Smart Card Driving Licence - How To Apply

Smart Card Driving Licence 

Traditionally, driving licences were issued like booklets which contained all the pertinent information. However, with wear and tear over the year, those licences often tend to fall apart, leaving the licenced in a bit of trouble while they waited for the duplicate to be issued.

In recent years, with digitalisation taking over the public imagination, driving licences are now being issued as smart cards. These cards are easier to handle, and are more portable and offer increased convenience to users.

The smart card driving licence comes fitted with a microchip processor of 64kb which contains all the relevant information electronically. The details of the person including their biometrics is all stored within the smart card driving licence.

The Regional Transport Department has been granted the authority to issue these smart card driving licences. However, it is not yet accessible in all the states and it is necessary to check whether your state issues them before heading to the RTO and asking for a smart card driving licence form.

Benefits of Having Smart Card Driving licence

A smart card can prove more advantageous than the traditional driving licence in several ways. Read on to learn about the advantages that the smart card driving licence offers over the traditional driving licences.

1. All the information regarding the driving licence owner is stored in a secure manner

2. Not only does the information stored in the traditional licence get carried over to the smart card driving licence, but it also contains additional information including the owner’s biometrics such as blood group, fingerprints, retina scan, etc.

3. The security of the information stored within the smart card driving licence cannot be tampered with, as the information on it can only be read through special handheld devices that the traffic police possess in order to verify authenticity of your data

4. The details stored on the smart card driving licence cannot be erased and can only be modified. This ensures a permanent trail of updated information regarding the individual

5. The use of a smart card driving licence ensures that no fraud or false duplication can occur

6. The licence can no longer be mutilated or worn out due to usage, and will be more durable

7. It can be used anywhere, anytime under any condition owing to this extreme durability

Eligibility Criteria for Smart Card Driving licence

The smart card driving licence does not change much in terms of usage over the traditional driving licence. Thus, the eligibility criteria for owning a smart card driving license remains the same as that for a traditional licence. Read on to learn the eligibility criteria in place for obtaining a driving licence in any form.

• The applicant needs to be at least 18 years old if seeking a licence for driving a motorcycle with gear and an engine capacity of 50cc or more

• Applicants seeking a driving licence for motorcycles with gear and engine capacity of up to 50cc need to be at least 16 years old

• If the applicant is below the prescribed age limit, they require a letter of consent from a parent or guardian to apply for a driving licence

Documents Required for Smart Card Driving licence

Like all licences, applying for a smart card driving license also requires submission of certain documents. Even for a smart card driving licence online application, certain crucial documents need to be submitted to the concerned authorities by the applicant. Read on to learn more about these.

• Proof of Address
  This can include the applicant’s Aadhaar card, ration card, passport, house agreement or rental agreement, or recent utility bills issued to the applicant’s name

• Proof of Age
  This can include the SSC certificate, school transfer certificate which contains date of birth, PAN Card, birth certificate or even the passport

• Others
  Aside from proof of address and age, the essential documents to be submitted include the requisite forms such as Form 4 for the permanent licence, Form 1 which certifies physical fitness, Form 1A as the medical certificate, and the smart card driving licence application form. These need to be filled in and submitted along with passport sized photographs of the applicant. All of these forms can be availed online through the appropriate government website or from the nearest RTO

Smart Card Driving licence Application Process

The smart card driving licence online application process is a convenient way to have your application quickly processed and accessible to you. You can also choose to complete the application process offline by visiting the RTO and availing a smart card driving licence form. Read on to understand both processes in detail.

Offline

1. If your state is issuing smart card driving licence and you already have an existing licence; just visit the RTO, fill in the smart card driving licence form, record your biometrics and pay the fees for converting your existing licence
2. If you hold a learner’s licence, you can just ask for the smart card driving licence form and fill that out.
3. Submit the filled-out form with the other documents, pay the fees and book a slot for your physical driving test
4. If you pass the test, your biometric details will be recorded and the smart card driving licence will be couriered to your registered address

Online

1. Download the application form from the state transport department’s website and fill in the requisite details
2. Visit the nearest RTO and submit the form, along with the other documents asked for
3. Schedule an appointment for the physical driving test and pay the required fees for the same
4. If you have passed the test, your biometrics will be recorded and the smart card driving licence will be couriered to your registered address

Once you have applied for the smart card driving licence, make sure to check the status of your motor insurance as well, which is another mandatory requirement for driving on Indian roads. Buy motor insurance, available on Finserv MARKETS, and get access to a range of benefits including protection against both man-made and natural disasters, along with comprehensive coverage for the driver and passengers in the vehicle.

FAQs on Smart Card Driving licence

1. What are the fees for obtaining a smart card driving licence?

The fees for availing a smart card driving licence need to be paid at the time of application. The fees are only Rs. 200.

2. How can I check if my state offers smart card driving licences?

Visit your state transport department’s website to verify if your state is offering smart card driving licences

3. What does a smart card driving licence form contain?

The smart card driving licence online application or even offline application form contains three sections which must be filled out by the applicant to avail the smart card driving license. These include:

• Visual Inspection Zone: these include the basic applicant details including their name, address, date of birth, and signature along with details of the vehicle including type and vehicle class
• Machine-Readable Zone: these include more details regarding the smart card driving licence such as the date the driving licence was issued, the smart card chip’s serial number, details of the issuing authority and the licence validity
• Central Motor Vehicles Rule: these include the legal details including qualification, fines, endorsements and all other information. If the owner of the driving licence has penalties to their name, this section will also include details of when they were fined and when those fines were settled.

A smart card driving licence brings in a lot of convenience over traditional driving licences, which typically can get damaged in a multitude of ways. Increased digitalisation in all segments of life has seen convenience increase for a variety of processes.

While in the process of upgrading to a smart card driving licence, check if your motor insurance is similarly updated. Head to Finserv MARKETS and get comprehensive motor insurance, with benefits including, 24x7 roadside assistance and cashless servicing at more than 4,000 garages across the country with car insurance and more such benefits available for two-wheeler insurance.