As per the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, it is compulsory to hold a legitimate Driving License (DL). Driving without an original Driving License is a crime in India. It makes it essential to renew the Driving License before it gets expired.
A driving license is a formal document approved by the Indian Government as authorized evidence to allow you to operate your vehicle on public roads. It also implies that the license owner is well-acquainted with traffic laws and rules. A penalty of ₹5000 or/and imprisonment up to 3 months as a punishment can be forced under Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 on those driving without a valid drivers license. Once the license is expired, it is mandatory to renew it on time to drive your vehicle legally again on public roads.
For a Non-Transport Vehicle, a driving license gets renewed for five years, and for Transport Vehicles, it gets renewed for three years. One can get a renewed driving license on the same evening if the license is obtained in the same office. In other cases, it generally takes 20 days after the application has been submitted. The latter situation needs longer as it requires a process of verification and correspondence.
A renewal application is not considered more than one month before the license expiry date. If the renewal application is made within and not more than 30 days after the license expiry, the renewal will be performed with effect from its expiry date. If the renewal application is presented more than 30 days after the license expiration, the renewal will be executed with effect from the date of receipt of the application. In such cases, a fee of Rs. 30/- will be applied. If the renewal application is delayed for more than five years after the license expiry, the applicant must undergo all the conventionalities to receive a new license.
Driving License Renewal Form:
A Driving License Renewal Form is used as the Know Your Customer (KYC) document when applying for the update/renewal of the license. Driving License Renewal Form makes the Road Transport Office (R.T.O.) understand the current license’s specifications. Form 9 is an application form for the Renewal of the Driving License.
It is an uncomplicated document comprising a small number of informational inquiries. A considerable portion of the form communication involves the applicant’s current Driving License information with space for signatures. For renewal of driving license online, The form must be followed up with the attachment of the necessary documents.
Steps for the renewal of a driving license while traveling:
- · Visit the official website of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
- · You will see the Drivers/ Learners License option under License Related Services on the website’s landing page.
- · By selecting the Drivers/ Learners License option, you will land on the webpage that displays a dropdown with the list of States.
- · Select State from where the driving license is to be taken, and press continue.
- · Now, you will come across all the available options such as applying for a learner license, applying for a Driving license, Applying for DL renewal, etc.
- · Select the ‘Apply for DL Renewal’ from the options for commencing the application procedure.
- · Instructions will be displayed for submitting the application form. Read the instructions properly and click on continue.
- · Now, enter your birth date and current license number to go further.
- · Next, the page will be appeared showing “Required Services,” which will display only those services which apply to the existing driving license. You need to choose here the option of “Renewal.”
- · You will then be requested to fill out the relevant personal and vehicle-related details required in the form.
- · Upload your passport-sized photograph and signature (It might not be needed for your selected State, as it is only available for particular states).
- · Once you are finished with all the steps mentioned earlier, you will be redirected to an Acknowledgement page where you will be presented with your application ID. You will also get an SMS on the registered mobile number confirming all the application details.
- · Now, you will need to pay a visit to the R.T.O. and submit the required forms and documents.
- · Your application and documents will then be verified. Upon completion of verification, you will get your license either on the same day or within 20 days, depending on the office you chose.
Items listed below are required for the renewal of DL while traveling:
- · Driving License.
- · Application Form No.2.
- · Form No.1 (Self-declaration as to the physical fitness for Non-Transport Vehicles)
- or
- · Form No. 1A (Medical Certificate for Transport Vehicles only).
- · Fees as prescribed, along with user charges.
- · Driver refreshing certificate (in case of heavy motor vehicle).
Driving License Renewal process using above mentioned documents:
- · Renewal application form completely filled out with all the requested information. The form can be downloaded from your appropriate State’s R.T.O. website.
- · If an applicant’s age is less than 50 years and is applying for a non-transport motor vehicle, he/she will not be expected to provide the medical certificate. If he/she is above 50 years old and/or applying for a transport vehicle license, he/she will be needed to produce a medical certificate. Only a licensed physician should fill out this form. The form for this can be downloaded through your appropriate State’s R.T.O. website.
- · A valid permanent driving license is a must; otherwise, renewal is not an option, and the applicant will have to undergo all the process to receive a new license from scratch.
- · Proof of age: This can be supported by any valid government-issued document like a passport, P.A.N. card, voter I.D. card, etc.
- · Proof of address: This can be supported by passport, driving license, electricity bill, phone bill, lease agreement, etc.
- · Passport-sized photographs of the applicant will be needed. The number of photographs required may differ from one State to another.
- · If the permanent license owner has changed the residence address from one place to another, the same must be recorded within one month at the RTO/RTA at which the original and initial license had been issued.
- · If the permanent Driving License owner has shifted to another state, the same rule as mentioned above applies here. Furthermore, a license owner from another state has to present a No Objection Certificate (N.O.C.), which must be issued by the R.T.O. at which the original license had been issued.
