In India, obtaining a driver’s license will soon have a huge facelift. Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) will no longer have a mandatory driving test from the first day of June, 2024. A new system was announced by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which authorizes private driving schools to conduct driving tests and provide certificates for license qualification purposes.
This relocation is aimed at simplifying the license acquiring process and is expected to make applicant’s life much easier while it also potentially replaces about 900,000 old government vehicles so as to encourage cleaner vehicle ownership.
The Ministry has also simplified the paperwork required for obtaining a license. The specific documents will vary depending on the type of vehicle (two-wheeler or four-wheeler) being applied for. This reduces the need for extensive visits to RTOs.
There are, however, some new requirements for private driving schools. These facilities must have a minimum land area of 1 acre (2 acres for four-wheeler training), and trainers must possess a high school diploma (or equivalent), have at least five years of driving experience, and be familiar with biometrics and IT systems
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Training duration has also been standardized. The training period for Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) will be 29 hours within a time span of 4 weeks, where theory work will take 8 hours, and practical driving for the remaining 21 hours. In terms of Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) training, it will take 38 hours lasting for 6 weeks where theory will cover 8 hours while practical training covers 31 hours
The new regulations also address fees and charges. Learner’s license issuance remains at Rs 150, with an additional Rs 50 for the initial test or a retest. Driving tests (or retests) will cost Rs 300, while the license itself comes in at Rs 200. International Driving Permits will cost Rs 1000, and adding an additional vehicle category to an existing license will incur a Rs 500 fee. It’s important to note that driving schools face a hefty Rs 5000 penalty for renewing licenses without providing the mandated training.
