300 lei per card, under the ARR fee schedule in effect since December 30, 2025. We recommend checking the exact amount when you file your application.
How long is a tachograph card valid?
The driver card and the company card are valid for up to 5 years, the workshop (service) card for up to 12 months, and the control card for 2 years, under Ministry of Transport Order No. 459/2017.
How long does it take to get a tachograph card?
For first-time issuance, ARR issues the driver card within one month of the application date, through the regional agency indicated by the applicant. For renewals and changes, the deadline is 5 days, and for replacing a lost, stolen or damaged card, 8 business days.
How do I renew my tachograph card before it expires?
File the renewal application at any ARR regional agency at least 15 days before the expiry date: standard application form, copy of ID, copy of a valid license, proof of residence, 25×32 mm color photo and proof of payment of the 300 lei fee. The old card is handed in when you pick up the new one, and ARR issues the new card within 5 days. If you apply later, you are charged the fee for issuing a new card.
What do I do if my tachograph card is lost or stolen?
File the replacement application within 7 days of the date the card was stolen, lost, damaged or destroyed, together with the police certificate (in case of theft) or a sworn statement (in case of loss or destruction), plus proof of payment of the fee. ARR issues the new card within 8 business days, with the same expiry date as the old one. If you later recover the card, you must hand it in immediately to the ARR agency for your place of residence.
What documents do I need to change my tachograph card?
It depends on the situation. To renew an expiring card, you file the full set of documents: standard application form, copy of ID, copy of a valid license, proof of residence in Romania, 25×32 mm color photo and proof of payment. To change the card – name, address, new license or incorrect data on the card – you file the application together with the documents proving the change and proof of payment. To replace a lost, stolen or damaged card, the application, the police certificate or sworn statement and proof of payment are enough.
How much does it cost to change a tachograph card?
300 lei, the same as first-time issuance: the ARR fee of 300 lei per card covers issuing, renewing, replacing and changing tachograph cards, under the fee schedule in effect since December 30, 2025.
Is the new tachograph card also valid for 5 years?
Only on renewal. A card issued on renewal is valid for up to 5 years from the date of issue, while a card issued on a change or replacement keeps the same expiry date as the card it replaces.
Can I get a tachograph card without a CPC?
Yes. The tachograph card and the CPC are separate documents, and you can get the card based solely on a valid driver’s license, without a CPC. To drive vehicles over 3.5 tons commercially, however, the CPC remains mandatory.
What is a tachograph card reader?
It is a device, usually with a USB interface, that reads and downloads data from the driver card to a computer or phone using dedicated software. Card data must be downloaded at least once every 28 days.
