Guide
Documents required for a driving licence in India: learner's and permanent
- The form
- Form 2, for learner's and permanent
- Minimum age
- 16 without gears, 18 for a car or geared bike
- Learner's licence
- Valid 6 months, anywhere in India
One form, Form 2, covers both the learner's licence and the full driving licence. Here is what goes with it, from Parivahan's own pages and forms.
A real moment
“The Sarathi site wants a photo under 50 KB, a proof of age and address, and a medical form you have never heard of. Your only scan of your Aadhaar is 3 MB.”
For a learner's licence in India you need Form 2, one proof of age and address such as Aadhaar, a passport or a birth certificate, a passport-size photo, and Form 1, your own declaration of fitness. After holding the learner's licence for 30 days, you can take the test for the permanent licence.
The checklist
What to have ready
Last checked against the official sources on 26 September 2026
Everyone
- Form 2One application form for a learner's licence, driving licence, renewal, duplicate and change of address.
- Proof of age and addressAadhaar, your entry in the electoral roll, a life insurance policy, passport, school certificate, birth certificate, a government pay slip, a sworn affidavit, or an age certificate from a civil surgeon. One document can cover both.
- Passport-size photoFor an online application, a JPEG no bigger than 50 KB.
- Form 1Your own declaration that you are physically fit to drive.
Only if they apply
- Form 1A medical certificateSigned by a doctor the state has authorised. Some official FAQs ask for it with every learner's licence, so check your state.Only if you are 40 or older, or applying for a transport licence
- Parent or guardian's consentTheir signed declaration in Form 2.Only if the applicant is under 18
- Driving school certificate (Form 5)From a driving school or establishment.Only if you are applying for a transport vehicle class
- Your learner's licenceHeld for at least 30 days, and still valid.Only if you are applying for the permanent licence
- A vehicle for the testOf the class you applied for.Only if you are taking the driving test
Scan each paper once and DigiSafe ticks it off, shows what is still missing, and sends the lot as one PDF or one link.
Tick these off in DigiSafeLearner's and permanent, in one list
One proof can cover age and address
A photo under 50 KB, made on your phone
The form
Form 2, for learner's and permanent
Minimum age
16 without gears, 18 for a car or geared bike
Learner's licence
Valid 6 months, anywhere in India
Driving test
After holding it for 30 days
One form for everything
Form 2 is the application for a learner's licence, a driving licence, a renewal, a duplicate and a change of address. Its document list ends with any other document your state specifies, so your RTO can ask for more than the central list.
Proof of age and address
The same list serves both: Aadhaar, the electoral roll, a life insurance policy, a passport, a school or birth certificate, a government pay slip, a sworn affidavit, or a civil surgeon's age certificate. If one document proves both your age and your address, you submit just that one.
Form 1 and Form 1A
Form 1 is your own declaration of fitness, and everyone gives it. Form 1A is a medical certificate from a doctor the state has appointed. Parivahan asks for it from applicants aged 40 or over and for transport licences, but a Sarathi FAQ asks for it with every learner's licence, so check your state's page.
From learner's to permanent
A learner's licence lasts six months, is valid across India, and cannot be renewed: once it expires, you apply for a new one. After holding it for at least 30 days you can take the driving test, so apply for the permanent licence before it runs out, and bring a vehicle of the class you applied for.
Minimum ages
Parivahan lists 16 for a motorcycle without gears, 18 for a car or a geared motorcycle, and 20 for a transport vehicle. Anyone under 18 needs the written consent of a parent or guardian.
Step by step
- 1
Choose your state on the Sarathi site and fill in Form 2.
- 2
Scan your proof of age and address into DigiSafe.
- 3
Make a 50 KB JPG of your photo with Make it smaller.
- 4
Upload, book your test slot, and visit the RTO with originals and the fee receipt.
- 5
After 30 days, apply for the permanent licence and take the test.
- 6
Scan the new licence into DigiSafe, both sides.
Questions people ask
What documents do I need for a learner's licence?+
Form 2, one proof of age and address, a passport-size photo, and Form 1. Add Form 1A if you are 40 or older or want a transport licence, and a parent's consent if you are under 18. Your state can ask for more.
Is Aadhaar enough for a driving licence?+
Aadhaar is on Form 2's list of proofs, and one document can cover both age and address. You still need the form, a photo and Form 1, and your state can ask for other documents.
How long is a learner's licence valid?+
Six months, anywhere in India. It cannot be renewed; after it expires you apply for a new one.
When can I take the driving test?+
Once you have held a valid learner's licence for at least 30 days. Apply for the permanent licence before the learner's licence expires.
Where this comes from
Official sources, dated.
Every requirement on this page comes from the official pages listed here, last checked on 26 September 2026. Rules change and offices can ask for more, so check the official page before you go.
- 1Parivahan: Form 2, application for a learner's or driving licence (PDF)parivahan.gov.in
- 2Parivahan: Form 1A, medical certificate (PDF)parivahan.gov.in
- 3Parivahan: FAQsparivahan.gov.in
- 4Parivahan: Learner's licence FAQsparivahan.gov.in
- 5Parivahan: Learner's licenceparivahan.gov.in
- 6Parivahan: Permanent licenceparivahan.gov.in
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