[noopster]

Originally Posted by privin

I eventually got my RC through Indiapost's speedpost.

It is part of process flow when they do bulk processing. So the first message with tracking number was from RTO. Tracking number is preallocated but actual consignment is not available to Indiapost And then only after 2 weeks or so, Indiapost sent messages of actual handling of the package. And only then one can track it.

Thanks for this update. This is so confusing. I got both my wife's and my DLs renewed at MH12 RTO recently. The status for both says "dispatched DL by Speed post on 21-Oct" and each has a separate tracking number as well. But the India post site steadfastly refuses to display the tracking status against those numbers, which is so frustrating.

Wife's DL has already expired and mine will next week. Usually it's not a problem since we have already downloaded DIgilocker/Vaahan digital licenses which reflect the updated validity. But we have plans to go on self-drive holidays and those agencies only accept a physical DL. So fingers crossed that our get delivered soon!

[RaghuVis]

Originally Posted by RaghuVis

Thanks for the Info. I will look into it.

Originally Posted by noopster

So fingers crossed that our get delivered soon!

I got my DL delivered yesterday at my native home. So, in effect, after getting the message regarding dispatch, you get it within 7-10 days.

[varkey]

Originally Posted by varkey

So it took close to 2 months to get the RTO approval flows completed, printing and delivery of physical DL is still pending.

Finally, the status was updated as printing and dispatch complete on October 24. However the tracking number started working only the next day evening and was delivered yesterday.

So it took 70 days from completed application to delivery of physical DL.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by noopster

Thanks for this update. This is so confusing. I got both my wife's and my DLs renewed at MH12 RTO recently. The status for both says "dispatched DL by Speed post on 21-Oct" and each has a separate tracking number as well. But the India post site steadfastly refuses to display the tracking status against those numbers, which is so frustrating.

Wife's DL has already expired and mine will next week. Usually it's not a problem since we have already downloaded DIgilocker/Vaahan digital licenses which reflect the updated validity. But we have plans to go on self-drive holidays and those agencies only accept a physical DL. So fingers crossed that our get delivered soon!

So after waiting about a week, we got an alert that the consignment had reached the local post office. The same day it got delivered to our address (both came together albeit in different envelopes). One disappointment that the lovely red and white colour scheme has been replaced by a dull blue/grey one which seems to be the new one adopted nationwide. But both of us don't have to worry about renewing our DLs till 2034 now!

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by noopster

But both of us don't have to worry about renewing our DLs till 2034 now!

Have they renewed for 10 years? I was under the impression that, post 50 yr age, the renewals are restricted to 5yr validity. I assume you have touched 50 .

[noopster]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Have they renewed for 10 years? I was under the impression that, post 50 yr age, the renewals are restricted to 5yr validity. I assume you have touched 50 .

I *just* crossed that landmark but my wife hasn't, so you should be careful with your assumptions, young man !

I got my license issued when I was 19, valid for 20 years and when they extended it, they did so till the eve of my 50th birthday (slightly more than 11 years) and the subsequent renewal has happened for 10 years. I assume at some point it will be every 5 years, either next time or when I turn 70. Let's see.

Looking at some anecdotal data (friends and family) it doesn't seem very consistent. Or maybe it is and I just haven't understood how it works!

[casuallyonroad]

Originally Posted by Sridhar C E

I had a good experience at Bangalore Central RTO, HSR layout while renewing my DL.
The parivahan website was useful and listed out the process. I downloaded the forms including the medical fitness form. There was a provision to upload the documents and pay the online fee too.

I googled the location of my nearest health center (phc). It was a pleasant experience meeting Dr (Mrs) Patil, who was cordial and professional. She got me to read some distant signboard, checked me for colour blindness and then signed my form.
Next, I uploaded the relevant forms on to the parivahan website and paid the fee ( Rs 450+). I downloaded the receipt with my application number and printed it out. The next step was to physically submit the same forms to the RTO. ( somehow this aspect robs you of the charm and ease of doing things online).
The staff at RTO room.no.3 trickled in by 11am but I could submit the forms and leave. I was told that the DL would take a month to arrive home.

As I kept checking the parivahan website, by week 3 I could see no progress on my application. I saw the status as " DL not printed" and "pending at RTO."
I then visited the RTO again that week. The lady in charge said that there was a problem with their server but that it would be resolved soon.

A couple of days later , I got a text message with a link to my virtual DL , which I printed out. Still after week 4, the status showed that the DL was printed but not despatched.

Towards the end of week 4 I visited the RTO again ( the 3rd time) and they gave me the DL. I was asked to photocopy the DL and sign on the copy and give it to them. Finally it is this paper copy that arrived by speed post a couple of days later.

In all, I am happy I didn't have to pay anything under the table. However, as you can see, there is a scope for improving the process.

[Note: Spawned this from thread "Procedure of renewing vehicle registration at the 15-year mark | It's easier than you think" by changing the title to make it more relevant]

I had a better experience recently at Bangalore South (Jayanagar) RTO. My friend who actually applied completely online & DIY in Jun 2024 at Yashwanthapura (Bengaluru North) RTO got the physical DL in 2 months, and I had the benefit of his experience.

I will only mention the things which happened differently to me (compared to the above anecdote, or other threads on this topic):

I started the application process 2 days after my DL expired (surprisingly, the mParivahan app was showing my DL as active even after it expired - more on this later).

I downloaded beforehand the "blank" form 1a from Parivahan (medical fitness form - Parivahan tells you if you need this) and filled it manually and pasted photograph at the assigned space.
[Mentioning this specifically as a different thread ("DIY: Renewal of Maharashtra (MH) Driving Licence online") mentions that it was mandatory to print the pre-filled form 1a generated by Parivahan and get it signed by a doctor. This may be state/RTO specific.]
After an unsuccessful attempt at a nearby PHC (doctor is not there, you won't get this certificate here, go to the general hospital, blah blah) , went to a different one after asking around. The procedure there was smooth:

• the place looked surprisingly neat and clean for a government PHC

• the staff politely asked me to wait for my turn to meet the doctor

• the doctor actually asked several questions about my health & vision and assigned to a different (may be junior) doctor for further checking who even checked my BP and gave some advice based on it

• She then signed the form with the registration number & stamp

• I politely reminded her to sign/stamp on the photograph as well

It is then that I actually started the application process in Parivahan now that I have everything required (read: form 1a). I wanted to finish it in one sitting and it took a couple of hours due to errors, timeouts etc. from which was relatively easy to recover (no loss of data/inputs happened at any stage).

I had change of address also (important as the DL is sent by post to the address on record) and though my latest address comes under the jurisdiction of a different RTO (still in Bangalore), I chose to apply at the original RTO based on my friend's experience. [I was fine with this as both RTOs are in Bangalore, and I could switch to the other RTO if required with not so much hassle (relatively); however, not sure how it works if the current address is in a different city or even state]. The change of address was available as an add-on service while applying for renewal and was smooth.

I uploaded scanned copies of the certified form 1a, DL (expired) and Aadhaar (address proof). There is a size limit on the PDF files you upload, so some tweaking was required here. Also had to upload a photograph (there was an option to get it from Aadhaar database, may be because I did Aadhaar eKYC as part of this application process; however, I chose to upload photo) and signature scan - the requirement for these is very stringent (small file size) and it was frustrating, having to try several times (I was worried that if make the file-size too small, the photo will lose details).

Payment of fee was a hassle as it got timed out a couple of times but it was fine at the end.

Then I waited.

Meanwhile, I printed the fee receipt and application acknowledgement (available for download on Parivahan) and kept it in my vehicle just in case Murphy's law kicks in and I am stopped by cops for checking the just-expired DL.

It is worth mentioning here that apparently there is a 30 day grace period after the DL expires and the expired DL is valid during this time [You can refer to sections 14 & 15 in MV Act 1988 - found this at (https://morth.nic.in/motor-vehicles-act-1988), please use at your own risk: https://ebook.commerciallawpublisher...le/index.html].
Disclaimer: Don't take my words on this as I am not an expert on the subject. It is advisable to kick off the renewal process at least a month before it expires (apparently we can apply 1 year before expiry but the RTO folks told me that you can apply only before 1 month; YMMV) so that you have the renewed DL before the old one expires.

My digital copy of DL in mParivahan app was showing the status as ACTIVE in bold green even after I refreshed; I guessed that may be because it is within the grace period and it was minor solace for me [I was fancying my chances of successfully arguing with a traffic cop based on the active status of my expired DL ] while I waited for the RTO angels to bless me.

Now comes the actual better part. On the very second working day after my submission, the scrutiny of my application was done and on the fourth working day, it was approved (both renewal & address change) and I got an SMS to download the new license in mParivahan. I was able to get the renewed DL in both mParivahan and digilocker instantly.

It is now awaiting printing of the DL but it's only the fifth working day after submission and I am not too worried yet as I now have the "active" digital version which is not expired .

As you can see, it was surprisingly straight-forward & quick:

• I did not have to visit the RTO. The key factor may be that I did Aadhaar eKYC (though it seems to be optional). This perhaps aligns with the government's claim that Aadhaar eKYC can replace manual KYC (perhaps equivalent to visiting/signing in person and submitting hard copies of documents). I kept my old DL with me all the while (have it even now).

• I did not have to pay a single penny as "service charges" (there was a hint dropped about "charges" at the PHC but in the end no one mentioned it again; YMMV).

I hope my experience is of help to someone in need.

PS: Though my DL renewal was completely online; there are a couple of minor (even expected) exceptions (kindly excuse any pun):

• firstly, getting the medical certificate (form 1a) is an offline process as expected

• secondly, in my case, my original DL details were not digitised for some reason (though it was a card and not paper-based, and the number was in an older format), so I had to apply for the "backlog" process to get my DL appear in Parivahan - I had to submit 2 photocopies of my DL (then about to expire) and an Id proof copy to the Jayanagar RTO [yes, I had to visit them for this purpose strictly during the application submission timings which is 10 am to 1 pm]. They signed/stamped the second DL copy and gave it to me as an acknowledgement. The DL details appeared in Parivahan within a month (I got an SMS with the new DL number). No, this is not an anticlimax - the DL has to exist in the Parivahan database for the online renewal to kick-in. It's a different matter why they do not proactively do this "backlog" update, but let's not digress. My friend who I mentioned earlier did not have to go through this process (only had to visit the friendly neighborhood PHC).

[Burgman_tales]

There was no driving test? So renewal is basically physical fitness test. When I got my fresh DL at Bangalore, I met a person who had to appear for driving test as part of DL renewal process. I'm unclear on how this works.

[shankar.balan]

I transferred my TN license to KA (Blr) in the early 2000’s. Then renewed it in 2011 with the standard 10 year validity. Coming up to age 50 in 2021, I imagined they would only give 5 years. But I applied within the time limit and received another 10 year validity. I think this is because when I applied, I was still 49 and right on the cusp, not yet having actually ‘completed’ 50 years of age. I think the next renewal may have a validity of only 5 years.
But it is possible also that the 5 year stricture may be raised to those who are 70+ .

[rajneeesh]

My driving licence is scheduled to expire on Nov 15, 2024. I logged on to M Parivahan down loaded form 1a and got it filled and stamped by a doctor. Now I thought it was a matter of few minutes. I already has the digital images of my signature ( 10 KB) photograph stored in a folder.

I verified the details of my existing DL using Adhaae EKYC ( no change in address ), the ARTO is also the same as the one from which the original DL was issued ( UP 16 Gautam Budh Nagar). I got the OTP on my mobile phone with which i completed the verification. However, to my surprise, I did not find an option to renew the DL. Amongst the options that were presented were ones for a) Change in address b) Duplicate Licence c) Replacement of licence .

I had tried the replacement option around a fortnight back and the licence was approved . However, to my surprise its expiry date was also the same as my existing licence i.e 15th November 2024.

The note at the bottom of the page said that renewal can be applied for 1 year before the licence expires. However, as I mentioned before I did not get ony option for the same on the page.

I have decided to try again after Nov 15. Any help from anyone of the forum members will be very useful. I live in Noida and my application for renewal is from the Noida ( Gautam Budh RTO)

[casuallyonroad]

Originally Posted by Burgman_tales

There was no driving test? So renewal is basically physical fitness test. When I got my fresh DL at Bangalore, I met a person who had to appear for driving test as part of DL renewal process. I'm unclear on how this works.

AFAIK, driving test is required for renewal if the grace period for renewing the old one with penalty has passed.

See the note at the end of: https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan//...newalduplicate

Your attention is drawn to "The condition may be changed as per the state policy."

[casuallyonroad]

Originally Posted by rajneeesh

My driving licence is scheduled to expire on Nov 15, 2024. I logged on to M Parivahan down loaded form 1a and got it filled and stamped by a doctor. Now I thought it was a matter of few minutes. I already has the digital images of my signature ( 10 KB) photograph stored in a folder.

I verified the details of my existing DL using Adhaae EKYC ( no change in address ), the ARTO is also the same as the one from which the original DL was issued ( UP 16 Gautam Budh Nagar). I got the OTP on my mobile phone with which i completed the verification. However, to my surprise, I did not find an option to renew the DL. Amongst the options that were presented were ones for a) Change in address b) Duplicate Licence c) Replacement of licence .

I had tried the replacement option around a fortnight back and the licence was approved . However, to my surprise its expiry date was also the same as my existing licence i.e 15th November 2024.

The note at the bottom of the page said that renewal can be applied for 1 year before the licence expires. However, as I mentioned before I did not get ony option for the same on the page.

I have decided to try again after Nov 15. Any help from anyone of the forum members will be very useful. I live in Noida and my application for renewal is from the Noida ( Gautam Budh RTO)

It is strange to know the renewal option was not presented to you.
I started my application by selecting renewal option after selecting state.
It is as per the attached image.

Of course, validation was done after I entered my DL number. Not sure if something went wrong for you at this stage. Good luck with trying after the expiry.

[gaddiwale]

Originally Posted by casuallyonroad

[Note: Spawned this from thread "Procedure of renewing vehicle registration at the 15-year mark | It's easier than you think" by changing the title to make it more relevant]

I had a better experience recently at Bangalore South (Jayanagar) RTO. My friend who actually applied completely online & DIY in Jun 2024 at Yashwanthapura (Bengaluru North) RTO got the physical DL in 2 months, and I had the benefit of his experience.

.[/list]

My experience with the same Bangalore South (KA05) is different. My DL expiry date was 1st Sept 2024 and applied for renewal on 24th July 2024. The process mentioned the process is "Faceless and contactless process and not RTO visit require". No change in address, submitted Aadhaar Card of same address and duly signed Form 1A by Medical Officer of Govt UPHC.

26.08.2024 - Accepted the Form 1A however, asked to "Upload original DL scanned one bothside". The same day scanned the original DL bothsides on a single page and uploaded.

18.09.2024 - Again asked "Upload original DL scanned one bothside". The same day scanned the original DL bothsides in two pages and uploaded.

09.10.2024 - Again asked "Upload original DL scanned one bothside". This time on the same day uploaded colour scanned DL bothsides on two pages. Also dropped email to RTO with a copy to Transport Secretary to understand the required format of uploading the original DL! No response received.....

04.11.2024 - Finally the document verified successfully

08.11.2024 - Driving license renewal application APPROVED and visible in Digilocker. However, till today its not gone for priniting, ARTO approval pending.


"Upload original DL scanned one bothside" - no idea how to interpret this? RTO themselves issued DL what is the point of asking the same from the applicant?

The lession learnt - start DL renewal process well in advance, may be 6 months before expiry.

[casuallyonroad]

Originally Posted by gaddiwale

My experience with the same Bangalore South (KA05) is different. My DL expiry date was 1st Sept 2024 and applied for renewal on 24th July 2024.
...

09.10.2024 - Again asked "Upload original DL scanned one bothside". This time on the same day uploaded colour scanned DL bothsides on two pages.
...

"Upload original DL scanned one bothside" - no idea how to interpret this? RTO themselves issued DL what is the point of asking the same from the applicant?

The lession learnt - start DL renewal process well in advance, may be 6 months before expiry.

Strange how different our experiences are.
I see you explicitly mentioned colour scan of the DL was uploaded the last time before it was finally approved. I uploaded all docs as colour scans the first time itself. May be that made the difference. May be not.
Also, guessing they asked to upload DL scan just to make sure we have it in our possession, as an extra check (akin to actually submitting the original DL in offline application).
Also I was told by RTO that I cannot apply for renewal more than a month ahead of expiry. But the system clearly allowed you to do that.

[rajneeesh]

Finally with no option to renew the DL online in Noida, (my licence expired on 15th Nov) I visited the ARTO office in Sector 33 Noida. Over there, I used an agent who quickly uploaded the medical certificate and Adhaar details, paid the fees and got an appointment on the spot.

I submitted the documents in the next 15 minutes (there were around 10 people ahead of me in the queue) and got myself photographed. Immediately, I got a text stating that my application for renewal had been verified.

This could have been done online as well as is being done in other states. It would not only have saved me a trip to the ARTO office but also removed the need to use the services of an agent and save me money.

As per the agents themselves, there are vested interests that prevent the systme going online. The RTO employees and the agents are the chief benefeciaries of this