In November 2025, the Russian government decided to introduce new rules for hotel check-in, allowing driver's licenses to be used as one of the documents for registration from 2026.
From January 1, 2026, it will be possible to present a driver's license at hotels as an identity document. In addition, it will be possible to check in with a foreign passport. The latter document is accepted regardless of the guest's place of permanent registration.
A special procedure is provided for military personnel: they can register in hotels with a military ID, and the administration is not required to carry out their temporary registration.
Technical support for accepting driver's licenses will be provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, which will automatically verify the authenticity of the licenses through interaction with the traffic police.
We are deliberately moving away from excessive barriers, creating comfortable conditions for both tourists and the hospitality industry as a whole. People get the long-awaited opportunity to choose a document, and hotels get simple and technological procedures, which ultimately will increase the attractiveness of the Russian tourism market and boost domestic tourism.