The Centre has proposed a 30-day deadline for processing driving licence address-change applications, along with the removal of fees for several licence and vehicle registration services.
The measures are part of draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, intended to simplify online applications and reduce delays in processing requests.
What happens if the RTO does not respond?
Under the proposed Rule 16A, licensing authorities would be required to approve or reject applications for changes to driving licence particulars within 15 days. In case of rejection, the applicant would have to be informed of the reasons in writing through electronic or other prescribed means.
A separate provision would apply to applications seeking an address change. If the licensing authority does not approve or reject such an application within 30 days, the request would be treated as approved. This deemed-approval provision would apply only to address changes and not to every type of driving licence detail update.
Licence services that may become free
The draft proposes abolishing the existing Rs 200 charge for changing a licence holder’s name or other recorded particulars. No fee would be charged for updating an address, mobile number or email ID.
Charges for services obtained through online Aadhaar authentication under Rule 32 would also be removed under the proposed amendments.
Changes to vehicle registration records
The government has also proposed eliminating the fee for recording a change of residence in a vehicle’s registration details. Additional charges for delays in submitting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) related to a change of residence would also be scrapped.
At present, the delayed submission charge is Rs 300 for every month or part of a month in the case of motorcycles and Rs 500 for other vehicles. The proposed amendments would remove both charges.
Proposed online application process
A new Form 2A is proposed for services including driving licence renewal, issuing duplicate licences, adding a vehicle category and correcting personal details.
Applications for changes to licence particulars would be filed through the online portal with valid supporting documents. Applicants could confirm their identity using an electronic signature or another method notified by the Centre.
Details already available on the Sarathi portal, including existing licence information, could be retrieved automatically. This would reduce the need to enter the same information repeatedly during the application process.
When could the rules take effect?
The proposed changes have not yet come into force. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has invited objections and suggestions for 30 days from the date on which copies of the Gazette notification are made available to the public.
The feedback received during this period will be considered before the amendments are finalised.
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