Article 3 — Union standard specifications on driving licences and mutual recognition

1. Member States shall ensure that their national driving licences are issued in accordance with this Directive, and that they comply with the Union standard specifications laid down in Annex I, and other criteria pursuant to: (a) Article 4, for physical driving licences; (b) Article 5, for mobile driving licences. 2. Member States shall ensure that physical and mobile driving licences issued to the same person are fully equivalent as regards the rights and conditions under which that person is authorised to drive, and as to their administrative validity. 3. Without prejudice to the handling of existing driving licences in cases of exchange or replacement, in accordance with Article 13(3) and (4), Member States shall not, as a prerequisite, require the possession of a physical or mobile driving licence from the applicant when issuing, replacing, renewing or exchanging a driving licence in the other format. 4. Effective from the date 54 months from the date of the adoption of the first of the implementing acts in accordance with Article 5(7), Member States shall ensure that mobile driving licences are issued as the default format of the driving licence, without prejudice to the right of the applicant to obtain the driving licence in a physical format or in both formats through one and the same application at the same time. After the issuance of a driving licence in one format, the holder of a driving licence shall continue to have the right to request the issuance of a driving licence in the other format, including when that holder’s driving licence has not yet expired. 5. Member States may issue mobile driving licences before the date referred to in paragraph 4. 6. Driving licences issued by Member States shall be mutually recognised. However, mobile driving licences issued in accordance with Article 5 shall be mutually recognised only after the date laid down in paragraph 4 of this Article.