Driving licences to be returned after eight days, but driving bans remain in force

The Kosovo Police has announced that it will return driving licences to people whose licences it had temporarily seized once the legal eight-day holding period has expired.

The decision follows ruling P. A. No. 29/2026 by the Supreme Court of Kosovo, issued on October 20, 2026, and received by the Police on November 2. The court declared unlawful and annulled paragraph 3 of Article 17 of Administrative Instruction (MIA) No. 05/2023 on Misdemeanor Procedures.

According to the Police’s clarification, the ruling does not affect the possibility of imposing a protective measure banning someone from driving, nor does it revoke measures imposed previously. Those measures remain in force until the expiry of the period set for each one.

The ruling applies only to the Police’s physical retention of driving licences. Under Article 244 of the Law on Road Traffic Rules and the Supreme Court ruling, a licence may not be held for more than eight days.

The Police stressed that the return of a driving licence does not give a driver permission to drive if a protective driving ban against them is still in force.

Driving while such a measure is in force constitutes a misdemeanor. Article 246 of the Law on Road Traffic Rules provides for a fine of 500 euros, a six-month driving ban, five penalty points and the temporary confiscation of the vehicle.

The Kosovo Police said it would continue traffic checks and verify, through the relevant records, protective measures, penalty points and other legal restrictions, with the aim of ensuring road safety.