Latvia issues 8.1% fewer new driving licences this year

Latvia’s Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) issued 10,074 newly obtained driving licences in the first eight months of 2026, 8.1% fewer than in the same period last year, LSM reported, citing data compiled by the directorate.

Women received 4,983 licences, a 10.8% decrease from the corresponding period in 2025. Men received 5,091 licences, down 5.2%.

As of September 1, Latvia had 892,086 valid driving licences, an increase of 0.2% compared with the beginning of September last year. Women held 399,686 licences, or 44.8% of the total, while men held 492,400, or 55.2%.

CSDD issued 16,507 new driving licences in 2025, compared with 15,947 in 2024 and 16,355 in 2023. The figures were 17,791 in 2022, 15,687 in 2021, 18,193 in 2020, 18,643 in 2019, 16,792 in 2018, 19,373 in 2017, 21,475 in 2016 and 21,608 in 2015.