Procedure for obtaining driving license

As per Motor vehicle Act no person shall drive a motor vehicle in any public place unless he holds a valid driving license to drive the vehicle. Driving license has to be obtained from the R.T. office or Sub R.T office situated in the area where the person normally resides. A person can apply for driving license only after he has completed 18 years of age. Persons between the age of 16 and 18 years can apply for driving license for motor cycles below 50 cc with the consent of the father/guardian of the applicant. 

 A badge is required for driving a transport vehicle.  Transport vehicle is a public vehicle used for hire or reward. Private vehicles used for personal purposes are classified as non transport vehicles. If a person has completed 20 years of age and has more than one years experience in driving light motor vehicles he can apply for license to drive a transport vehicle. But in the case of autorickshah there is exemption for the one year experience and badge to drive autorickshahs are given along with the license to drive autorickshah.

First step to obtain a driving license is to obtain a learners license for the class of vehicle for which driving license is required. Application for learner’s license has to be submitted in form 1/form 1 A, form 2, form 3 and form 4.

 Form 1 is the self declaration of medical fitness of the applicant. For persons who are below 50 years of age and who apply for driving license for non-transport vehicles this form is enough. But for persons above 50 years or for persons who are applying for license to drive a transport vehicle, medical certificate in form 1 A is required which is to be obtained from a registered medical practitioner not below the rank of an assistant surgeon. 

Form 2 is the application for learner’s license which has to be filled by the applicant. Form 3 is the learner’s license some columns of which can be filled up by the applicant. Form 4 is the application form for driving license which has to be filled up by the applicant. In addition to the above an eye certificate obtained from an ophthalmologist also has to be submitted along with the application for learner’s license.

                In addition to the above every applicant for a learner’s license has to submit certificates to prove the address, age and nationality of the applicant. The fee required for applying for a driving license can be calculated from the details given below and the fee has to be remitted in the office where the application for license is filed.

Fee for learner’s license for one class : Rs 30.00

Fee for driving test for one class : Rs 50.00

Fee for driving license : Rs 200.00

Service charge : Rs 50.00

From the above it can be seen that the fee for applying for driving license for one class of non-transport vehicle is (Rs30.00 + Rs 50.00 + Rs 200.00 + Rs 50.00)  Rs 330.00.

Similarly the fee for applying for driving license for two classes of non-transport vehicle is (Rs60.00 + Rs 100.00 + Rs 200.00 + Rs 50.00)  Rs 410.00.

The application for learner’s license has to be submitted before the assistant licensing authority of the area where the applicant normally resides or where the driving school in which the applicant intents to study driving is situated. Computerized learner’s license tests are regularly conducted at the office of the assistant licensing authority on pre-fixed dates. The applicant can submit the application on one such date and undergo the learner’s test.            

In the learner’s test applicant’s knowledge in traffic signs, traffic signals, rules relating to the regulation of the traffic, driver’s responsibility when an accident occurs, precautions to be taken while crossing an unmanned railway crossing, documents to be kept in the vehicle etc. will be examined.

Successful candidates will be issued with a learner’s license which will be valid for 6 months. This license is not renewable after the expiry of the validity as per GSR 276 E dated 10-04-2007. After the expiry of the learner’s license the candidate has to undergo a test afresh after remitting a fee of Rs 30.00.

In the learner’s license the date on which the applicant has to undergo test for regular license will be indicated. If due to any reasons, the applicant could not attend for the driving test on the prescribed date, he can go for test on the fourth weak on the same day.  Similarly the date automatically fixed by the computer can be reset to a more suitable date with the permission of the assistant licensing authority.

On the date and the time mentioned in the learner’s license the applicant has to appear for driving test. The applicant has to submit the learner’s license before the assistant licensing authority. The applicant has to make sure that the application contains the receipt for the fee already remitted, application in form 4 and certificate in form 5 issued by a recognized driving school if the application is for a license to drive a transport vehicle.

The driving test consists of two parts. The first part is ground test and the second part is road test. The efficiency of the candidate in controlling the vehicle is tested in the first part. The candidate is required to drive his vehicle through an 8 track in the case of two wheelers and three wheelers. H track is used for   test in the case of four wheelers. In the second part driving skill of the applicant is tested. If the candidate passes in both the tests an acknowledgement receipt will be issued and the license will be sent to the applicant by registered post within a weak.

If the candidate fails in the test he can appear for another test on the fifteenth day after remitting a fee of Rs 50.00 per class of vehicle. This can be repeated for three times in a similar way if the candidate is not able to pass the test. But after three successive failures the applicant can appear for another test only after 60 days.