Losing anything valuable in our life makes us very uncomfortable and worried too. Likewise, losing an important document like a driving license is the same as losing the vehicle key. You will not be able to ride your favourite two-wheeler or drive your wonderful four-wheeler without a valid driving license, as driving without a license is a severely punishable offence. Hence, you need to have the same with you at all times. A driving licence is compulsory in India by all individuals driving a vehicle on Indian roads as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and no person is allowed to drive a vehicle without a valid Driving licence. But what will you do if this important document is missing or misplaced, or stolen or even damaged? There is no need to worry as the answer is very simple, you will have to apply for a duplicate driving licence. We will take you through various aspects of a duplicate driving licence so that it is easy for you to understand.
Procedure to apply for a Duplicate Driving license via different modes
You can get a Duplicate Driving license both offline and onlineif the original one is misplaced, torn or has been stolen as mentioned above. Let us see both the process one by one as below.
Online Method:
Is it necessary for you to go to the RTO office only and apply for a duplicate driving license? Not all, the Indian government, with the assistance of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made it easy and possible for the general public like us who want to have a duplicate driving license by applying online. Some basic steps which you need to follow are as below:
- You need to submit an online LLD form (application and notification form) which can be downloaded from Sarathi website https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/
- Essential printouts (document details are given in the next section) need to be taken with your signature and with photographs attached
- Then you need to visit the RTO from where the original license was obtained
- After furnishing the above documents to the officer in charge at the RTO Office, the officer will follow the essential actions and issue a duplicate driving license
- You do not have to give a further driving test
- After the above steps, you will be given a receipt which may be used as a temporary driving license until you get the duplicate. The duplicate driving license will then be processed and will be sent through the post
Offline Method:
The offline method is also very simple. Let us see how. You need to follow the steps given below to get your duplicate Driving License from the RTO
- You need to go to the RTO that issued your initial Driving License. Get a Form LLD- application of duplicate driving license, fill-up the form correctly and put your signature on the form
- The LLD Form is a Form for “Loss or Destruction of License”
- Submit the application form with the required documents as mentioned (list stated in the next section)
- You will be needed to pay a minimal fee for receiving your duplicate driving license. After this is complete, you will get the receipt which can be used as a driving license until you obtain a duplicate license. The duplicate driving license will be sent to your registered home address via post
You must remember the 3 major steps when you lose your driving license in both offline and online methods and they are:
- Reporting the loss –
This means you will have report the loss of your driving license at your nearest police station and lodge an FIR- First Information Report - Make an application–
You need to fill an application form for the duplicate driving license as mentioned above - Be Cautious-
Do not drive your car or ride your bike until you get your new driving license with you. After you get your new license, you must ensure the laminate the same to stop it from any kind of damage. It would be prudent if you make copies of it. Another way of having back up is to scan your driving license and store it online securely. You can also take a photo of your driving license with your cell and store it safely. Point to remember here that these backup selections will not be able to substitute any physical driving license but can be of great use when your driving license is stolen, lost or damaged.
Documents required for applying for duplicate driving license
Now, let us see the required documents for this process. Below documents will be needed in order to get a Duplicate Driving license, be it offline or online. These are very easy and simple documents which you need to submit
- Application form LLD which is for notification of loss or destruction of the driving license and is an application for duplicate driving license
- First Instance Report or the FIR If the license was stolen or torn
- Original driving license if the same is soiled, torn or mutilated
- Attested xerox copy of the original license
- License details
- Passport size photographs
- Age proof
- Address proof
Common fields in LLD form
Let us now see some common fields of the LLD form so that it will be easier for you to fill up.
The offline form can be found in the link: https://transport.bih.nic.in/Forms/Form-LLD.pdf
However, there is a process for filling this form online as well. In the online form, you need to mention the following:
- First, you will have the details like name and address of the applicant, father’s name
- The 1st section will ask about the situation under which you are applying for a duplicate driving license with a date which you need to select accordingly
- The 2nd section will need confirmation and agreement about the fee payment
- The 3rd section will ask about the driving license details like the number of the license, type of vehicle, name of the issuing authority, date of issuance and expiry date of the driving license
- The 4th and the last section will need a confirmation if the driving license was seized at any point of time
- A declaration by you stating the information given by you are correct
- Lastly, you need to sign and put date and place and submit the form
Fees involved in getting a duplicate Driving licence (150)
The fee for getting a duplicate Driving licence is INR 200 and if you need a smart card, the total revised fee is INR 400 as per rule 32 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules Act, 1989.
There is a process for getting a duplicate license but it is always a good idea to keep your documents safe so that you do not lose them in the first place. It is better to keep your documents safe than being sorry later.
FAQ’s
The validity of your duplicate driving license will be similar to your original driving license. Point to note here is that you are not renewing or amending your license by applying for a duplicate driving license.
No, if your driving license has not expired, you will not be needed to take a driving test to obtain your duplicate driving license.
No, you can apply for a duplicate driving license only if you had a permanent driving license that has been lately stolen, lost or spoiled. You will be needed to apply again for a Learning License if you have lost it.
No, you will have to apply for a duplicate driving license specifically at the RTO which issued your Driving License formerly.
If you lose the driving license, you will have to follow a few easy and simple steps and hence you need not worry. The steps are as below:
- Step 1: Police Complaint
You need to visit the nearest police station and lodge a complaint. The police officer in charge will give a First Information Report or an FIR which is a written document organized by police when they receive information about any offence - Step 2: Get a stamped affidavit
Post lodging the complaint about the lost driving license, you need to visit a notary office to get an affidavit stamped on a paper to prove that you took a pledge before a notary public or any other concerned authorized person for the lost driving license.
Yes, a driving license is renewable, but before the expiry date.