Driving License in Himachal Pradesh

To drive a motor vehicle in the state of Himachal Pradesh, having a driving license is essential. A driving license is an official document that gives you the license to move your vehicle anytime, anywhere. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 makes it mandatory for a vehicle owner to possess a driving license in order to drive his vehicle on Indian roads. No person shall drive a motor vehicle in any public area if he does not have a valid DL. The Motor Vehicles Department of Himachal Pradesh has laid down strict rules for drivers to carry a valid DL in order to drive a motorised vehicle in and around India. The Regional Transport Office of Himachal Pradesh is entrusted with the responsibility of issuing a driving license and providing its citizens other services related to it.

Having a mode of transport (Be it a car or a bike) has become a necessity for travelling. While owning a vehicle is important, it is equally important to carry the responsibilities that come with it as well, like having a driving licence, getting valid car insurance or a bike insurance policy (as per your vehicle type). As per the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, a driving licence and a third-party motor insurance is legally mandatory to drive or ride on Indian roads.

The Motor Vehicles Department of Himachal Pradesh has listed down the eligibility criteria which an applicant has to comply with in order to obtain a DL in Himachal Pradesh.

• For driving a non-transport vehicle i.e. motor cycle with gear or light motor vehicle, an applicant should have attained the age of 18 years.
• For driving a transport vehicle, an applicant should have attained the age of 20 years.
• For driving a motor- cycle without gear, an applicant should have attained the age of 16 years. The applicant must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian for applying for this vehicle category.
• An applicant applying for driving a transport vehicle should have a 1-year experience of driving a light motor vehicle.
• The applicant must possess a valid learner’s license.
• The applicant should apply for a permanent driving license after 30 days or within 180 days from the date of issuance of the learner’s license.

To apply for a driving license in Himachal Pradesh, an applicant will have to follow the below procedure:

How to apply for a Driving License online in Himachal Pradesh?

• An applicant can apply for a driving license online in Himachal Pradesh through its state Government website- himachal.nic.in
• Then, click on online driving license on the left side of the page.
• You will then be directed to parivahan.gov.in
• Fill and submit the form online and upload the documents after that
• On uploading the documents, you will have to pay the fees
• You will then have to visit the RTO with copies of your original documents and schedule a slot for your driving test to be conducted.
• Then appear for the driving test
• On passing the test, the applicant will be issued the permanent DL within a few days.

How to apply for driving license offline in Himachal Pradesh?

An applicant can apply for a driving license offline in Himachal Pradesh by following the below steps:

• Collect the application form from the RTO
• Fill the form and attach the required documents to be submitted.
• Submit the form and the documents and pay the fee
• Book a particular date and time slot for the driving test to be conducted
• Appear for the driving test with your own vehicle. The vehicle should be of the same class for which driving license the applicant is applying for.
• On passing the test, the applicant will be issued the driving license within a few days.

In the state of Himachal Pradesh, a driving license is valid for 20 years or up to the age of 50, whichever is earlier. On expiry of the driving license, an applicant can renew a DL in Himachal Pradesh, following the below-mentioned steps:

First, the applicant will be required to submit the below documents:

• Application form No.9
• Permanent driving license
• Medical certificate form 1-A
• 3 copies of passport size photographs
• Application fee of Rs. 200

Procedure for renewing a driving license online in Himachal Pradesh

• An application who wants to renew his driving license online, can do so by downloading the form from himachal.nic.in/WriteReadData/l892s/3_l892s/CMV%20FORM%209-94532740.pdf and then filling and submitting it to the RTO office.
• The applicant can also apply for renewal of DL in Himachal Pradesh through parivahan.gov.in/parivahan. Applying through this website lets the applicant submit the form, documents and pay the fees online. An application number is generated which the applicant will have to show to the RTO official while submitting the documents to the RTO office.
• On verification of the documents, the renewed driving license will be issued to the applicant within a few days or weeks.

Procedure for renewing driving license offline in Himachal Pradesh

• Renewal of driving license in Himachal Pradesh can be done by an applicant by directly visiting the RTO office. The applicant will have to collect the form, fill it and submit it along with the relevant documents to the RTO office. Once the documents are verified, the renewed driving license will be issued to the applicant in a few days.

Driving license test in Himachal Pradesh is conducted as per rule 15 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The test is conducted in the presence of a Motor Vehicles Inspector who will judge the applicant on the basis of his driving skills. If the applicant passes the test, the driving license will be issued to him within 15 days. But if the applicant fails the test, then he can reappear for the test within 60 days from the date of failing the test.