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Driving Licence Renewal – Renew Your Licence to Continue Driving on Road

Driving licence in India permits you to drive a two, three or four wheeler vehicle for which you hold the licence. As per the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, having a valid driving licence to drive vehicles on the road is mandatory. If your driving licence is about to expire, it is advisable to renew it. Every driving licence has an expiry date, and every driver should note it. It is also necessary to do timely renewal of car insurance and two wheeler insurance policy. Driving with an expired motor insurance policy can lead to hefty fines.

Why Should you Renew your Driving Licence?

As per Section 177 of the Vehicles Act, driving a vehicle on Indian roads without a valid licence is not permissible. If you are caught driving on road without a driving licence, you will be liable to pay a hefty fine. If you want to renew your driving licence without paying any additional charges as penalty, then you should do that within 30 days after its expiry. However, if you fail to apply for renewal within a month, the fees of the process will increase by Rs. 1,000. If you apply for renewal after 5 years, be ready to retake a driving test to obtain a new licence..

Documents Required to Apply for Renewal of Driving Licence

You will need to submit the following documents for both online and offline methods of renewing a driving licence:

Form 2 as the application of DL renewal. You can get this form online or from your local RTO.
Your expired DL
Age proof
Address proof
Form 1 for physical fitness self-declaration (only for non-transport vehicles)
Form 1A or medical fitness declaration (only for transport vehicle drivers and aged drivers)
Passport-size photograph of the applicant

Fees for Renewal of Driving Licence

The Driving Licence renewal charges depend on how long you take to apply for it. You will have to pay more for the driving licence renewal if you don’t complete the renewal process within the grace period.

Services	Charges
Renewal fees within 30 days of DL expiration	Rs. 200
Renewal fees after 30 days of DL expiration	Rs. 1,000 (as a penalty) + applicable charges
Getting the address changed on DL	Rs. 200 + applicable charges
Getting a smart card	Rs. 200 + applicable charges

Validity of Renewed Driving Licence

A Driving Licence comes with a validity period of 20 years, or until the holder touches the age of 50 years. Based on what comes first, a DL holder can apply for renewal at the earliest. However, after completing 50 years of age, a person must renew their driving licence every 3-5 years. In addition, licence holders above 50 years of age will have to provide a medical certificate and go through a driving test.

Where Do I File an Application to Renew My Driving Licence?

You can apply for renewal of the driving licence either by the online or offline procedure. For the online procedure, you need to visit the Parivahan website - https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/ . While renewing a driving licence by offline procedure, you will have to visit your local Regional Transport Office (RTO).

How to Renew Driving Licence Through an Online Procedure

Here are the steps you need to follow for driving licence renewal online:

Step 1: Visit the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways website - https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/ and click on the “Online Services” tab.
Step 2: Select “Driving Licence Related Services” from the drop-down menu.
Step 3: Choose the state where your driving licence renewal will take place.
Step 4: Once redirected to a new page, click “Apply for driving licence renewal” from the listed driving licence-related services.
Step 5: Read the instructions about the driving licence renewal application submitted online on the new screen.
Step 6: Enter all the required details.
Step 7: Upload all the required documents, digital signatures and your passport-size photograph.
Step 8: Finish the payment procedure through a preferred gateway.

After completing these steps you will get an application ID. The details of your application will be sent to registered mobile number via SMS.

How to Renew Driving Licence Through an Offline Procedure

Here are the steps to follow to renew your Driving Licence offline.
• Step 1: Visit the local Regional Transport Office (RTO).
• Step 2: Fill out the driving licence renewal application form and submit it along with other documents.
• Step 3: Provide a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the previous RTO in case you apply for DL renewal in another state.
• Step 4: Give a passport-size photograph and provide essential details related to your Driving Licence.
• Step 5: Pay the standard fee for the procedure.
• Step 6: If required, schedule a time for a medical and driving test. duplicate driving licence status online.
• Step 7: Take your test and submit a medical certificate to obtain your DL (applicable only for transport vehicle drivers and drivers who have completed 50 years of age).

Steps to Check the Renewal Status of Driving Licence

You must follow these steps online to check your driving licence renewal status.

Step 1: the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways website - https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/

Step 2: Click on online services from the drop-down menu and then select your state.

Step 3: Click on the “Application Status” button available on the top-right of the screen.

Step 4: Enter your “Application Number” and “Date of Birth”.

Step 5: Fill in the Captcha code mentioned on your screen and click “Submit”.

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Frequently Asked Questions on Driving License Renewal

1. When should I renew my driving licence?

In all states and UTs of India, the driving licence is valid for as many as 20 years or until the holder becomes 50 years old (whatever comes first). You can easily get your licence renewed up to one yearbefore its expiry. If you apply for the renewal of your driving licence in Maharashtra after 5 years from the date of its expiry, you need to undertake a driving re-test and obtain a new licence. If you apply after 30 days from the date of DL's expiry, pay an additional charge of ₹30.

2. How to track driving licence renewal process?

Visit https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/ . Select “Online Services” tab or click on the button. Click on the “Driving Licence Related Services” tab. Select the state you live in from the drop-down menu and then click on the application status tab.

3. Can I make changes to my driving licence when I renew?

Yes, you can make changes to your driving licence at the time of the renewal. You will be required to provide some extra details on the designated form for this purpose.

4. Is it compulsory to undergo a test when I renew my licence?

No, it is not compulsory to undergo a driving test to renew your driving licence. However, if you apply for the renewal at the age of 50+ or you have some medical conditions, you might be required to appear for a test.

5. What is the validity of the driving licence before it is due for renewal?

The validity for a driving licence of a light motor vehicle is twenty years. However, the validity for a transport licence is 5 years, while for a learner’s permit and driving licence for carrying dangerous chemicals is 6 months and three years, respectively.

6. Where do I file an application to Renew my DL?

If the validity of your driving license has expired, you can renew it at your Regional Transport Office (RTO) or at an Additional Regional Transport Office (Additional RTO). You can also renew online by visiting the official website of Parivahan Sewa.

7. How can I get my address updated on a driving licence?

Visit parivahan official website https://parivahan.gov.in/ and select the menu to online services popup menu, and select driving licence-related services. Now open a new page and select state. After selecting the state, click on apply for change address in the main menu.

8. Can I get a refund of my fees if the RTO rejects the renewal of my driving licence?

No, the renewal fee is an application fee that the RTO charges for processing the renewal application for your driving licence. If your driving licence gets rejected, you will not be eligible for a refund of the application fee.

9. Is the process for private driving licence renewal same as the renewal process for commercial DL?

Yes, the overall application process for the renewal of a driving licence is the same for both commercial and non-commercial driving licence. However, the RTO might require a few additional details and documents in the case of the commercial licence.

10. How long can I use my learner’s licence?

The validity of learner’s licence is just six months.

11. My licence expired 2 years back, do I need to get a fresh one or can I still renew it?

You can renew an expired driving licence within 30 days post expiration, without any fine. If your driving licence has expired more than 30 days ago, you can still renew the same by paying a fine calculated from the 31st day after the licence expiration. If you apply for renewing your driving licence in Maharashtra after 5 years from its expiry, you must undertake a driving re-test and obtain a new licence.