DR Congo Driving Licence Photo — Exact Requirements & Compliant Print

A correctly prepared photo is one of the most common reasons a DR Congo driving licence application is returned before it is processed. The permis de conduire follows a passport-type format derived from both national DRC regulations and the CEDEAO (ECOWAS) regional convention: two identical 35×45 mm prints on a plain white background, submitted alongside the application form at the provincial transport authority (Direction des Voies de Communication / DVOC). Meeting that standard precisely on the first visit saves a return trip to the office and avoids delays that can stretch into weeks.

One detail specific to the DRC permis de conduire that frequently catches applicants off guard is the two-photo submission requirement. Unlike single-photo systems used in some other CEDEAO member states, Congolese transport offices typically request a pair of identical prints — both conforming to the same 35×45 mm passport-style specification. This means both copies must be produced from the same compliant source file, printed at the correct physical size (35 mm wide, 45 mm tall), and cropped identically so that reviewers can verify consistency between them. A phone-printed or loosely cropped photo that looks acceptable to the eye is very often rejected when measured against the template used at the counter.

• Size: 35×45 mm (413×531 px at 300 dpi)
• Background: plain white (#FFFFFF) — no shadows, gradients, or patterns
• Face coverage: face height must fill 70–80% of the total frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible
• Glasses: not permitted — remove all eyewear before taking the photo
• Headwear: not permitted except for documented religious observance, with the face fully visible
• Recency: taken within the last six months, accurately representing current appearance
• Print quality: sharp focus, even lighting, no red-eye, no pixelation

• Common reasons photos are rejected for the DRC permis de conduire:
• Background not fully white — grey walls, slight shadows behind the head, or a coloured background passed off as white are caught immediately
• Face coverage outside the 70–80% range — photos taken too far away (face too small) or too close (face clipped at top) both fail the template check
• Glasses present in the image — this is a hard disqualifier; even thin frames are refused
• The two submitted prints are visibly inconsistent — different crops, lighting differences, or prints from different source files are rejected as a pair

To get both prints ready without returning to a photo studio, upload a recent, well-lit photo taken against any background. The photo is automatically cropped and resized to the exact 35×45 mm official standard, the background is replaced with compliant white, and the result is checked against face-coverage rules. You receive a free watermarked preview before any payment is required — inspect it, confirm it meets the standard, then pay only for the final print-ready file. If the photo is submitted and rejected by the transport authority, it is redone at no charge or fully refunded. That is the acceptance guarantee.