Do I need to reissue documents when merging administrative units?

Clause 1, Article 24 of the 2023 Law on Identification stipulates cases of issuance and re-issuance of identification cards, including the case: "At the request of the person granted the identification card when the information on the identification card changes due to the arrangement of administrative units".

The 2024 Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order stipulates that a person with a driving license can exchange or reissue a driving license in the following cases: the driving license is lost; the driving license is damaged and no longer usable; the information on the driving license changes...

At Point d, Article 21 of Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA regulating the testing and issuance of driving licenses, the provisions on changing driving licenses stipulate that in case the date, month, year of birth, full name, middle name, nationality, place of birth, place of residence recorded on the driving license is inconsistent with the citizen identification card or identification card, the competent authority shall carry out procedures to change the new driving license in accordance with the information recorded in the citizen identification card or identification card.

For land use right certificates, Clause 21, Article 13 of Circular 10/2024/TT-BTNMT dated July 31, 2024 stipulates information on changes in land and assets attached to land: in case of changing the name of an administrative unit or adjusting administrative boundaries according to the decision of a competent state agency, it shall be stated: "Rename... (write the name of the administrative unit before the change) to... (write the new name of the administrative unit)".

Clause 19, Article 41 of the Circular stipulates: In case of changing the name of an administrative unit or adjusting administrative boundaries according to the decision of a competent state agency, the issued certificate must show the content as prescribed in Clause 21, Article 13 of this Circular.

However, according to Clause 3, Article 256 of the 2024 Land Law, land use right certificates, house ownership and land use right certificates, house ownership certificates, construction work ownership certificates, land use right certificates, house ownership and other assets attached to land that have been granted in accordance with the provisions of the law on land, the law on housing, and the law on construction before August 1, 2024 are still legally valid and are not required to be changed to a new certificate form.

In case the land user or property owner has a need, they will be granted a new certificate according to the provisions of this law.

However, adjusting the information on the documents is not a mandatory requirement.

Article 21 of Resolution 35/2023/UBTVQH15 stipulates that documents issued by competent authorities to individuals, citizens, and organizations before the arrangement according to the old administrative unit, if not expired according to regulations, can continue to be used.

Provincial People's Committees direct district and commune People's Committees to arrange administrative units to proactively develop plans to propagate and implement the conversion of documents for individuals and organizations, create favorable conditions for individuals and organizations when carrying out procedures to convert documents and not collect fees when converting due to changes in administrative unit boundaries.

According to Resolution 35/2023/UBTVQH15, the arrangement of district- and commune-level administrative units includes cases of establishment, merger, dissolution, and adjustment of administrative boundaries of districts, towns, provincial cities, cities under centrally run cities, communes, wards, and towns.

In addition, Article 10 of Resolution No. 190/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly regulating the handling of a number of issues related to the reorganization of the state apparatus (effective from February 19, 2025) clearly states:

1. Documents and papers that have been issued or granted by competent authorities or positions before the reorganization of the state apparatus and have not expired or have not expired shall continue to be applied and used in accordance with the provisions of law until they expire or are amended, supplemented, replaced, abolished, cancelled or revoked by the authority or position receiving the functions, tasks and powers or the authority or person with authority.

2. Organizations and individuals shall not be required to carry out procedures to issue and replace documents issued by competent agencies and positions before implementing the reorganization of the state apparatus when these documents have not expired, unless otherwise provided by law.