Learner's Licence India: Online Application + Test (2026)

What Is a Learner's Licence

A learner's licence is a temporary permit issued by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988. It allows you to practice driving on Indian roads while you train for the permanent driving test. Think of it as your driving apprenticeship card.

Here is what sets the LL apart from a full driving licence:

• Temporary: valid for 6 months from issue date
• Supervised driving only: a person with a valid full licence must always sit in the passenger or pillion seat
• L-plate mandatory: a red L on white background must be visible at the front and rear of the vehicle
• Single class or multi-class: you can apply for MCWG (gear motorcycle), LMV (car), or both together
• Online application: Sarathi Parivahan handles the entire form, payment, and slot booking
• Tested on rules: you only have to clear a written test on signs and rules; no practical driving test at this stage

The LL gives you 30 to 180 days to practice before you apply for the permanent driving licence. Use that window well. RTO examiners can tell within 2 minutes whether you have practiced enough or you are winging it on test day.

Why You Need an LL Before the Permanent Licence

Indian law has a two-step process for a very good reason. Untrained drivers are dangerous. The LL forces you to spend at least 30 days on real roads, with a coach beside you, before you can drive solo. Skip this stage and you are not just breaking the law; you are betting your life on luck.

• Legal mandate: under MV Act 1988, you cannot apply for a permanent licence without holding an LL for 30 days
• Real-road practice: driving in a parking lot is nothing like Sion-Panvel Highway traffic; the LL window forces you to practice in real conditions
• Test confidence: by week four, you know clutch-brake-accelerator coordination cold and you walk into the practical test calm
• Insurance angle: even with an LL, if you drive alone or without an L-plate and have an accident, your provider can reject the claim
• Builds road sense: judging gaps, reading other drivers, handling potholes, monsoon water-logging; only road hours teach this
• Gateway to commercial driving: taxi, lorry, and bus drivers all start with a regular LL before moving to a transport licence

Eligibility and Age Rules

Age and vehicle class are tightly linked in the MV Act. The rules are easy to remember once you know the slabs.

You must also be sound of mind, free of conditions that would make you a danger behind the wheel, and a resident of the state where you apply. The portal verifies your address through Aadhaar e-KYC by default.

Documents Required

The Sarathi portal accepts digital scans up to 200 KB each. Keep clear photos or scanned PDFs ready. The clerk will reject blurry, cropped, or dark uploads, and you will lose 3 to 7 days waiting for fresh links.

• Age proof: Aadhaar, PAN, birth certificate, passport, or 10th board marksheet
• Address proof: Aadhaar, voter ID, passport, ration card, or utility bill not older than 3 months
• Identity proof: Aadhaar or PAN (preferably matched with age proof)
• Passport-size photo: clear, recent, on a plain white background
• Signature: black ink on white paper, scanned clearly
• Form 1: self-declaration of physical fitness, downloadable from Sarathi
• Form 1A medical certificate: mandatory if you are above 40 years, signed by an MBBS doctor
• Parental consent letter: only for 16-17 year olds applying for the under-50cc class

How to Apply on Sarathi Parivahan

The full LL application can be done from your phone or laptop in under 30 minutes. The only physical visit is the test slot, and even that is now optional in 16 states where the at-home test is enabled.

1. Open Sarathi Parivahan: Visit sarathi.parivahan.gov.in. Click on your state in the drop-down. The homepage may show a 'Driver Licence Related Services' tile or a left-menu link with the same name.
2. Click Apply for Learner Licence: Follow the wizard. On the first screen, choose 'Submit Yes; Aadhaar' if you want full online flow, or 'Submit No; Aadhaar' if you prefer to visit the RTO for biometrics.
3. Complete Aadhaar e-KYC: Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number. Receive an OTP on your linked mobile, verify, and your name, photo, signature, and DOB auto-fill from UIDAI.
4. Fill Form 2: Add your father's or guardian's name, blood group, qualification, present address (if different from Aadhaar), and pick the class of vehicle. You can pick more than one class; say MCWG plus LMV.
5. Upload Form 1 and supporting docs: Sign and upload Form 1 self-declaration. Add Form 1A if you are above 40. Upload age proof and address proof if Aadhaar is not your primary document.
6. Pay fees online: Total payable is approximately Rs 200 to Rs 350 per class. Use net banking, UPI (PhonePe, GPay), or debit card. Save the PDF receipt.
7. Book slot for LL test: Pick a date, time, and RTO branch. Some states offer at-home video-proctored tests; others require physical visits. Slots open 7 to 15 days ahead.
8. Take the test: Answer the 10 multiple-choice questions. On passing (6 or more right), the system generates a digital LL within minutes. Download from Sarathi and carry a printout when you drive.

Fees by State (As of 2026)

Sarathi prescribes a central fee, but each state adds small charges for application services, smart card material, and digital processing. Some states bundle the test fee into the LL fee; others charge it separately.

For two classes (say MCWG and LMV together), fees double, totalling approximately Rs 500 in most states. The good news: you avoid a second round of paperwork later.

What the LL Test Covers

The LL test is a 10-question online quiz on traffic rules, signs, and road safety. Each question carries 1 mark; the pass mark is 6. You will see one question at a time, with 4 options each, and a 10-minute timer.

Topics Tested

• Traffic signs: mandatory (red triangles, circles), cautionary (yellow), and informatory (blue) signs
• Road markings: broken vs solid lines, zebra crossings, stop lines, yellow box junctions
• Right of way rules: at roundabouts, T-junctions, uncontrolled intersections
• Speed limits: city, highway, school zones, expressway minimum and maximum limits
• Documents to carry: RC, insurance, PUC, driving licence and their digital equivalents on DigiLocker
• Hand and indicator signals: slow down, stop, right turn, left turn signals
• Drink-driving and penalties: blood alcohol limit of 30 mg per 100 ml, fines, detention terms
• First aid and accident protocol: Section 134 of the MV Act, helping injured people, calling 112

How to Prepare

Free practice tests are available on the official Parivahan portal and on the Sarathi mobile app. Indian driving schools also share 50-question mock test sheets. Spend 2 to 3 hours over a weekend and you should walk in 90 percent ready.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these five slip-ups that hold up nearly 4 out of 10 LL applications:

• Mismatched documents: Aadhaar name, PAN name, and 10th marksheet name must agree exactly; even a missing initial flags the file
• Skipping Form 1A above 40: applicants above 40 routinely forget the medical certificate, and the file is returned
• Wrong class selected: picking only MCWG when you also need LMV means a fresh application and full fee later
• Old utility bill: address proof bills older than 3 months are rejected; keep a fresh electricity, telephone, or gas bill ready
• Practicing without an L-plate or solo: both invalidate insurance and attract a fine of approximately Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000

After You Get the LL

The LL is the start of a 30 to 180 day clock. Treat the next month as your driving apprenticeship.

• Practice daily: aim for at least 20 hours of supervised driving over 4 to 6 weeks across city, highway, and parking scenarios
• Practice the test track manoeuvres: figure-of-8 for two-wheelers, parallel parking and reverse-S for cars are common RTO test elements
• Get road sense in real traffic: Indian roads test you on patience, lane discipline, and reading the horns and head-shakes of other drivers
• Book the permanent driving test: after day 30 (and before day 180), book the practical test slot on Sarathi
• Pair your first licence with the right cover: buy car insurance online the day you collect your permanent licence to build no-claim bonus from day one

Frequently Asked Questions