How to get a duplicate four wheeler driving license in India

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For motor vehicle owners in the country, having a valid driving license is imperative. Not only is it mandatory following the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, but a driving license can be used by the individual as an address or an identification proof as it is issued by the Government of India. If the driving license holder loses or misplaces his/her driving license, he/she can apply for a duplicate license. However, if the driving license has been confiscated by the traffic police for repeated on-road offences, then he/she cannot apply for a duplicate driving license.

As with the process of availing a driving license for the first time, if the driving license holder has lost or misplaced his/her driving license, then he/she can apply for a duplicate driving license online. The application can be made on the official website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, or on the website of the State Transport Department - based on which state the driving license holder resides in. The individual can also carry out the process offline at the RTO that issued the driving license. To get a duplicate driving license, the individual has to first get an FIR from the police station in his/her jurisdiction that the license has indeed been misplaced or lost. That said, we’ve listed out the processes (online and offline) of how one can apply for a duplicate driving license, and the requirement to carry out the process.

Steps to apply for a duplicate four-wheeler driving license (Online procedure)

While the individual who has lost or misplaced the driving license would not need to take the test again, he/she will have to follow the steps mentioned below to carry out the process of applying for a duplicate license online:

• Visit the official website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways - www.parivahan.gov.in.
• Once on the page, click on ‘driving license related services’.
• The page will be redirected. Click on ‘download forms’.
• Choose Form LLD - which is for the application of a duplicate driving license.
• Now, the applicant for a duplicate driving license has to fill in the details of Form LLD.
• The individual has to then print the form once all the details have been entered and self-attest the form.
• Next, click on ‘upload documents’ under the ‘driving license related services’ section.
• The individual can upload the self-attested Form LLD, recent passport-size photographs, and other related documents.
• Once the documents have been uploaded, the individual has to book the slot for application of a duplicate driving license. The applicant for the driving license can choose a time and day slot based on his/her convenience and availability of slots.
• The applicant has to then make the payment for the application of a duplicate driving license.
• The applicant for a duplicate license has to then visit the RTO that issued the driving license and submit Form LLD and the other related documents that will be listed below.
• Following the submission, the RTO will post the duplicate driving license to the home address of the applicant.

The online process for the application of a duplicate driving license can be carried out on the website of the State Transport Department, but not all states offer the online procedure to apply for a duplicate license.

Steps to apply for a duplicate four-wheeler driving license (Offline procedure)

For states that do not offer the online procedure to apply for a duplicate driving license, or for those who just prefer to do it offline, they can follow the steps mentioned below:

• Visit the RTO that issued the driving license.
• Procure Form LLD from the RTO and fill in the details accurately - personal details, details related to the old driving license, address, etc.
• Once the form has been filled, one should self-attest it.
• Along with Form LLD, the applicant will be required to submit the other related documents as well.
• The RTO will then issue a receipt which can be used as a temporary driving license till the duplicate driving license is delivered.
• Following the verification process and approval, the RTO will post the duplicate license to the house address of the applicant.

Note, all that is required is the submission of Form LLD and the required documents. The applicant for the duplicate driving license will not be required to retake the driving test in this case.

Required documents for a duplicate driving license

Applicants of a duplicate driving license will be required to submit the documents mentioned below, which will differ from state to state:

• Form LLD - which is the application form for a duplicate driving license.
• FIR from the police station that your driving license is lost or misplaced.
• Copies of original driving license.
• Original driving license details.
• Recent passport-size photographs.
• Identity and address proof documents.
• Proof of age document.

Things to keep in mind when applying for a duplicate driving license

Listed below are some points applicants for a duplicate driving license need to keep in mind:

• On Form LLD, the applicant has to enter his/her full name and current house address - be it a permanent or temporary address.
• The applicant has to also state the reason why he/she is applying for a duplicate driving license. If the reason is lost, misplaced or stolen, then an FIR to support the claim will have to be submitted.
• The applicant has to enter details on Form LLD such as the original driving license number, chassis number of the vehicle, vehicle class, name as mentioned on the original driving license, and the expiry date of the license.
• The applicant has to also state that his/her license has not been confiscated by the traffic police on grounds of being a repeated offender.
• Once the details have been filled on Form LLD, the applicant has to mention the date and time as well as self-attest the document.
• If the application for the original license was done online, then the applicant for the driving license can fetch the details of the original license from the website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, attest the document, and submit it at the RTO that issued the original driving license.

FAQs

1. Will the validity of my driving license be extended with a duplicate driving license?

No, since this is an application for a duplicate driving license and not one for the renewal of one’s driving license, the validity of the driving license will remain the same. In addition, all the other details on the duplicate driving license will be the same as that on the original driving license.

2. Since I have moved since I first received my original driving license, is it possible to carry out the process of getting a duplicate driving license at another RTO in a different state?

No, that will not be possible. Since you have got the original driving license from one RTO, you will have to apply for a duplicate driving license from the same RTO. However, if an FIR is required, then you can procure it from the police station within your jurisdiction. That said, to save some time, you can carry out the application for a duplicate driving license online, upload the required documents once attested and book a slot for the submission of documents for a duplicate driving license. In this way, the process will not be delayed and since you have booked a slot, you will be able to carry out the process at a time of your convenience.

3. Is it absolutely required to give a driving test for a duplicate driving license as well?

No, for a duplicate driving license you will not be required to take a driving test. All that is required is the submission of Form LLD, details or copies of the original driving license, an FIR, and other related documents. Only for a renewal of your driving license, based on certain conditions, you might have to take the driving test.

4. Under what conditions will the RTO issue a duplicate driving license? Will I be required to go through the process with the help of a motor driving school?

The RTO will issue a duplicate driving license if your original driving license is either lost or misplaced or if the driving license is faded, soiled, destroyed, or torn and cannot be used as proof of identification due to its sorry state. The RTO will not issue a duplicate driving license if your original driving license has been confiscated and terminated by the traffic police for being a repeated offender.

You can seek the help of a motor driving school to get the job done of getting a duplicate driving license, but it will be an unnecessary expense. As mentioned above, the process can now be carried out online and is seamless as you can even book a slot at the RTO as per your convenience. Since there is no driving test involved when it comes to procuring a duplicate driving license, it is not necessary to go through a motor driving school to get the job done as you can get it done yourself.

5. I have lost my learner’s license. Is it possible to get a duplicate learner’s license?

Some states across India allow vehicle owners to get a duplicate learner’s license but not all. Mostly, if you have lost your duplicate learner’s license, you will have to apply for a new learner’s license and take the written test again. The issuance of a duplicate driving license is carried out by all transport departments across all states in the country.