It is a legal grant issued by a state by the Regional Transport office of a particular state which authorizes the applicant to drive and operate a specific category of motor vehicles, depending on the intent. It is a document issued to the applicant after he/she successfully passes the required test which also includes a demonstration of their ability to operate the vehicle in presence of the officials.

Once issued, the license holder is required to carry the original/copy at all times and produce it on demand from various law enforcement agencies. It also doubles up as a reference document for address and ID proof.

In the state of Kerala, the responsibility of issuing a driving license is entrusted with the Motor Vehicles Department under the aegis of Government of Kerala.

Kerala Motor Vehicles Department

The department is headed by the Transport Commissioner and consists of multiple offices and staff members in various districts of the state. The primary functions the Kerala MVD are as follows.

• Registration of motor vehicles
• Enforcing the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act
• Collection of taxes and fees
• Miscellaneous services such as issuing driving license, permits, fitness certificates and others

There are 18 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in Kerala headed by a Regional Transport Officer at each of the offices. One of the offices is dedicated for dealing with the nationalized sector, statewise. In addition, there are 55 Sub Regional Transport Offices headed by Joint Regional Transport Officers.

Driving License

The DL issued under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, authorizes the bearer to drive a motor vehicle in any part of India. To obtain a driving license, the applicant should first apply and receive a learner’s license. The following eligibility criteria need to be fulfilled to obtain one.

• Applicant between the age group of 16-18 years is required to get a written consent from their parents and apply for a license. Applicants falling in this age group can only drive a motor vehicle below 50cc.
• Applicants aged more than 18 years and less than 20 years can apply for license to drive a motor vehicle in the non-transport category.
• If the applicant has a minimum of 1-year experience driving a non-transport motor vehicle and is above 20 years, he/she can apply for a license to drive a transport vehicle driving license.

Before being offered a driving license valid for a certain period, first-time applicants are required to take up computer-based learner’s test at the designated test centers. The test will consist of the applicant’s knowledge on aspects such as road safety, rules and regulations, signals, and signs etc.

Upon passing this test, the applicant will be provided a learner’s license, valid for 6 months from the date of issue. If the applicant fails to clear the test, he/she can reappear for the test by paying a fee of Rs.30. After holding the LL for 30 days or more, the applicant can take up the driving test to obtain a driving license. The test will consist of two phases. In part 1, the ability of the applicant to control the motor will be scrutinized and the second part deals with driving skills on the track.

Documents Required

• Form 1: Contains self declaration of the physical conditions of the applicant. This form holds good for persons below 50 years and valid for non-transport vehicles.
• Form 1A: This form is valid for persons over 50 years of age. To apply for a driving license, persons falling under this category should produce a certificate from a registered medical practitioner along with the form.
• Form 2 & 3: Application form for learners license.

In addition to the forms above, the applicant should also furnish an Eye Test Certificate from an ophthalmologist along with ID and address proof such as Voters id card, passport, school leaving certificate, Aadhar card etc.

Fees & Charges

Fee Description	Amount
Learners License	Rs.30
Driving test (each class)	Rs.50
Driving License	Rs.200
Service charge	Rs.50

The fees and charges are payable in cash at the regional transport office at the payment counter.

DL Renewal Procedure

If your license is due to expire, make sure to apply for a renewal at least a month before the expiry. For renewals done 30 days after its expiry, a new DL card will be issued on the date of receipt of the payment and the application. A fee of Rs.250 should be remitted for renewal done before 30 days from the expiry date.

Procedure for International Driving License

The RTO in Kerala will also issue IDP (International driving permit) to applicants who hold a valid driving license issued in India. If you wish to get an IDP, ask for form IDP or write to the jurisdictional RTO, providing the details of the countries to be visited and other details such as duration of the stay.

information credit : bankbazzar