The Smartcard Driving License system

The Licensing authority under Directorate of Transport introduced the smartcard system for driving licence from 19-sep-2013 onwards.

The DL will have a pan Indian design which will have a same look and feel across the country.

The licence will be issued not in the name of the state from where it is issued but in the name of the Indian Union.

There will not be additional financial burden on the citizen for obtaining smart card driving licence. All transactions like renewal of driving licence, addition of any class of vehicle, duplicate licence, change of address etc. citizen would be issued with smart card by making the usual transaction fee as being paid now. If any licence holder wishes to convert their valid driving license from existing plain PVC card or from booklet form to smart card then they can do so by making a payment of Rs. 200/. However it will not be mandatory for the citizen to convert the existing valid driving licence in plain PVC card into smart card.

It has several security features such as certain colour patterns, specific design, State specific logo, hologram, microprocessor etc. to make sure that this card cannot be replicated. Enforcement agencies in other States can check the authenticity of these smart card driving licences on the spot using readers. Citizen can use the driving licence with confidence in any part of the country.