How to Apply for a Heavy Vehicle Driving Licence

A driving licence is essential to ride motor vehicles on Indian roads and it is the same for commercial vehicles. Indian commercial vehicles are generally classified into light, medium, and heavy commercial vehicles.

Heavy commercial vehicles have a lion’s share in the Indian automobile industry. They are used to transport passengers or goods across the states or country. Under the heavy licence category, there are two licence classes. They are HGMV (Heavy Goods Motor Vehicle) and HPMV (Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicle) licences. The former consists of vehicles like trailers, larger trucks, and others used for goods transport. On the other hand, the HPMV category has vehicles that have an All India Permit to carry passengers and run for commercial purpose. Let us check out the vehicles that fall in each category here:

Now, we have to understand the requirements for a heavy vehicle licence before making a move to apply for a heavy driving licence in India.

Before submitting an application for a heavy driving licence in India, you have to meet certain eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria to be fulfilled are mentioned below:

1. Age - The applicant must be above or 18 years of age to apply for a heavy vehicle licence.

2. Educational Qualification - The applicant must have a minimum educational qualification of passing standard 8th and should be able to read and understand the basic road and traffic signs and symbols.

3. Health Conditions- To apply for a heavy vehicle licence, the applicant must be in sound mental and physical health.

4. Driver’s Training -The applicant should have been trained at a government authorised motor vehicle training school in India. The training institute should either be authorised by the state government or the central government. 

5. Learner’s licence - Before the applicant attain a heavy vehicle driving licence, it is compulsory to have a learner’s licence.

After completing a course of coaching from a training institute, you are eligible to apply for a heavy vehicle licence. You can go for the  heavy licence online application method, or offline method by visiting an RTO near you. The procedure to apply for a heavy vehicle driver’s licence online is carried out via the official website of road transport affairs.

After you have ticked all the boxes related to your eligibility, you have to get certain documents in order. The following documents are required to apply for a heavy vehicle driving licence:

1. Proof of Your Address - You have to submit your address proof which must be in your own name. This could be in the form of a passport, ration card, Aadhaar Card, utility bill, etc.

2. Proof of Your Identity - You can submit an Aadhaar or PAN Card, a passport, a birth certificate, etc.

3. Heavy Licence Application Form - To apply for a heavy vehicle licence, you have to fill in your details on an application form. The heavy vehicle licence online form can be downloaded from the website or can be procured from the nearest RTO.

4. Passport Photographs

5. Application Fees

You can easily get a heavy vehicle driving licence. Apply online or offline and you receive a date to take an exam, after which an HMV licence is issued to you. However, as important as it is to get a driving licence to drive on any Indian roads, another vital document to have with you is one of motor insurance. It is mandatory to have vehicle insurance while you drive in India. You may also want insurance as a security measure against road mishaps and cost coverage for these. Check out different vehicle insurance plans at Bajaj Markets from companies like Bajaj Allianz Insurance, HDFC Ergo Insurance and Acko Insurance.