How to get a driving licence in India

Apply on parivahan.gov.in under Sarathi, Driving Licence Related Services. Select your state and RTO, and choose 'Apply for Learner Licence'.

You will need proof of age, proof of address, passport photographs and a signature, plus Form 1 self-declaration of physical fitness. Applicants over 40, and anyone applying for a transport vehicle licence, need Form 1A certified by a registered medical practitioner.

Aadhaar-based e-KYC makes the whole application faceless in most states — no RTO visit for the learner's stage at all. Without Aadhaar authentication you will need to attend for document verification.

The learner's test is a computer-based multiple-choice test on road signs, traffic rules and basic vehicle knowledge, taken online from home in many states or at the RTO. The full question bank and the official road signs are published on Parivahan — read them, because a meaningful share of failures are on signs people have driven past for years without knowing.

Choose the correct vehicle class. MCWG covers geared two-wheelers, MCWOG gearless ones, LMV covers cars, and transport classes are separate with additional requirements. Adding a class later is a separate application.

Pass and the learner's licence is issued, valid for six months. It permits you to drive only with a licence holder for that class beside you, and with an 'L' displayed.

Wait at least 30 days from the date of the learner's licence, and apply within 180 days. Miss the 180-day window and the learner's licence lapses and must be taken again.

Book a driving test slot on Parivahan. Availability varies enormously between RTOs, and popular ones book weeks ahead — book as soon as the 30 days are up rather than at the end of the window.

The test is conducted at the RTO or an automated driving test track. Increasingly it is at an automated track with sensors and cameras and no human examiner, which has raised failure rates in several cities but removed the discretion that made the process negotiable.

For a car you will typically be asked to demonstrate a controlled start on a gradient, reversing in an S or 8 figure, parallel parking, correct use of indicators and mirrors, and observance of signs on the track. For a two-wheeler, a figure of eight and controlled riding.

Take your own vehicle or one arranged by a driving school, with valid registration, insurance and PUC certificate. A vehicle without those will not be permitted for the test.

Pass, and the licence is printed and either handed over or posted. It is simultaneously available digitally in DigiLocker and mParivahan, which are legally valid and accepted by traffic police — a digital licence on your phone is sufficient and you do not need to carry the card.

Fail, and you can retest after a prescribed interval, generally seven days, as many times as the learner's licence validity allows.

A licence is valid for 20 years or until you turn 40, whichever comes first. After 40 it is renewed for shorter periods, with a medical certificate in Form 1A required.

Renew online through Parivahan. There is a grace period after expiry during which renewal is straightforward; beyond one year from expiry you may have to retake the test in many states. Do not let it lapse.

Address changes, duplicate licences after loss, and adding a vehicle class are all Parivahan services. Address change is now faceless with Aadhaar authentication in most states.

Moving states does not require a new licence — an Indian driving licence is valid nationwide. Vehicle registration is a different matter and does require attention if you move permanently.

For driving abroad, apply for an International Driving Permit through Parivahan or your RTO. It requires a valid Indian licence, a passport with a valid visa, and travel details. It is a translation of your licence, valid for one year, and cannot be issued or renewed from outside India — get it before you travel.

Foreign nationals resident in India may drive on a valid foreign licence for a limited period and must then obtain an Indian licence, with an exemption from the test where the licence is from a country with a reciprocal arrangement.

Third-party insurance is compulsory under the Motor Vehicles Act for every vehicle on a public road. Driving without it is an offence with substantial penalties, and the practical risk is far larger: third-party liability for death or injury is unlimited in India, so an uninsured at-fault driver is personally liable without ceiling.

Comprehensive insurance additionally covers your own vehicle. Own-damage cover can be bought separately from the mandatory third-party component.

A Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is mandatory and is checked at stops and, increasingly, linked to insurance renewal — many insurers will not renew without a valid PUC.

Registration certificate (RC) transfer must be done when a vehicle changes hands, through Vahan. The seller should confirm the transfer has completed, because until it does, challans and liability for the vehicle continue to attach to the registered owner. This is one of the most common and most costly oversights in Indian vehicle transactions.

Check and pay e-challans at echallan.parivahan.gov.in. Challans can be contested where issued in error — through the portal, the traffic police grievance route, or a Lok Adalat, where traffic challan settlement drives are held periodically and are worth waiting for if you have several.

Penalties under the amended Motor Vehicles Act are substantial for driving without a licence, without insurance, drunk driving, and using a phone while driving. Several offences also carry licence suspension, and states have varied the fines within the central framework.