The new driving licence regulations from the MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) are intended to simplify the procedure, lower administrative barriers, and encourage more skilled drivers on Indian roads.
In India, obtaining a driver’s licence has traditionally been a laborious and time-consuming procedure that requires extensive documentation and numerous visits to government agencies. Unfortunately, this complicated structure has made corruption and needless delays easier to obtain, which has negatively impacted road safety nationwide.
The driving licence regulations, however, underwent a considerable overhaul recently, as revealed by the MoRTH. These modifications came into effect on June 1, 2024. These new regulations aim to streamline and simplify the licence application procedure, making it more user-friendly and accessible to the general public.
Most recent amended rules of MoRTH effective June 1, 2024 onwards:
- Driving tests at private schools: The Regional Transport Office (RTO) no longer requires a driving test, which is one of the significant modifications to the driving test process. Alternatively, candidates can now choose to take the driving exam at private driving schools that have received accreditation. Without the requirement for additional testing at the RTO, a certificate that demonstrates successful completion of the exam at these approved institutions can be used to apply for a licence. Selected private driving schools will receive certifications from the government, allowing them to administer these driving exams. Nonetheless, applicants will still need to take the test at an RTO if they do not have a diploma from an authorised institution.
2. Greater penalties: Under the new rules, driving without a valid licence now attracts fines of up to ₹2,000. When a minor is caught driving, the penalties are more severe, including a ₹25,000 fine, potential legal action against the parents, and revoking the vehicle’s registration certificate.
3. Eco-friendly activities: The Ministry is implementing eco-friendly measures to lessen vehicle pollution and encourage the use of electric vehicles (EVs). As part of a larger initiative to address environmental issues, this involves increasing emission requirements for other cars and gradually replacing 9,000 antiquated government vehicles.
4. Simplified application process: The documentation needed to apply for a driver’s licence has been made simpler, but the process is still substantially the same.
Updated Fee Structure:
Effective June 1, 2024, the Ministry also published an updated fee structure for several licencing categories. The following are the new fees:
- Learner’s licence: A ₹200
- Renewal of the learner’s licence: ₹200
- International licence: ₹1,000
- Permanent licence: ₹200
- Renewal of a permanent licence: ₹200
- Issue of renewed driver’s licence: ₹200.
Method to apply online for a licence:
Implementing an online platform has also improved the convenience of the driving licence application procedure. Here’s how to submit an online licencing application.
- Visit https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/ website
- Then, select your state using the given options.
- Then, from the “Driving Licence” option, choose “New Driving Licence.”
- To continue, enter your “Date of Birth” and “Learning Licence Number.”
- Complete the online application form.
- To continue, click the following button.
- Finally, bring the original paperwork and the fee slip to the RTO on the designated day.
