Learner Licence Online 2026 Guide

Reviewed on 2026-06-20 by Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak.

A learner licence is the L-plate stage. You hold it first, practise under supervision, and only then sit the driving test for a full licence. This guide walks you screen by screen through the 2026 Sarathi Parivahan flow, so you know what each page wants before it loads.

Open sarathi.parivahan.gov.in in any browser. The home screen opens with a single dropdown that says Select State or Union Territory. Pick the State where you live, because the portal then loads that State's RTO list, fee screen and slot calendar. Do not skip this; a learner licence is issued by your local RTO, not by a central office.

After you choose the State, a menu called Licence Related Services drops down. Click Apply for Learner Licence. A short instruction page appears listing the stages: applicant details, document upload, fee payment, slot booking and the LL test. Read it once, scroll down and click Continue.

The next screen asks how you want to verify yourself. If your mobile number is linked to Aadhaar, choose the Aadhaar e-KYC option. The portal sends a one time password to that number, and once you enter it the form auto-fills your name, date of birth, gender and address straight from the UIDAI record. This is the contactless route, and for non-transport vehicles it lets you finish everything, including the test, from home.

If you are not using Aadhaar, the portal opens a blank application. You fill in your name, parentage, address, blood group and the class of vehicle you want, such as motorcycle with gear or light motor vehicle.

Two forms sit inside this application even when the portal fills them for you. Form 1 is a self declaration that you are physically fit to drive. Form 2 is the learner licence application itself. If you are applying for a transport vehicle, or you are over forty years old, you also upload Form 1A, a medical certificate signed by a registered doctor. Keep these ready so the upload screen does not stall you.

The upload screen lists slots for proof of age, proof of address, a passport photo and your signature. Accepted proofs include your Aadhaar, passport, PAN, voter card or a birth or school certificate for age. Scan each as a clear PDF or JPG within the size limit shown on the page. If you used Aadhaar e-KYC, the photo and address may already be attached, so you only upload the signature.

The fee screen shows a small statutory application fee for each class of vehicle plus a learner test fee, payable by card, net banking or UPI. The exact amount differs by State and class, so read the figure on the payment page before you confirm and verify the current figure on the Sarathi portal. After payment you either book an RTO slot for document checking and the test, or, on the Aadhaar route, go straight to the online test.

The learner test is a computer based set of multiple choice questions on traffic signs, road rules and what to do at a railway crossing or after an accident. You need sixty percent correct to pass. On the Aadhaar route a webcam proctors you at home; otherwise you sit it at the RTO. Pass, and the portal generates your learner licence number at once and offers the PDF for download. Save it to mParivahan or DigiLocker so you can show it on your phone.

If you fail, the portal lets you pay a retest fee and try again after a short gap. There is no limit that bars you for one failure.

You must be eighteen for a light motor vehicle and most categories. For a gearless motorcycle up to fifty cubic centimetres you may apply at sixteen with a guardian's written consent. For transport vehicles, e-rickshaws and e-carts the minimum age is twenty, and you must usually have passed the eighth standard.

A learner licence is valid for six months from the date of issue. You must hold it for at least thirty days before you sit the driving test, and you should apply for the full driving licence within that six month window, so plan your practice early. Once you are confident, move to our guide on how to apply for a driving licence.

Figure: step-by-step flow. If a step stalls, use the grievance or RTI route shown.

Sometimes the upload fails, the fee debits but no licence shows, or the RTO marks your document as defective. First check your application status; the same Licence Related Services menu has a status link, and our guide on driving licence status and renewal explains how to read it. If money left your account but no LL appears, do not pay twice; raise a grievance on your State transport department portal with the transaction reference. If the RTO sits on a clear application without a reason, you can file an RTI to your State Transport Authority asking for the file notings and the reason for delay. Lost the printout later? See getting a duplicate RC or DL.

Yes, if your mobile is linked to Aadhaar. The faceless route uses Aadhaar e-KYC, auto-fills your details and lets you take the test by webcam at home for non-transport classes. Without Aadhaar you must visit the RTO once for document verification and the test.

Six months from the date of issue. Within that period you must hold it for at least thirty days and then pass the driving test to convert it into a full licence. If it lapses, you apply afresh.

Sixty percent. The test is multiple choice and covers traffic signs, road rules and safe driving. If you do not clear it, you can pay a retest fee and sit it again after a short gap.

Proof of age, proof of address, a photo and your signature, plus Form 1 self declaration and Form 2 application. Transport applicants and people over forty also upload Form 1A, a medical certificate.

A small statutory application fee per class of vehicle plus a learner test fee, paid online. The exact amount varies by State and class, so read it on the Sarathi payment screen and verify the current figure on the Sarathi portal before you confirm.

Only for a motorcycle without gear up to fifty cubic centimetres, and only with a guardian's written consent. For a car or a geared motorcycle the minimum age is eighteen, and for transport vehicles it is twenty.

Do not pay again. Note the transaction reference, check the application status, and raise a grievance on your State transport portal. If there is no response or no reason for the delay, file an RTI to your State Transport Authority. Drivers heading abroad can then read how to apply for an international driving permit.

• https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/
• https://parivahan.gov.in/en/faq/learners-license-related-services
• https://transport.delhi.gov.in/transport/learner-licence-0
• Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, Rules 14, 15 and 32