Last Updated on 9 months by Anoob P T
Duplicate Driving Licence used to be hard to procure few years back.
I remember when I lost my driving license and had to run around a lot to get a duplicate issued.
Now with RTOs becoming digitized, its easier and faster to get a duplicate licence-regardless of your state.
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Driving Licence Validity
In India, a driving licence is valid for 20 years from the date of issue of the licence or till the holder attains an age of 50 years.
However, for commercial vehicles, the licence period is three years. The minimum age to get a driving licence in India is 18 years.
Because of the longer validity of driving licence, you might not bother understanding the process of renewing or getting a duplicate driving licence unless you lose the original document.
Sometimes, your licence could go stolen or damaged or just plain lost. Even though it is an important document and has to be kept safe, as with many things in life, sometimes the worst just happens.
The only option left for you is a duplicate licence.
When can you apply for a Duplicate Driving Licence?
As your driving licence acts as a legal document or an ID proof, you need to have valid reasons to apply for a duplicate licence.
If you lost your licence or feels like it might have been stolen by somebody, you will get a duplicate licence.
Similarly, if your licence is damaged or mutilated under some circumstances, you can apply for a duplicate licence.
In the case of a missing or stolen licence, you have to report it to the police station or file an FIR. If it is damaged or mutilated, you can give some proof of it.
It is always advised to have a photocopy of your original driving licence, because it could be very useful in circumstances like these.
Transport offices across India provide services for issuing the duplicate licence, if you have the necessary documents.
In order to get a duplicate licence, you have to contact the same Regional Transport Office (RTO) which issued your original driving licence. You can apply for a duplicate DL either online or directly at the RTO without any hassles.
Documents Required to apply for a Duplicate Driving Licence
The mandatory documents required for getting a Duplicate Driving licence are:
- You will have to submit an FIR (First Instance Report), if your driving licence is lost or stolen.
- You need to surrender the original one if it is torn, damaged, mutilated or in a soiled condition.
- The challan clearance report stating that the individual did not have any unpaid bills or tickets in relation to the driving licence should also be submitted. You have to apply for this report separately in order to submit this in RTO. This is taken into notice if the licence is of a commercial vehicle.
- Application Form LLD (to inform about the loss or destruction of driving license and application for duplicate)
- You need to have a photocopy of your original licence as it can help in providing the information about the latter and may even be tracked down in case it is stolen.
- Details of the driving license
- Passport sized photographs
- Address proof documents like House agreement, LIC policy bond, Voters ID card, Ration card, Electricity bill issued in applicant name, Aadhar Card, Passport or a temporary address proof (Registered Rental agreement and LPG bill/electricity bill) can be given for reference.
- Age proof documents like Birth certificate, Pan card, Passport, SSC certificate or School transfer certificate with the date of birth printed on it can be given for reference.
All the details in these forms will be checked and verified with the information they have about your original licence when it was issued.
Moreover, the expiry date of your duplicate driving licence will be same as that of the original, because the same information is used.
How to apply for a Duplicate Driving Licence?
You can apply for a duplicate driving licence both through online or offline methods. In both these ways, you will have to submit an LLD form.
In this from, you need to fill your full name and address. Moreover, you will find questions about your driving licence such as reason for applying for a duplicate driving license or the circumstances in which it got destroyed, torn, lost, defaced or mutilated.
You have to enter the driving license number, class of motor vehicle for which the driving license was held, name of driving license holder, licensing authority and the expiry date of the license. Finally, give a declaration that your driving license was not impounded by any authority and sign the form.
Online Process to apply for a duplicate driving licence:
- Fill all the information required in the LLD Form and submit it.
- You also have to take a printout of the same after completion.
- Submit this printed LLD Form to the RTO office which issued your original driving licence. Along with the form, you have to give all necessary documents. You will not be required to take the driving test again to get a duplicate license.
- After the submission, all the details given by you will be checked and verified. The duplicate driving license will be sent to your registered home address via post.
- You will also be given in receipt which you can use as a substitute for the driving license till you get your duplicate driving license.
Offline Process to apply for a duplicate driving licence:
- You have to visit the RTO office that issued your original driving license. File the LLD form and attach all documents required and mentioned in this form. Additional documents might be asked for depending on the reason of applying for a duplicate license.
- You will also need to pay a required nominal fee to get your duplicate driving license. After the submission of the LLD form and the necessary documents, you will get a receipt which can be used in place of a driving license until you get a duplicate license.
- The duplicate driving license will be sent to your registered home address via post.
Even though your duplicate driving licence is issued newly, it has the same applications and limits of your original driving licence.
The date of expiry for this duplicate licence will be same as that of your original one.
However, you need not have to undergo a driving test in order to get a duplicate one.
This is because of the fact that those who possessed a permanent and original driving licence are only allowed to apply for a new one. Make sure that you apply for a duplicate one in the RTP where your original driving licence was issued.
Frequently Asked Questions on Duplicate Driving Licence
How can I get duplicate driving Licence?
You can either get it online or offline. To getting duplicate driving licence online, apply on website of your original state RTO and for getting your licence offline, visit the RTO from where the licence was issued.
How can I get duplicate driving Licence in Bangalore?
You can get duplicate driving licence in Bangalore using RTO services under https://www.karnatakaone.gov.in/Info/Public/RTO
Can I download soft copy of driving Licence?
You can upload scanned copy of your orginial driving licence to Digilocker app to convert your driving licence to soft copy.
What do I do if I lost my driving Licence?
You need to file an FIR at the nearest police station and apply for a duplicate driving licence.
How can I check my old license online?
Visit https://parivahan.gov.in/rcdlstatus/?pur_cd=101 to check status of your old driving licence.
Can we show soft copy to traffic police?
Only in cities where it is allowed. In Hyderabad, you can show soft copy of driving licence to traffic police but not in Bangalore.
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