Driving Licence: Latest rules in India, how to apply

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 07, May 2022, 10:23 am IST | UPDATED: 07, May 2022, 10:23 am IST

A driving License is one of the mandatory requirements for a citizen to be able to drive in India. However, to obtain a driver's license, there are certain procedures a person has to go through to be able to drive in India legally. These procedures might involve getting the registration at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) for the license and many more steps following it. To help you understand things better, here are the rules and regulations you must know to get a valid driver's license in India.

An applicant does not need to visit RTO. As per the rules, the private driving centres are operated by the central government or under the state transport authority. These centres will have a valid license for five years and then have to get their license renewed.

As per the rules of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, a person does not need to stand in long queues in RTO to get through the driving test at RTOs. Instead, they can take the test at any government-accredited driving centre to be exempted from the driving test at the RTO.

MC 50CC - Motorcycles with 50 CC or less engine capacity

MC EX50CC - LMVs with gear and capacity of 50CC or more (cars, motorcycles)

MCWOG/FVG - Motorcycles with any engine capacity but without gears

M/CYCL.WG - All motorcycles with/without gear

LMV-NT Light motor vehicles (LMVs) for non-transport purposes

HMV - Heavy Motor Vehicles

HGMV - Heavy Goods Motor Vehicle

HPMV/HTV - Heavy passenger motor vehicle/Heavy transport vehicle

MGV - Medium goods vehicle

LMV - LMV – motorcars, delivery vans, jeeps, and taxis.

Trailer - Heavy trailer license

It is to be noted that, other than these are international driving licenses as well.

Proof of age – An educational certificate, birth certificate, pa card, passport, or employer certificate may be submitted.

Address Proof – Aadhar card, rent agreement, Ration card, passport, utility bill, or Life Insurance policy certificate may be submitted.

A passport-sized photograph

4 Application Form

Forms 1 and 1A are used as medical certificates.

You can apply for a driving license by visiting the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' website. Moving ahead, you will be asked to choose the state you live in and the type of driver's license you want to apply for. Once you are done, you can fill out the application form with all the requirements and click on the submit button to complete the process. Once your application has gone through the official process and your license is ready, you will receive it via mail. It is to be noted that first, you will get a learner's license which can later be upgraded to a permanent license within six months of issuing.