Renu Suresh
Expert
Published on: Mar 28, 2026
Driving License
A driving license is an official document issued by the Government for permitting individuals to operate or drive a motorised vehicle on public roads, without any supervision. In India, the driving license is issued by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 states that no individual without a valid Driving license is authorised to drive motor vehicles in public places. In this article, we will look at the procedure to obtain the Driving license in detail.Driving Test at a Glance
An individual who wants to drive the motor vehicle in India roads has to get his/her learner's license first. Learner’s license will act as a provisional license; it is issued for learning. After practising the driving, the person has to apply for driving license and appear for a test in front of a Regional Transport Office (RTO) authority, which upon proper examination, will declare whether he/she has passed the exam or not. Upon passing the test, the Driving license will be issued. Know more about Duplicate Learner’s LicenseTypes of Driving License in India
Driving License in India is issued based on the class of motor vehicle. Some of the most common class of vehicle is given here:- Motorcycles with engine capacity of 50 cc
- Motorcycles with gear, motorcycles with the capacity of 50 ccs or more
- Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) including car
- All Motorcycle types including the motorcycle with gear
- Motorcycles with no gears - including scooters and mopeds
- Light Motor Vehicle for non-transport purposes
- Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) intended for commercial purposes
- Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicle (HPMV) also referred to as All India driving permit for trucks and cars or open license
- Heavy Goods Motor Vehicle
- Candidates holding the heavy vehicle driving license can apply for heavy trailer license
Eligibility for Driving licence in India
The eligibility for a driving license depends on the class of vehicle. The eligibility criteria to obtain the Driving license types in India are described here:- To get the driving license, the applicant must be fluent with traffic rules and regulations. The applicant should have valid address proof and age proof documents.
- The candidate must 18 years old to get a driving license for motorcycles with gear
- The driving license for heavy commercial vehicles and transport vehicles, the applicant must have finished 8th standard of schooling and applicant must be at least 18 years old
- To obtain a driving license for motorcycles without gear up to 50 cc capacity, the candidate must be aged at least 16 years.
Documents Required
The following documents are required to get a Driving license in India:- Proof of Address: Aadhaar Card, Passport, Ration Card or House agreement
- Proof of Age: Pan card, Birth Certificate, Transfer certificate or 10th Class mark sheet
- Application Fees for Learner's License
- Passport size photographs
- Medical Certificate - Form 1 which is to be signed by a certified Government doctor
- Application form
Driving License Application Procedure
The application procedure for the Driving license in India is explained in detail below:Access Sarathi Parivahan Portal
Step 1: Access the home page of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (Parivahan web portal). Click on Apply Online in Sarathi Parivahan home page:
Image 1 Driving License
Step 2: Select state and transaction as issue New Driving License and then click on the continue button.
Image 2 Driving License
Note: In the next page instructions will be there regarding the flows in submitting driving license, read the instructions and click on Continue option.
Step 3: In the next page enter the valid learner license number and enter the date of birth (DOB) and click on ‘OK’ button.
Image 4 Driving License
Step 4: In the application page, check all the personal details, Address details and Driving school details and click on Submit option. A message box will be appeared asking whether you want to submit the data after clicking ‘ok’ your application will be submitted.
Image 5 Driving License
Step 5: The Acknowledgement will appear on the screen with the web application number for further reference, click on ‘Print’ to get the hard copy of acknowledgement. ‘By clicking on next option, you can proceed with the application.
