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New Driving Licence Rules Applicable in India

The new driving licence rules laid by the Union Ministry of Road Transport are good news for all new applicants. Under these new guidelines, you can get a driving licence without appearing for any driving test at the Regional Transport Office (RTO). 

However, you have to get training and pass a test from a government accredited driving training centre. These new rules are effective from July 2021 with a new fees structure, variations, and details.

What Are the New Driving Licence Rules in India?

The driving licence new rules focus on improving the driving training process and making driving training tests more precise. The nitty-gritty of this training will give industry-specific specialised training to be ethical, courteous, and well-skilled to avoid road accidents.

Now getting a licence won't depend on undergoing and passing the test at RTO rather on passing the driving test at the institute after thorough and systematic training.

After every five years, the institute has to renew its accreditation. To strengthen the training process, the driving institute will get affiliation or accreditation after scrutinising the following points by the government transport authority -

  • Minimum space should be one acre of land for two and three-wheeler training centres. For heavy vehicle training, space should have two-acres of land. 
  • Should have a stimulator and test track.
  • The trainer should have passed higher secondary and have at least five years of driving experience.
  • The centre should be equipped with information technology and a biometric system.
  • Should conduct high-quality driving track tests according to the curriculum prescribed by the transport authority.
  • Training for light vehicles will be of 29 hours and must be completed within four weeks of starting. It will be subdivided into the theory and practical curriculum. 8 hours for theory and 21 hours for practical driving learning.
  • For medium and heavy motor vehicles, the training duration will be 38 hours and must be completed within 6 weeks of starting. 8 hours for theory and 31 hours for practical classes.

What Are the Different Types of Driving Licences as Per the New Rule?

 

You can get a driving licence based on the type of vehicle you will drive. According to new driving licence rules, there are the following types as given in the table.

Type of Use Licence Class Type of Vehicle
Personal and permanent driving licence MC 50CC Motorcycles with 50 cc or less engine capacity
Personal and permanent driving licence MC EX50CC LMVs with gear and capacity of 50CC or more. E.g. Car, motorcycle.
Personal and permanent driving licence MCWOG/FVG Motorcycles with any engine capacity, however, without any gears. E.g. mopeds & scooters.
Personal and permanent driving licence M/CYCL.WG All motorcycles with and without gear
Personal and permanent driving licence LMV-NT Light motor vehicles (LMVs) for non-transport purposes
Commercial Driving licence HMV Heavy Motor Vehicles
Commercial Driving licence HGMV Heavy Goods Motor Vehicle
Commercial Driving licence HPMV/HTV Heavy passenger motor vehicle/Heavy transport vehicle
Commercial Driving licence MGV Medium goods vehicle
Commercial Driving licence LMV LMV - motorcars, delivery vans, jeeps, and taxis.
Commercial Driving licence Trailer Heavy trailer licence
These 2 are the most common types. Apart from these, there is an international driving licence for driving a vehicle in other countries.

What Are the New Rules to Apply for a Driving Licence?

The RTO new rule for driving licence application is very simple to apply through the online process:

  1. Visit the portal of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
  2. Select the state where you reside and the type of driving licence you want to apply for.
  3. Fill in the application form, upload all required documents, and pay the fees.
  4. Verify your payment status and click on “Submit”.

You will receive the driving licence at your residence through the post.

For offline application, you have to visit the nearby RTO office and collect the form. Submit the filled up forms, documents and fees.

What Are the Documents Required as per New RTO Rules for DL?

Documents to submit with an application under new licence rules are as follows -

  • Age Proof – May submit an educational certificate, birth certificate, passport, pan card, or employer certificate
  • Address Proof – May submit ration card, passport, aadhar card, rent agreement, utility bill, or Life Insurance policy certificate
  • Passport-size photo
  • Application Form no. 4
  • Form no. 1 and 1A as a medical certificate

Fee Structure as per the New Rules for Driving Licences

 
The fees structure as per the new rules for driving licences is as follows.

Type of Driving licence Fees (in ₹)
Learner’s licence 200
Learner licence renewal 200
International licence 1000
Permanent licence 200
Permanent licence renewal 200
Issue & renewal of licence for driving schools 10,000
Issue of renewed driver’s licence 200
Issue of duplicate licence for driving school 5,000

The new driving licence rules are implemented to address the issues responsible for the rising number of road accidents. The government is endeavouring to streamline and introduce precise and effective methods of driving training. India has a lack of skilled drivers. This new rule aims to solve this problem as well. Not just the driving test in front of the RTO , but rather each day at training will ensure better performance of the trainee to become an expert driver.


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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for two driving licences under the new rules?

As per the new rules about driving licence, you cannot have more than one driving licence. Having more than one licence is an offence.

From when are the new rules about driving licence applicable?

New rules about driving licence are applicable from July 2021.

Can a minor apply for a driving licence?

Yes, a minor can apply for a driving licence. However, they will have to fill up section D of the application form.