sarathi.parivahan.gov.in Driving Licence: Apply & Get Your DL
You can’t apply for a permanent driving licence on sarathi.parivahan.gov.in straight away. You first need a learner’s licence that is at least 30 days old and still valid. Once you have that, the permanent DL is a short online application, one driving test at your RTO, and a licence that reaches you by post and on your phone.
This page covers the part most people get stuck on: the timing rules, the test, what happens if you fail, the licence for heavy and commercial vehicles, and which copy of your DL to use once it is issued. You’ll find every service on the sarathi parivahan portal after you pick your state.
When can you apply for a permanent DL?
You can take the driving test only after holding your learner’s licence for at least 30 days, under Rule 15(1) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The learner’s licence itself is valid for six months. So your real window is from day 30 to the day your LL expires, and the test must happen inside it.
Plan backwards from that deadline. Slot dates depend on your RTO, so book your test early in the window rather than near the end.
| Day | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Day 0 | Learner’s licence issued. Practise only with a licensed driver beside you |
| Day 30 | Earliest day you can appear for the driving test |
| Before month 6 ends | Last chance to pass the test on this LL |
| After the LL expires | Apply again through Expired Learner Licence Issue Again before you can test |
Don’t have a learner’s licence yet? Start with the learning licence application and online test, then come back here.
While you hold only an LL, the rules on practice are strict. CMVR Rule 3 lets a learner drive only with an instructor beside them who holds a valid driving licence for that vehicle.
Applying on Sarathi: the steps that matter
Select your state, then open Driving Licence → New Driving Licence (Delhi and some other states also show an Apply for Driving Licence tile on the home screen). You fill one online application for the class on your learner’s licence, pay, book a test date and appear at the RTO. Most delays come from four points in that route, listed below.
| Stage on Sarathi | Where people get stuck | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| New Driving Licence | Applying for a class that isn’t on the learner’s licence | Apply only for the vehicle class your LL covers. A new class needs its own LL first |
| Fee Payments | Paying twice when the bank page hangs | Check Verify Payment Status before paying again. The test fee is ₹300 per class and the licence fee ₹200 (CMVR Rule 32), plus any state charge |
| Appointments → DL Test Slot Booking | Choosing a date after the LL expires | Pick a date inside your LL’s six months. If plans change, use Cancel DL Test Slot and book again |
| Others → Track Dispatch Article Status | Waiting without the consignment number | Note the number from your dispatch message, then track the card here |
After you submit, keep the application number safe. You’ll need it to track your application status at each stage.
The driving test at the RTO
The test of competence is taken in a vehicle of the same type as the class you applied for, under section 9 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Bring a vehicle of the class you applied for: a two-wheeler test can’t be taken in a car, or the other way round.
Failing is not the end of your application. Section 9(5) of the Act lets you take the test again after seven days. Each repeat test costs ₹300 again under Rule 32.
There is a limit. If you fail the test three times, the 2019 amendment to the Act requires you to complete a remedial driver training course at a driving school before you can appear again. Book your first attempt only when you feel ready.
Some states also list driving school enrolment on Sarathi. Look for Enroll for Driving Training under the Driving School Licence menu, and in Delhi, Driving Training from ADTC (accredited driver training centre) among the contactless services.
Licence for heavy or commercial vehicles
A licence for transport vehicles (trucks, buses, taxis and other commercial use) can’t be your first licence. Section 7(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act says you can get a learner’s licence for a transport vehicle only after holding a light motor vehicle (LMV) driving licence for at least one year.
The route after that is the same in shape: learner’s licence for the transport class, 30 days, then the driving test in that vehicle type. Transport licences are valid for five years, not the longer periods given to private licences.
Drivers of passenger transport vehicles may also need a PSV (public service vehicle) badge. Sarathi lists Online PSV Badge Test in the Driving Licence menu and Issue of PSV Badge to a Driver among the services on an existing licence.
Your DL is issued: which copy should you use?
You don’t need to wait for the card to start driving legally. Once your licence is issued, the digital copy in DigiLocker or the NextGen mParivahan app is valid for traffic checks under MoRTH’s 2018 advisory. The printed card, the portal extract and the conductor licence each serve a different purpose.
| You need | Use | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Proof during a traffic check | DigiLocker or NextGen mParivahan | digilocker.gov.in or mparivahan.parivahan.gov.in |
| A printable record of the licence | DL Extract Print (asks for your application number) | Sarathi, Driving Licence menu |
| The licence card itself | The card posted to you | Track it with Track Dispatch Article Status |
| A conductor’s licence copy | Print Conductors Licence or CL Extract Print | Sarathi, Conductor Licence menu |
Sarathi’s own Print Driving Licence option is not offered in every state. In Delhi and Uttar Pradesh it shows “DL Print Download Option Not Available For This State”, so use DigiLocker or mParivahan there.
To add your licence to NextGen mParivahan:
- Install the app and register with your mobile number and OTP.
- Choose the option to add your driving licence (shown as My Virtual DL in the app).
- Enter your DL number and date of birth.
- Confirm with the OTP. The virtual DL then shows inside the app.
A photo or scan of your card saved in your gallery does not count as a valid digital licence. Only the copy pulled from the government record through DigiLocker or mParivahan does.
Common questions
Can I apply for a driving licence without a learner’s licence?
No. For a new licence, Sarathi links your DL application to an existing learner’s licence. You must hold that LL for at least 30 days before the driving test.
My learner’s licence expired before I took the test. What now?
Apply again under Learner Licence → Expired Learner Licence Issue Again. The 30-day wait then starts again from the new LL.
How soon can I retest after failing?
After seven days, under section 9(5) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Book the new slot through Appointments → DL Test Slot Booking and pay the ₹300 test fee again.
Can I drive alone on a learner’s licence?
No. Under CMVR Rule 3, a learner must have an instructor beside them who holds a valid licence for that vehicle.
Can I add a car to my two-wheeler licence later?
Yes, but through a different service. Adding a class to an existing licence is Additional Endorsement to DL, under Services on DL (Renewal/Duplicate/AEDL/IDP/Others). You first take a learner’s licence for the new class (the LL form has an option for applicants who already hold a driving licence), then a driving test.
