Rules for getting a new driving licence or renewing one has been changed under the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, besides the increased fines for traffic violations.
As per the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, an individual can apply for renewal of driving licence any time between one year before its expiry and up to one after its expiry.
However, one will need to undertake the driving licence test once again if the application for renewal is filed after one year of the expiry of licence. Earlier rule of one-month grace period after the expiry of licence has been scrapped.
If a year has passed after the expiry of the licence, one needs to take the learner's driving test again and the licensing authority shall treat you as a new applicant. The wait for a month for a permanent licence test has been kept the same. This means that applicants will have to upload documents, including identity and residence proof, take biometrics like any other new learner.
While the validity of the licence for non-transport vehicles will depend on age, the licence validity for driving transport vehicles will be 5 years and 3 years for the hazardous vehicle.
Although the good news here is that licence can be renewed a year in advance to avoid such fuss. The minimum educational qualification to drive a transport vehicle has also been scrapped.
The motor vehicles department is also planning to make the licence renewal process online. As per the new law, starting from September 1, change in residence address or place of business for driving licence can be done online.
Additionally, fine for driving with an expired licence or driving without licence has been changed to Rs 5,000 from the earlier fine of Rs 500.
By Rupa Burman Roy
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