How to Apply for LMV Driving License Online and Offline in India?

We all know that a driving license (DL) is necessary to drive a vehicle on the road.  The Motor Vehicle Act of 1988 makes it mandatory for individuals to have a DL for driving motor vehicles like bikes, cars, and commercial vehicles. Driving without a valid license can call for heavy penalties.  

To acquire a DL, one has to go through rigorous training and tests, which ensures that the driver is competent to drive on the road and knows the traffic rules. The Regional Transport Authority (RTO) issues the DL once the applicant completes the required procedure and tests successfully.

In India, government regulations categorize vehicles into different categories. Depending on the category of vehicle they want to drive, drivers can apply for licenses.

In this post, we are talking about applying for a Light Motor Vehicle or LMV Vehicle License.

Importance of a Driving License 

We know that the government has made it mandatory to have a driving license for every adult who wants to drive a motorized vehicle (two-wheeler, four-wheeler) on Indian roads. But why is a license an important requirement for driving in the first place?

Driving is a very responsible task. Hence, a driver running a vehicle on the road must have all the required skills to smoothly carry the task on the highways and maintain the safety and security of the people plying on the road.

Several regulations and traffic rules are involved that are laid down by the government to limit accidents on the road due to negligent driving. One such rule mandates a person to obtain a driver’s license before embarking on the road with a motor vehicle. This rule has been mandated by the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988 under which no one is allowed to drive a vehicle without a valid DL.

What is an LMV Driving License?

If you are not aware of what an LMV is in a driving license, you may note that LMV stands for Light Motor Vehicle. RTO in India uses the term LMV-NT to indicate the LMV license holders who can legally drive four-wheelers under the Light motor vehicle – non-transport (LMV-NT) category.

As the name suggests, LMVs are vehicles that are light in weight compared to heavy motor vehicles. Cars, jeeps, sedans, hatchbacks, mini-trucks, auto-rickshaws, taxis, and SUVs are some of the four-wheelers on the LMV vehicle list.

Key Features of a Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) Driving License

LMVs are non-commercial or private vehicles and a holder of an LMV driving License cannot drive commercial vehicles. LMV driving license means that the driver can drive only light motor vehicles. Below are some features of an LMV:

• Motor vehicles that the LMV license holders are eligible to drive should have a gross vehicle weight of 7500 kilograms or less
• LMV license holders can drive private four-wheelers such as cars, jeeps, etc.
• LMV driving license holders are also not permitted to drive vehicles for commercial purposes

Importance of a Valid LMV Driving License

An LMV driving license serves as valid proof of identity of the license holder. It allows the person to drive all kinds of light motor vehicles freely on the road. It also shows that the driver is efficient and skilled in driving.

Eligibility Criteria for an LMV Driving License

The driving licenses available for LMVs are categorized into two – LMV-NT and LMV-TR. The LMV-NT implies Light Motor Vehicle- Non-Transport and LMV-TR implies Light Motor Vehicle- Transport.

Below are some criteria that need to be fulfilled to apply for a light motor vehicle driving license:

• The applicant has to be 18 years or above
• They must be aware of the traffic rules and regulations and must follow them while driving a vehicle
• The applicant should possess a learner’s license at the time of applying for a permanent LMV driving license
• And most importantly they must clear the driving test before acquiring a permanent LMV driving license

Who should apply?

Anyone who is 18 years and above and who wants to drive a light motor vehicle on the road after clearing all the tests is eligible to apply for an LMV license.

Documents Required to Apply for an LMV Driving License

The basic requirement while preparing for Your LMV license application is to make a list of the necessary documents. The documents are required for both online and offline procedures of license applications. Here is the list of documents:

1. Age-Proof:-

• Birth Certificate
• PAN Card
• Educational Certificate
• Passport
• Employer’s certificate (if you are a government employee either central or state)

2. Address-Proof:-

• Voter’s ID
• Ration Card
• Passport
• LIC Bond
• Rent Agreement (current)
• Electricity or gas bill

3. Medical Certificate:- 

All applicants applying for LMV driving licenses are required to obtain a medical certificate to declare them fit. The applicants are required to submit the certificate to the relevant authorities during the process of obtaining a driving license. A medical certificate is a requirement for both learning and permanent licenses. To submit a medical certificate for a driving license, one has to fill out certain forms. People below the age of 40 need to fill out Form 1 and those above 40 must fill out both Form 1 and Form 1-A.

Application Process of an LMV Driving License

LMV licenses can be applied through:

• Online application
• Offline application

Process to Apply for an LMV Driving Learner’s License (LL) Online

We already discussed that an applicant for an LMV license is required to first obtain a learning license (LL). Here are the steps to obtain a learner’s license: 

1. Navigate https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in, the official portal of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
2. Select the state where you want to apply and click on it
3. Press the tab of ‘Application for New Learners License’ under the ‘Learner’s License’ tab
4. Fill up the application Form for the Learner’s License under the LMV category
5. Click ‘Next’ to proceed. Upload scanned documents along with your recent passport-size photograph along with digital signatures (if required)
6. Pay the application fee and wait for the payment verification status. Print the receipt and keep a copy of the same for future reference
7. Schedule a driving test with the RTO
8. Finally, visit the RTO as per the scheduled date with the original documents and Fee Slip
9. You may note that a Learner’s license stays valid for six months and within this period you are required to apply for the permanent LMV license

Process to Apply for a Permanent LMV Driving License Online

Once the Learner’s License is obtained, the applicant can seek a permanent LMV driving license within 6 months before it expires. To apply for the Permanent LMV DL follow the below steps:

1. Visit https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/
2. Select your particular state
3. Press the “New Driving Licence” button under the “Driving Licence” tab
4. To proceed further, enter your “Learning License Number” as well as “Date of Birth”
5. Fill up the Application Form
6. Click ‘Next’ to move ahead
7. Upload scanned documents and make payment of the required application fee
8. Verify Payment status and print the receipt
9. Schedule a driving test with the RTO
10. Visit RTO on the scheduled date with original documents and Fee Slip
11. Once you clear the test, you will get the LMV permanent DL

How to book a slot for the driving test online?

To book an appointment for a driving license test online, follow the steps below:

1. Visit https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in
2. Select the concerned state
3. Press the ‘Appointments’ tab and Select Service
4. Book an appointment
5. Visit RTO on the scheduled date with original documents for the driving test

Applying for an LMV Driving Licence Offline

To apply offline, you have to visit the nearest RTO and follow the steps below:   

1. Locate the Nearest RTO
2. You can use various online tools to locate an RTO near you that suits you as per proximity
3. Visit the RTO and ask for Form 4. You can even download this Form online from your state transport portal
4. Fill Out the Application Form accurately and double-check the Form for any mistakes
5. Submit documents along with the form such as age and address proof
6. Pay the required fee at the RTO office payment counter to book a slot for test driving. Also, don’t forget to get a copy of the payment receipt for later use
7. Visit the RTO office on the scheduled date for the test
8. You will receive the DL once you clear the test

What to Bring Along to the RTO for the Scheduled Driving Test?

Note that, you will have to bring the following things on the appointed day to the RTO:

• Fee receipt offered at the time of booking test drive slot
• Get your valid LL or learner’s license as well as application forms

You may note that to book a slot for a Driving Test, you can visit the official portal of the Ministry of Transport and follow the steps mentioned above to schedule your driving test at the RTO.

What to Expect at the LMV Driving Test?

The driving test assesses the applicant on various skills to check their expertise as a motorcar driver.  It will check the ability of the driver to Parallel Park, to drive forward on an ‘8’ shaped road. it will also check the ability of the driver on other marks like backward movement, upward gradient, skills of driving on an ‘S’ shaped road, and so on.

1. Preparation Tips:

The most important thing about preparing for a test drive for a license is to be confident. Lacking confidence and skills can cause one to fail the test. Moreover, it is also important for candidates to have good knowledge of signs, rules, signals, etc.

Also, avoid stalling the car at the time of taking the test as it will signal that you are not skilled with the technique.

2. Post-Application Process:

Note that an applicant will receive a valid and permanent LMV driving license within 2-3 weeks via post after clearing the driving test successfully. In case an applicant fails a driving test, the individual can reappear for the test after 7 days. In the meantime, you can check the status of the application process online which we have mentioned in detail in the below sections.

3. Validity and Renewal:

A private driving license stays valid for 20 years from the date of issue of the license or till the license holder reaches 40 years of age (whichever is earlier). After the age of 40 of age of the applicant, the DL is issued for 10 years till the driver is 50 years of age. DL is then issued for 5 years in the subsequent years.

DL can be renewed one month before the date of expiry. If a DL is renewed after five or more years after the expiry date, the applicant has to go through every formality as in the case of obtaining a fresh DL.

4. Fees to Pay to Avail a Driving License:

How to Check the Status of an LMV Driving License?

1. Online Process:

Here are the steps to check the status of your LMV driving license online:

1. Visit https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/sarathiservice/stateSelection.do, the Sarathi Parivahan portal
2. Go to the ‘Online Services’ tab and click on ‘Driving Licence Related Services’
3. Now, select the State
4. On the screen that appears, click on the ‘Application Status’ at the top-right side.
5. Next, enter the details such as Date of Birth, Application Number, and the Captcha code
6. Press the ‘Submit’ button
7. You will see the status of your driving license application on the screen

2. Offline Process:

Below are the steps to follow to check your LMV driving license status offline:

1. Visit your nearest RTO office
2. Provide your application details such as application number and date of birth to the concerned official at the RTO office
3. They will share your LMV driving license status

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