Travel is essential, irrespective of what the need of it is. People love to travel, and there ideally isn’t a limit on how much one should travel. However, when it comes to roadways, there is a certain document that allows you to take a vehicle out. Such a document is a driver’s licence.

A licence allows the driver to go from one point to another without it being a hassle. Quite often, a licence could actually save the driver when the driver is being pulled aside by the traffic police for nothing other than just a routine licence check.

The Motor vehicle act of 1988 states that no individual will be allowed to drive a motor vehicle in a public area without a valid driving licence. Driving a vehicle without a driver’s licence is a punishable offence.

If you own a vehicle and have been putting your visit to the Regional Transport Office or RTO aside for far too long now, here is how you can go about it easily.

How can you apply for a driving license online?

The process to apply for a driving licence has eased out over the years. All you would have to do is visit the Sarathi website – the official website of the ministry of Road and Transport and Highways and follow the steps as mentioned herewith:

  1. Visit the Sarathi website
  2. On the left hand side of the website, you will see options under “Driving licence”
  3. Choose “Apply online” option and from the drop down menu, choose the option, “New driving licence”
  4. You will now see instructions for how to go about submitting your driving licence application form. You are requested to read the instructions carefully and click on the “Continue” button to proceed.
  5. Once you have clicked on the “Continue” button, you will be asked if you are already holding a learner’s licence, a foreign DL, or a Defence licence. You are expected to click on the option applicable to you and move on.
  6. Based on the selection you made in point 5, you will be asked for the learner’s licence number/foreign DL number, defence licence number.
  7. You will also be asked to enter your correct date of birth in the DDMMYYYY format.
  8. Once you have filled in the application, you can click on “OK”
  9. In this form, you will be asked to fill up your personal details like your name, address, age, etc.
  10. Once you have filled in all the details, you can go ahead and upload all the required supporting documents like address proof, age proof, and identity proof
  11. You may also be asked to upload a passport size photograph and your signature. You are to keep the scanned copies of these ready.
  12. Once you have uploaded all the documents, you will be asked to choose the timing for your DL appointment, as per your convenience. You are to select the date and the time and then you will be able to directly go for the RTO and appear for your DL test.
  13. On completing the form, you will have to submit the form online by clicking on the submit button at the end of the form.
  14. Once you make the payment to submit the driving licence application form, your application will be successfully transferred to the Regional Transport Office or the RTO.
  15. On the day of your appointment, you are expected to reach a few minutes earlier to go ahead and give your test.

What documents are needed to apply for a driver’s licence?

The following is a list of documents needed to apply for a driver’s licence, along with form 9 – if you are opting for offline application

  • Age Proof (any one of the below-given documents)
    • Birth Certificate
    • PAN Card
    • Passport
    • 10th Class mark sheet
    • Transfer certificate from any school for any class with date of birth printed on it.
  • Proof of Address required for DL:
    • Permanent Proof of address (any one from the following):
      • Passport
      • Aadhaar Card
      • Self-owned house agreement
      • Electricity bill (issued in applicants name)
      • LIC bond
      • Voters ID Card
      • Ration card
    • Current Proof of address (any one from the following):
      • Rental agreement and electricity bill
      • Rental agreement and LPG bill
  • Other Requirements for Driving Licence:
    • Duly filled application form (to get the application form for driving licence, visit the nearest RTO or download it from the online portal for your state)
    • 6 passport sized photographs (when applying for Learners Licence)
    • 1 passport-sized photograph (when applying for driving licence)
    • Application Fees
    • If you are staying in other cities, as current address proof, you can present the rental agreement with one recent utility bill copy which can be a gas bill or an electric bill.
    • Medical Certificate – Form 1 A and 1 which is to be issued by a certified Government doctor
    • For all applicants over the age of 40 years, a Medical certificate is mandatory.

As you may have noticed, application for driver’s licence mandates you to have a learner’s licence on you.

Here is how you can go about applying for a learner’s licence to begin with.

  1. Visit the Sarathi website
  2. On the homepage, click on the ‘online slot booking’ option under the Sarathi Services column
  3. Click on the option that reads, “LL slot booking” on the tab that opens and then select, “LL test for online applications”
  4. Enter the webpage that loads up and enter the web application number and the applicant’s date of birth in the DDMMYYYY format
  5. A calendar with available slots will open up in a new tab. Select the date and check for availability before confirming your appointment
  6. Click on ‘confirm’ when you have selected on a date, and on the selection of the option, you will get an acknowledgment displayed on the screen.
  7. The applicant is to be present for the test at the test center on the appointed date with original documents and the acknowledgment received.

Fees applicable for DL and LL

Type of licenceFee (in rupees)Revised fee – Since Jan 2018
Learner’s licenceRs. 30-Rs. 75 per licenceRs. 150.00
Driving licenceRs 40.00Rs. 200.00
Driving licence for commercial vehicleRs. 250.00Rs. 600.00
International driving licence feeRs. 500.00Rs. 1000.00
DL renewal feeRs. 50.00Rs. 200.00
LL renewal feeRs. 40.00Rs. 200.00

What is the difference between Learner’s licence (LL) and driver’s licence (DL)?

The learner’s licence, as the name suggests, is a licence issued to learn driving and hence comes with a validity of six months. It is given to those who wish to learn how to drive or ride a vehicle.

In order to obtain a Driver’s licence, an individual would have to go through an exam – written and practical and only after a month of the issuance of the initial learner’s licence. One can get a driver’s licence only after applying for a learner’s licence.