The driving licence online apply process in India has two stages: first a learner licence, then, after at least thirty days of practice, an application for the full driving licence and a driving test. Ours is a privately run help site; the government Parivahan portal is a different website, and you submit forms, pay fees and reserve test dates on Sarathi itself, and the test takes place at your RTO or an accredited centre.
Below is the whole route with the forms, documents, classes of vehicle and the fees set by CMVR Rule 32 (the central rules of 1989), as of October 2026. Fees, forms and portal steps can shift, and the status strip shown before this introduction carries every change we have verified.
Driving licence online apply: the full route
For anyone asking how to apply for driving license papers for the first time, or how to apply driving licence online after a learner licence, a new driver follows the same order. On sarathi parivahan gov in online services are grouped by state, so the state you pick affects the fees and some of the steps you see. The steps below draw on the descriptions by the National Portal of India and the Uttarakhand transport department:
- Apply for a learner licence on Sarathi: select the state, fill in the form, verify your mobile by OTP, complete the self-declaration in Form 1, upload documents, pay the fee and book a test slot.
- Pass the learner test. Where your state offers it, the test is taken online with Aadhaar authentication and face recognition; otherwise it is held at the RTO. Download the learner licence once you pass.
- Practise for at least 30 days. CMVR Rule 15 requires a gap of thirty days between getting the learner licence and sitting the driving test. With a six-month life on the learner licence, plan the test inside that window.
- Apply for the driving licence on Sarathi under "Apply for Driving License", upload the learner licence and other documents, and pay the fee.
- Reserve a test date and drive in front of the examiner on a vehicle of the class you applied for.
- RTO processing and approval, after which the smart card is produced. Track it on DL status.
The learner stage is explained in depth on our learning licence page, and you can prepare with the mock test.
Who can apply: age limits and conditions
Section 4 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 decides when you can start:
| Age reached | What you may hold a licence for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Two-wheelers of 50cc or less | Under 18, a guardian signs consent for the learner stage (Section 7(2)) |
| 18 | Private cars, geared bikes and other non-transport vehicles | Learner licence first, then the driving test |
| 20 | Transport (commercial) vehicles | A doctor's certificate goes with the learner application (Section 8(3)) |
For commercial classes, Section 7(1) as printed bars a transport learner licence until you have had an LMV licence for one year or more. Whether later rules eased this is unclear, so ask the RTO first if you are aiming for a commercial licence.
The old minimum education rule for transport licences, a pass in the 8th standard under CMVR Rule 8, was removed by an amendment notified on 23 September 2019.
Classes of vehicle and what LMV means
A licence is granted for one or more classes of vehicle, and you take a test for each class. You can add a class later for a fee. The main groups are:
- Motorcycle up to 50cc: open from age 16.
- Motorcycle without gear: scooters and similar two-wheelers.
- Motorcycle with gear: geared two-wheelers (the names on Sarathi may differ).
- LMV (light motor vehicle): cars and other light vehicles. LMV is the full form people search for in the licence context.
- Transport vehicles: commercial passenger and goods vehicles, including medium and heavy vehicles.
On 6 November 2024 a Supreme Court Constitution Bench held that a person with a light motor vehicle licence can drive a transport vehicle whose unladen weight is under 7,500 kg. The exact class names and codes shown on Sarathi may differ by state, so choose from the list the portal gives you.
Forms you will meet: Form 1, Form 1A, Form 2, Form 4 and more
On Sarathi most forms are filled in on screen, but some numbers appear in the steps, such as "Self Declaration Form 1" and "Print Learners License (Form3)":
| Number | Purpose | Prepared by |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 | Your own statement that you are fit to drive | You |
| Form 1A | Doctor's fitness certificate, needed for transport classes and for renewal once you are 40 | A registered doctor |
| Form 2 | Learner licence application | You |
| Form 3 | The learner licence document | The licensing authority |
| Form 4 | Driving licence application under CMVR Rule 14 | You |
| Form 7 | Smart card licence | The licensing authority |
Form 4 is identified from a secondary legal source; the Sarathi screens may not show the number. For renewal (Form 9) see driving licence renewal.
Documents to keep ready
The learner licence form (Form 2) lists the main items, and the driving licence application adds the learner licence itself:
- Age proof and address proof
- Recent photographs and signature (uploaded on Sarathi)
- Form 1 self-declaration, and Form 1A medical certificate where required
- Written consent from a parent or guardian when an applicant below 18 seeks a learner licence for a gearless motorcycle
- Your valid learner licence, for the driving licence stage
- Aadhaar, if you use the Aadhaar-based route; without it, an Aadhaar Enrolment ID slip works for the contactless learner licence service
In the Himachal pilot of faceless learner licences, an address different from the one on Aadhaar required an office visit. Other states may have similar checks, so ask your RTO if you now live somewhere other than your Aadhaar address.
DL test slot booking on Sarathi
After the driving licence application and fee, you book a test date. Third-party guides describe the option as "Slot Booking DL Test" under the Appointment menu, and Uttarakhand's transport department names "Slot Booking" as one of the main groups. Menu names may be updated, so pick the closest match.
- Go to Sarathi and choose the state of your RTO.
- Choose the slot booking option for the driving test.
- Type in your application number, birth date and the verification code.
- Enter the OTP sent to your mobile.
- Pick an available date, confirm, and keep a record of the booking.
Available dates depend on your RTO. Book early within the six-month life of your learner licence so that a failed attempt still leaves time to retest.
The driving test and the ADTC exemption
The licensing authority conducts a test of competence on a vehicle of the type you applied for. Ask your RTO what to bring on the day. If you fail, Rule 32 sets a repeat test fee, and you book a new date.
The rules provide one exemption from the RTO test. MoRTH notified rules for Accredited Driver Training Centres (ADTC) on 11 June 2021, effective 1 July 2021. Candidates who pass the test at an accredited centre are exempted from the driving test at the RTO when applying for the licence, and Section 12(5) of the Act makes them eligible for a licence for that type of vehicle.
| ADTC course | Length | Completion within |
|---|---|---|
| Light motor vehicles | 29 hours | 4 weeks |
| Medium and heavy motor vehicles | 38 hours | 6 weeks |
Check that the school is accredited under these rules, because the exemption described here is tied to accredited centres.
Driving licence fees set by Rule 32
The amounts below are the central Rule 32 fees, taken from fee tables that state transport departments publish. The learner licence, learner test and driving test charges are taken in one payment when you apply.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Learner licence, for each vehicle class | Rs 150 |
| Learner test, first attempt or retest | Rs 50 |
| Driving test (test of competence), each class, first attempt or retest | Rs 300 |
| Grant of the driving licence | Rs 200 |
| Smart card licence in Form 7, extra | Rs 200 |
| Addition of another class of vehicle | Rs 500 |
| Licence on surrender of a military or foreign licence | Rs 200 |
| International Driving Permit | Rs 1,000 |
Important: on top of these, each state levies its own service and card charges. The final figure for a two-wheeler and a four-wheeler together, or for a single class, therefore differs between states. Go by the figure on your state's Sarathi payment screen.
How long it takes
No official source we checked gives a fixed number of days for the whole process. What the rules do fix is the minimum and the window:
- In states with an online learner test, the learner licence can be in hand on the day you pass.
- The earliest driving test date is 30 days after the learner licence is issued.
- It stays valid for six months, so the test should happen within that period.
- After the test, the time for RTO approval and the smart card depends on the state and office. Keep a digital copy meanwhile; see driving licence download.
One thing that can hold up an application: under the January 2026 rewrite of Rule 167, a challan that is neither paid nor contested can stop a DL application from going ahead, with each state applying this in its own way (as of October 2026). Search your vehicle and licence on the e-Challan portal ahead of applying; our e-challan page explains what to do if something shows up.
Avoid agents and fake application sites
You can do every online step above yourself on Sarathi for the official fee. Apart from the accredited centre route, the rules give no way to a new licence "without test", and no one can promise a sure pass, and look-alike websites charge extra for filling the same form. Use only a .gov.in address, keep payments away from personal accounts, and keep OTPs to yourself. If an agent cheated you, complain on the cyber crime portal; the helpline is 1930. For an overview of all Sarathi services, see the Sarathi Parivahan guide.
Questions people ask
Can I apply for a driving licence online without a learner licence?
No. Sarathi's driving licence application asks you to show eligibility, which for a new driver means a valid learner licence. The other eligibility options are a foreign driving licence or a defence licence.
What is the driving licence fee for a 2 wheeler and 4 wheeler?
Under CMVR Rule 32, the learner licence costs Rs 150 per class and the driving test Rs 300 per class, with Rs 50 for the learner test, Rs 200 for issue of the licence and an additional Rs 200 for a smart card. Applying for both classes means paying the per-class items twice. The state's own charges come on top, so totals differ.
What is the minimum age for a driving licence?
Sixteen, but only for two-wheelers of 50cc or less, and a guardian must consent at the learner stage. Eighteen for other private vehicles such as cars and geared motorcycles, and twenty for transport vehicles.
Can I skip the RTO driving test?
The rules exempt candidates who pass the test at an ADTC (accredited driving school) from the RTO driving test, under the rules effective from 1 July 2021. Be wary of anyone else offering a new licence without a test.
What does LMV mean on a driving licence?
LMV stands for light motor vehicle, the class that covers cars and similar vehicles. A Supreme Court Constitution Bench held in November 2024 that an LMV licence holder can drive a transport vehicle with unladen weight under 7,500 kg.
How do I book a DL test slot?
On Sarathi, select your state and open the driving test slot booking option. Supply your application number and DOB plus the on-screen code, confirm with the OTP and choose a date. Wording on the portal can change, so use the nearest option.
Where do I find my driving licence application number?
Sarathi issues one on submission. Save it, since you need it for payment checks, slot booking and status tracking.
Sources we checked
- Sarathi portal (MoRTH) sarathi.parivahan.gov.in
- Uttarakhand Transport: Sarathi licence steps transport.uk.gov.in
- National Portal of India: driving licence services services.india.gov.in
- Rule 32 licence fees (Himachal Pradesh) himachal.gov.in
- Chhattisgarh Transport: Form 2 learner licence application cgtransport.gov.in
- Chhattisgarh Transport: Form 1A medical certificate cgtransport.gov.in
- The Tribune: rules for Accredited Driver Training Centres tribuneindia.com
- Supreme Court Observer: LMV licence and transport vehicles scobserver.in
We read these sources for this guide. Rules can change after we check them, so confirm anything important on the official portal or at your local office.