Duplicate Driving License: Having a driver is of the utmost importance if you want to drive in India legally. This license is more than just a legal document but is also a document for identity proof. If the original one gets stolen or lost, it is possible to apply for a duplicate driving license. And we are all aware of all the trouble that we have to face if this license is lost. After all, riding the two-wheeler or driving a four-wheeled vehicle is a punishable offence if done without a driving license that is valid. This is precisely why it is essential and highly recommended that one applies for a duplicate driving license as soon as is needed. In this article, we will look into getting this duplicate.
Different Kinds of Driving Licences in India
In India, the issued driving license is the official document that authorises the individual to operate different kinds of vehicles on highways and public roads. In India, this procedure comes under the jurisdiction of the State Government and is issued by the Regional Transport Offices or the Regional Transport Authorities. This license can also be a document giving proof of identity that may be needed, for example, to open a bank account. Drivers need to carry a valid license with them when they are driving.
Today, this license is available in the format of a smart card. One would need to give biometrics where their personal information would be stored in a chip that is in that smart card. But note that a certain amount of money is needed for the new Smart Card.
Section 130 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, states that an official authorised by the government, like a police officer, can ask the driver for the vehicle-related documents. And the driver has to produce these documents in the span of 15 days, either at the police station or at the concerned department.
Any individual with a desire to drive any sort of motor vehicle in India will need to get a learner’s license before all else. This is issued, as the name suggests, for learning. A month after the learner’s license, the individual has to go through the test conducted by the RTO authority, who will declare whether the person has passed the test or not, based on proper examination.
A duplicate driving license, on the other hand, is a copy of the existing driving license that is issued if an individual’s license is lost, destroyed, or stolen. RTO offices across the nation possess the authority to issue such a license if the original one is stolen, destroyed, or lost.
What to Keep in Mind Before Applying for a Duplicate
Here are a few things that you should take note of before you begin applying for a duplicate driver’s license.
- The RTO that issued the original license is the only one who can issue a duplicate license. This means that if the original was gotten in the Chennai RTO, but you are now in Bengaluru and lost your DL, you can get the duplicate only from the Chennai RTO and not the Bengaluru RTO.
- A driving test is not required to get a duplicated license.
- Generally, the license holds the validity of 20 years from the issued date or up till the age of 50, depending on which one comes first. The validity and the information on the duplicate DL will be the exact same as was for the original DL. For example, if your original license was set to expire in June 2023, ten the duplicate will also expire in June 2023.
- There is a provision to get a duplicate learner’s license if the original learner’s license has been lost.
What To Do If DL Is Lost
While the driving license may not be of any value monetarily, it is an essential document, not only for driving legally but also as ID proof. Here is what you should do if the license is lost.
- Visit the police station of the location in which the driving license was lost, file an FIR, i.e., First Information Report, and get a copy of that as well.
- Go to the Notary office to receive an affidavit on stamped paper, and this will be proof that you took an oath that the license is lost in front of the concerned officer, be it the first class judicial magistrate, notary public, or the executive magistrate. The notary service and stamped paper come with a small fee, and there would be, around the RTO, many shops where this can easily be done.
Applying for the Duplicate DL
The duplicate driving license can be applied either online or offline. A print of the filled form is required to visit the RTO even if the application is made online. There are the steps needed to be followed to obtain a duplicate online:
- Visit parivahan.gov.in, which is the official site of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, called the Sarathi website and select the option that says ‘Online Services.’
- Select your state from the drawdown that will be available for the states.
- Fill in the details of the application.
- Upload any documents that may be required.
- Upload the signature and photo if this is needed in your state.
- Pay the fee that is required.
- Now, submit the LLD form as it should be.
- Get a print of the filled form.
- Submit the required documents along with the form at the RTO office that was the one that issued the original driving license.
- After the formalities are finished, the smart card of the duplicate license will be sent to the address that was registered.
- There is also a receipt that you can use if the duplicate doesn’t arrive in the timeframe that it needs to.
Offline Application Applying for Driving License
If you prefer getting the duplicate offline instead of online, then this can be done with the following steps.
- Go to the RTO that was the one that issued the original license.
- Get the LLD application form that is needed to get a duplicate license.
- Attach all supporting documents with the filled form.
- Pay the ₹200 nominal fees for the application to be processed
-  You will receive a receipt after finishing the application procedure that can be used if the duplicate isn’t issued in time.
Note: The driving license authorises the individual to drive on the roads of India legally and lawfully, but this should be done keeping safety in mind. Driving is not a privilege but a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. This means that rash driving or doing so under the influence of alcohol could potentially endanger your life and the lives of others around you. Wearing a helmet and driving safely is of the utmost importance as ignoring these guidelines, as mentioned before, can actually turn out to be fatal for you or others caught up in an accident.
Insurance policies can protect your vehicle from damages that it can undergo from unforeseen circumstances. Getting insurance is important as otherwise, you can end up paying hefty sums for accidents even if the fault was not your own.