I need to make a driving license and would like to know what documents are required for driving license. All my documents are with my parents, and I would need to have them sent to where I am living currently, which is why it is important for me to know exactly what documents are required.
Hi there, welcome to the forum! Overview The Indian driving license is an important document, allowing the owner to drive in all public roads and highways in the country. This document is a mandatory requirement before one can drive a motorcycle, a private car or even a transportation vehicle in the country. The Indian driving license can be divided into two main categories, namely, the temporary learner's license and the permanent driving license. All applicants must apply for the temporary learner's license first, prior to applying for the permanent driving license. In this guide, we would highlight the important documents necessary to acquire your learner's and driving licenses. Temporary Learner's License + Documents & How to Apply A temporary learning license is the first license you would be obtaining. It is merely given for the purposes of learning and prepares you for the application of the permanent driving license itself. To be eligible for a learning license, you must be under the following criteria. Eligibility for Learner's License 1. For the general learner's license (Also known as the LMV-NT), applicant must be at least 18 years old. For the motor without gear license (Also known as FVG), applicant must be at least 16 years old, with written consent from parents. For all other types of motorcycle licenses, applicant must be at least 18 years old. 2. The applicant must have the necessary documents prior to applying for the temporary learning license. Absence of any of the required documents can result in the denial of the application of the applicant. 3.The applicant must pass the learner's test, a series of multiple choices questions. The applicant needs to answer six out of the ten questions correctly to pass. By doing so, the learner's license would be given to him or her and he can apply for the permanent driving license after 31 days from first issue of it. If he, however, fails the learner's test, he is allowed to take it again a week after. Documents Required for Learner's License 1. Application Form for Learner's License (Different Regional Transportation Office have different requirements for this, but in Delhi, the requirement would be the Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3, which you can find in this link) 2. There Copies of Recent Passport-Sized Photographs of the Applicant 3. Proof of Residence in India (Any one of the following) Proof of Residence (With Notarisation Required)Proof of Residence (Without Notarisation Required)Water BillVoter CardElectricity BillPassport (Indian Address Only)Telephone BillLife Insurance PolicyPay Slip Issued by Private SectorPay Slip Issued by Local GovernmentProperty TaxPost Office or Bank Book with Residential AddressMarriage CertificateRation CardIncome Tax ReturnsResidence Certificate Issued by District Administrator4. Proof of Age (Any one of the following) Valid Proof of Age DocumentsBirth CertificatePassportPAN CardCGHS CardCertificate Issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner Verifying the Age of the ApplicantHow to Apply for Learner's License 1. You can apply personally, online or with the help of a driving school. If applying personally, you can download the forms mentioned above, fill it out completely and submit to the specific RTO office under your residence jurisdiction. Or you can obtain these forms specifically from the RTO office and fill them out in there. Online, just visit the Government of India, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways website, click on Continue and fill out the application form and hit Submit. 2. If you're applying personally, bring the requirements mentioned above to the RTO office that falls within your home's jurisdiction. Submit the requirements and pay the required fees. Depending on the RTO office, you can continue with the learner's test directly or they would schedule you for another time. If you're applying online, scan the the documents, along with your picture and signature, then proceed with scheduling your learner's license test. Pay the required fees and reach the RTO office on the designated schedule. 3. Finally, on the scheduled learner's test, make sure you have prepared well. Answer six out of the ten questions and your learner's license would be given to you on the spot or after a few days. If ever you fail, you have another chance to take the test, a week after. Once you're done with these requirements and steps, you can proceed with applying for the permanent driving license. You need to wait at least 31 days though to apply for the permanent driving license, provided you passed the learner's test and acquired your learner's license. Keep in mind that the learner's license is only valid for 180 days from the date it was issued. You cannot apply for the permanent driving license beyond these days. Further, the learner's license requires one to be in the company of a licensed driver when driving. Permanent Driving License + Documents & How to Apply If 31 days have passed, you can then apply for the permanent driving license. With this kind of license, you can now take on the roads of India by yourself. To be eligible for a permanent driving license, you must fulfil the following criteria. Eligibility for Driving License 1. The applicant must have passed the learner's test and have obtained his or her learner's license. The applicant must apply for the permanent driving license no less than 31 days after the issue of the learner's license. 2. The applicant must have good knowledge of road signs, road etiquette and road rules prior to application. He or she must know how to drive the vehicle under which the license he or she is applying for. 3. The applicant must not be younger than 18 years of age, except for those applying for a license for a motor vehicle without gear, who also needs consent from their parents prior to application. Documents Required for Driving License 1. Application Form for Driving License (Download the form from this link) 2. Three Copies of Recent Passport-Sized Photograph of the Applicant 3. Proof of Residence in India (Any one of the following) Proof of Residence (With Notarisation Required)Proof of Residence (Without Notarisation Required)Water BillVoter CardElectricity BillPassport (Indian Address Only)Telephone BillLife Insurance PolicyPay Slip Issued by Private SectorPay Slip Issued by Local GovernmentProperty TaxPost Office or Bank Book with Residential AddressMarriage CertificateRation CardIncome Tax ReturnsResidence Certificate Issued by District Administrator4. Proof of Age (Any one of the following) Valid Proof of Age DocumentsBirth CertificatePassportPAN CardCGHS CardCertificate Issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner Verifying the Age of the Applicant5. Learner's License (Along with Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3 attached) 6. Vehicle Documents (Insurance, RC Book and Emission Certificate) 7. Proof of Nationality (In some cases) Valid Proof of Nationality DocumentsBirth CertificatePassportHow to Apply for Driving License 1. You can choose to apply personally, online or by a driving school, with the latter being the most convenient. If you choose to apply personally, just reach the RTO office that falls under the jurisdiction of your residence. Obtain the required forms and fill them out completely, submit your documents and schedule your driving license test. Pay the required fees (Rs. 250) and wait for your schedule. 2. If you're applying online, reach the Government of India, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways website, click Continue and fill in the application form. Once done, upload the required documents and choose the driving license test schedule that is applicable to you. Pay the required fees and take a printout of the confirmation page. 3. Reach the RTO office on the scheduled date, make sure you arrive on time. You would be taking the driving test on the track, where you would be evaluated by an RTO officer on the spot. Once you passed, the driving license would be given to you on the spot, or in some cases, couriered to the respective applicant. *Note - Make sure that you bring at least two notarised photocopies of all the documents you have. Conclusion These are the requirements you need for obtaining an Indian driving license. You begin with the learner's license, which has the Form 1, Form 2, Form 3, Passport Sized Photographs, Proof of Residence and Proof of Age. Once done, you can apply for the driving license, but make sure you obtain the Form 4, Passport Sized Photographs, Proof of Residence, Proof of Age, Vehicle Documents, Proof of Nationality and of course, the Learner's License along with the Previous Forms. I hope this helps you!
