Issue and renewal of Driving Licence might get costly

As part of the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016, the Union Government has proposed a hike in the fees for issue and renewal of driving licence for all vehicles. If the proposal is accepted and implemented, a new private vehicle driving licence will cost Rs. 1,200, as compared to the current fee of Rs. 320.

As a result of the aforementioned proposal, a smart card licence might cost Rs. 400 in the future, compared to the present fee of Rs. 200. Similarly, a learner's driving licence will cost Rs. 150 for each class of vehicle, up from the current charge of Rs. 30. An additional charge of Rs. 50 will also be added to the learner's driving licence fee for conducting the learner's driving test.

Additionally, the Union Government is planning to give states the authority to charge extra fees for conducting detailed driving tests for each class of vehicle, i.e., two-wheeler, light motor vehicle, heavy motor vehicle, etc. Currently, a one-time fee of Rs. 50 is charged for conducting the driving test for all vehicles, which might now increase to Rs. 300 per class of vehicle.

Furthermore, the renewal fee of a driving licence has also been upped from Rs. 50 to Rs. 200. The amendment also proposes the cost of applying for an international driving licence to be doubled to Rs. 1,000.

Driving lessons are also expected to get costly, as the licence issue and renewal fees for driving schools are likely to increase from Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 10,000.

Source: The Hindu