All you need to know about driving licenses in India

What is a driving license?

A driving license or DL is an official document issued by the government that is required by everybody to drive motor vehicles on road in India. This document works as an identity proof that gives authorization to individuals to drive their vehicles on Indian roads. Having a driving license is mandatory in India for anyone who wishes to drive their own vehicles.

Why do you need a Driving License in India?

• It is a compulsory legal document: Owning a valid driving license by your name is compulsory in India and required by law for anyone who wants to drive their own vehicles. A valid license is one that does not exceed the expiry date. In case your driving license has expired, you need to apply for renewal as soon as possible. Driving with an expired license is a legal offence in India.
• It is a valid Identity Card: You can use your driving license as a personal I-card. It’s an important document that you can use as evidence of identification proof in places such as airports, government offices and during various other official work. It holds the same value as any other Identification cards, for example, passports, PAN cards, Voter ID, or Aadhaar Card.
• Independent commute is not possible without a driving license: for anyone who wishes to drive their own vehicles without depending on public transport, whether it’s a car or a motorbike, its compulsory that you own a driving license.

What are the eligibility criteria for applying for driving license in India?

Types of driving license:

There are broadly three types of driver’s license generally applied by people-

1. Learner’s license: a learner’s license is permitted by the local state transport authority to any individual for a minimum duration of 6 months. This period is basically given for applicants to brush up their driving skill. The process of getting a learner’s license is pretty simple. All you need to do is fill up the form, present all the required documents and take a simple test. Also, applicants can ask for an extensive of time after completion of 6 months.
2. Permanent license: applicants can only apply for a permanent driving license if they already own a learner’s license. you will need to pass the written test as well as the driving skill test to receive a permanent driving license. If you fail to clear the driving test, you can reapply to take another test after 7 days. Having a driver’s license verifies that individuals have sound knowledge about the basic traffic rules and road etiquettes. Remember that the license comes with a validity period. Your license will be valid for either a period of 20 years or until you reach the age of 50 years, whichever comes early. After the expiration of the validity period, license holders have to go through the whole process again to get a new license.
3. Commercial license: Commercial license is generally given to drivers with heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses. This license is for those professionals who drive heavy vehicles for transporting passengers or goods. The driver is required to be at least 18 years of age (although in some states, the age limit if 22 years) or above and submit a document to prove their literacy up to class 8. The procedure of getting a commercial license is more complex. as commercial driving license holders need to take the responsibility of all his passengers, they need to re-issue their license after every 3 years to prove their eligibility.

What documents are required for getting a driving license in India?

You can apply for a driving license online or offline from your nearby certified regional transport office (RTO). Candidates need to submit a list of documents to apply for a driving license. Have these documents ready to avoid delays and inconveniences during the application process for issuing a driving license:

Document for Age Proof:

• Birth certificate.
• PAN Card
• Passport
• 10^th Marksheet
• TC or Transfer Certificate from your school that has your DOB mentioned on it.

Document for Address Proof:

• Passport
• Aadhaar Card
• Voter ID Card
• Ration Card
• Electricity bill that is issued by applicant’s name.
• House ownership agreement certificate by the applicant’s name.

Note: if you live in a rented house, you can show the rental agreement paper along with any periodical bill, for example, gas bill or electricity bill.

• Other essential documents:
• Application form for driving license that has been filled appropriately.
• Passport sized photographs. (6 pieces for Learners License, 1 for Driving License)
• Candidates are required to pay the application fee.
• Candidates who are above 40 years of age will need a medical certificate issued from a certified physician.

How to get a driving license in India?

Issuing a drivers license is the first step you take to start driving your own vehicle. If you are planning to buy your own motorcycle or start driving your car by yourself, it is compulsory to get a driving license first. Having a valid driving license means that you already understand the necessary traffic rules including all the signs and symbols as well as the safety measures.

Learner’s License:

Candidates cannot directly get a Driving License; they need to apply for a Learner’s License first. And a learner’s license is permitted only after you pass all the driving tests. Driving school authorities will test your driving skill and judge your road knowledge. Also, the applicants should have reached the minimum age limit of 18years, should be physically fit to become eligible to apply for a learner’s license. Check out all the steps of applying for a learner’s license online in India from an authorized transport website:

Step 1: Pick your state.

Step 2: Select the type of license option, for e.g., learning license.

Step 3: Fill in all the information in the form generated by the website.

Step 4: Upload all the necessary documents asked for by the local transport website.

Step 5: Pay the required amount.

Step 6: Download the payment receipt and take a print out of the same.

Step 7: Select a test slot according to your preference.

Step 8: You need to clear the written test. Applicants must score a minimum mark of 60% to pass the learning license written test.

Step 9: This is all. The site will issue your learning license immediately.

After you receive your learners license you can start driving your vehicle but with a red L sticker. The L sticker will be pasted on the front as well as the rear of your bike to alert others that you are still a learner. Also, another rule of driving with a learner’s license is that you cannot take any passengers to accompany you on the ride. However, your driving instructor can sit with you on the two-wheeler. The same rule applies for driving a four-wheeler.

Permanent driving license:

You are eligible to apply for a permanent driving license after a period of one month of getting your learner’s license. also, your learning license will be valid for the next 6 months from the day you received the license. This period is usually given to applicants to keep practicing driving with caution. The procedure of getting a permanent driving license is mentioned below:

Step 1: Select your state.

Step 2: Click on the option “driving license.”

Step 3: Fill the form of application.

Step 4: Upload all the documents that are demanded by the official transport site.

Step 5: Book your driving test slot.

Step 6: Pay the bill and download the receipt.

Step 7: Clear the driving test.

Step 8: Applicants will receive their driving license.

Note: in case you fail to clear the driving test, you can easily re-book a new slot for taking another test.

How do you check if your driving license is fake or authentic?

An authentic and valid driving license issued from an authorized driving center should have the following elements or information:

1. The name of the office: your driving license card must contain the name of the office that has issued or made your license. Also, if you need any further assistance or have any inquiries, this is the address you go to. Therefore, a valid driving license must come with the name of the authorized RTO that has certified your license.
2. Photo of the user: A valid driving license card must contain a passport sized photo of the license holder.
3. Registration number: all driving license cards come with a unique registration number that validates the authenticity of the license.
4. Signature of the officer: all valid driving license cards have the signature of the officer who issued your license along with a rubber stamp.

All these are the mandatory features or elements of an authentic driving license that any authorized official will look for while checking your license. Make sure your driving license certificate has all the necessary details mentioned on it.

Conclusion:

A driving license is the basic requirement of driving any vehicle on Indian roads legally. you, as a driver of any two or four-wheeler, not just need to apply for a driving license, but also must carry it with you all the time whenever you decide to take a ride. Not carrying a valid driver’s license is a serious offence and considered as a violation of traffic rules. Police officials can demand a penalty or even arrest you if you don’t follow the road regulations properly. Also, in today’s day and time, when every small to large tasks are performed online, getting a driver’s license have become a simple and hassle-free process.