New Delhi/Alive News: The Centre has proposed making driving licence address changes free of charge, with applications to be deemed approved if the licensing authority neither accepts nor rejects them within 30 days. The proposed changes are part of draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, aimed at simplifying transport-related services and reducing delays.
Under the proposed Rule 16A, licensing authorities would have 15 days to approve or reject applications to update driving licence details. If an application is rejected, the authority would have to communicate the decision and provide written reasons, including through electronic means.
The 30-day deemed-approval provision would apply specifically to address-change applications, not to every request to update driving licence details.
Which Services Could Become Free?
The draft rules propose removing the ₹200 fee for changing a licence holder’s name or other recorded particulars. Updating an address, mobile number or email address would also be free.
The government has further proposed eliminating fees for services obtained through online Aadhaar authentication under Rule 32. Vehicle owners could also benefit from the removal of charges for recording a change of residence in vehicle registration records.
The proposal would also scrap additional charges for delays in submitting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a change of residence. Under the existing provisions cited in the draft, the additional charge is ₹300 per month or part of a month for motorcycles and ₹500 for other vehicles.
Online Applications and Form 2A
The proposed amendments introduce Form 2A for services including driving licence renewal, duplicate licence issuance, adding a vehicle category and correcting personal details.
Applicants would submit requests to change licence particulars through an online portal with the required supporting documents. Identity verification could be completed using an electronic signature or another method notified by the Centre.
The system could also retrieve existing licence information from the Sarathi portal, reducing the need for applicants to enter the same details repeatedly.
When Will the Changes Take Effect?
The proposals have not yet come into force. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has invited objections and suggestions for 30 days from the date the relevant Gazette notification copies are made available to the public.
The government will consider the feedback before finalising the amendments. Until the rules are officially notified, existing fees and procedures will continue to apply.
