According to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, every vehicle owner must have a driving licence to drive on Indian roads. In Maharashtra, the state government may impose hefty penalties and take legal actions if one drives without a DL. So, if your driving licence has expired, you should renew it online at the earliest.

Want to know about the procedures for driving licence renewal online in Maharashtra? If yes, then keep reading.

The validity of a driving licence in Maharashtra is 20 years. This is applicable to individuals aged up to 40 years. After this age limit, the renewed DL remains valid for 10 years. 

In the case of commercial vehicles, the renewed driving licence is valid for 5 years.

In Maharashtra, the grace period for driving licence renewal is 30 days. Individuals should consider renewing their DL while it is still valid or during the grace period. 

After this time period, a penalty of ₹300 will be charged. In case of further delays, a fine of ₹1,000 will be applicable yearly from the date the grace period expires.

If you fail to renew your driving licence within 30 days from its expiry date, you need to pay a ₹300 penalty. For licence renewal delays of more than a year, a fine of ₹1,000 is chargeable annually. What’s more, if you do not renew your DL within the next 5 years, you need to apply for a new one.  

Now, if the authorities catch you driving without a valid driver's license, you must pay a penalty of ₹5,000 or face imprisonment of up to 3 months or both.

You can renew a driving license online in Maharashtra by following a few simple steps-

Step 1: Visit the official website of Parivahan Sewa. Select "Online Services" and choose "Driving Licence Related Services" from the drop-down list.

Step 2: Select "Maharashtra" as your state from the drop-down list.

Step 3: Select "Services On DL" from the drop-down list of "Driving Licence". Then, click on "Apply for DL Renewal". You will be redirected to an instruction page. Read it and click "Continue".

Step 4: Now, enter the following information:

• Driving licence number
• Date of birth
• Category of driving licence holder
• Select state and RTO

Step 5: Confirm the details and select renewal of driving licence. Generate an acknowledgement slip and take a printout of it. Keep it carefully as you need to submit it to your nearest RTO while applying for renewal of a driving licence in Maharashtra.

These are the steps to check the renewal status offline. 

Step 1: Download the relevant form from the forms section of the official website Maharashtra Transport Department. You can also procure it offline from your RTO. 

Step 2: Fill out the right form with all the details. Gather the required documents.

Step 3: Visit the nearest RTO office. Submit the forms and documents with the required fees. 

Step 4: Collect the receipt and wait for future response.

Submit the following documents required for the renewal of your driving licence in Maharashtra:

• Form 9 and Form 1
• Form 1-A duly signed by a registered medical practitioner if an applicant's age is above 40
• Your expired original driving licence
• Your recent passport-sized photographs
• Self-attested documents to authenticate your age and residential address (such as Aadhar card, PAN card, voter ID, etc.)

Applicable fees for the renewal of driving licence in Maharashtra

Check the status of your driving licence renewal online in Maharashtra by following the steps listed below:

Step 1: Visit the official website of Parivahan Sewa. Select "Online Services" and click on "Driving Licence Related Services".

Step 2: Select the state as "Maharashtra" from the drop-down list.

Step 3: Select "Application Status" and enter the following details:

• Application number
• Date of birth

Step 4: Enter the captcha code and submit it to view the status of your driving licence.

You need to keep in mind a few essential pointers before applying for a driving licence renewal online in Maharashtra. Here are some guidelines:

• If you apply for the renewal of your driving licence in Maharashtra after 5 years from the date of its expiry, you need to undertake a driving re-test and obtain a new licence.
• If you apply after 30 days from the date of DL's expiry, pay an additional charge of ₹30.

Thus, keep the above pointers in mind while applying for driving licence renewal online in Maharashtra. Also, submit the documents correctly to receive the renewed driving licence at the earliest.