In India, to be eligible to drive vehicles on the road, it is mandatory for a person to hold a valid driving license in his or her name. The same is the case with commercial vehicles. They require commercial drivers’ licenses. Commercial vehicles in India are mainly categorized into Light, Medium and Heavy commercial vehicles. Heavy commercial vehicles form a major part of the Indian automobile industry. Take a look at the detailed procedure and pre-requisites for obtaining a heavy motor vehicle driving license in India.
List of eligibility criteria for obtaining a heavy vehicle driving license in India:
For obtaining a heavy vehicle license in India, the applicant has to first fulfil the following basic criteria. Only by fulfilling these, he or she can proceed to apply for the license to the concerned department of the Government of India.
- Age criteria: The applicant seeking a commercial vehicle license must be of 18 years of age or above. However, in certain states, the minimum age limit is 20 years.
- Education qualification: The applicant should be educated till the 8th standard. This criterion is mandated in order to ascertain that the applicant is able to read and understand the basic road and traffic signs and symbols.
- Mental and Physical Health: The applicant should be of sound mental health. It is very obvious given the fact that granting a license to a lunatic or mentally unsound person would be dangerous to him and other people on the road. The applicant should be physically sound too.
- Driving training: To be eligible to apply for a heavy vehicle license, the applicant should be first trained in driving from a government training school or an institute that is affiliated with the State Government.
- Learner’s License: The applicant must also be a valid learner’s license before applying for a license with the Government of India.
Process of applying for a Heavy Motor Vehicle drivers’ license:
There are two modes for applying for a commercial vehicle license including a truck driver license namely, offline mode and online mode.
Online mode:
Here is the step by step procedure for applying online:
- Create an account with the official Parivahan website of Road Transport Authority of India at https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/
- Go to the online services tab and click on “driving license-related services” and select the state from the scroll down
- On the next page, click on apply online appearing on the left side of the screen and select “New Driving License” and
- Click on “Continue” to fill to the application
- The first part of the application requires the applicant to fill in all the necessary details asked therein. This part is divided into Form 4 (license application), Form1A (Medical certificate) and Form 5 (certificate issued by the driving institute).
- The second part requires all the mandatory documents, which need to be uploaded as supporting documents.
- Thirdly, a photo and signature of the applicant have to be uploaded. This requirement is applicable only in certain states.
- Next, the applicant has to select a slot for his or her driving test. This is again applicable only in certain states.
- The last part requires the applicant to make payment for the license fee. The applicant has to make payment for the issuance of a license as well as for the driving test.
Offline mode:
- To apply offline, visit the nearest RTO office and collect all the required forms.
- Fill in the forms and attach self-attested Xerox copies of all the necessary at the RTO. Make sure the documents are attached with the form. You are also instructed to carry the originals with you.
- On submission of the form and documents, you will be provided with an acknowledgement number. You will also receive an intimation on your given mobile number. You will also be notified about the dates on which you need to appear for the driving test.
Driving Test
The applicant has to appear for the driving test on the date assigned or selected by him. Once he or she passes the driving test, he or she will be granted a driving license.
List of documents required for commercial vehicle driving license:
Following documents are required to avail of a commercial driver license:
- Copy of address proof (eligible proofs are Passport, voter id, ration card, Aadhaar card or utility bill)
- Identity Proof (eligible proofs are PAN card, voter id, Passport, Aadhaar card, birth certificate or 10th pass certificate)
- Medical Certificate by a registered medical practitioner (Form 1A)
- Certificate issued by driving school or institute (Form 5)
- Passport size photographs
The procedure for availing of a commercial driver license is a simple task. However, passing the driving test is difficult and requires the applicant to be exceptionally good at driving.
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