For millions of driving licence holders, updating personal details could soon become cheaper and less time-consuming, NDTV reported.
The Centre has proposed removing fees for several driving licence-related services and introducing a 30-day deadline for processing address-change applications, after which requests could be deemed approved.
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The changes form part of draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, aimed at simplifying licence-related services and reducing processing delays.
The proposals include removing the existing Rs 200 fee for changing a driving licence holder's name or other recorded particulars.
What Happens If The RTO Doesn't Act In 30 Days?
Under the proposed Rule 16A, licensing authorities would have 15 days to approve or reject applications to update driving licence particulars.
If an application is rejected, the authority would have to provide written reasons and communicate the decision to the applicant through electronic or other prescribed means.
A separate provision would apply to address-change applications. If the licensing authority neither accepts nor rejects such an application within 30 days, it would be deemed approved.
The automatic approval provision would apply specifically to address changes, not to all requests to update driving licence details.
Which RTO Services Could Become Free?
The proposed amendments seek to remove fees for changing the name or other particulars recorded on a driving licence. Updating an address, mobile number or email ID would also attract no fee.
The draft further proposes removing fees for services availed through online Aadhaar authentication under Rule 32.
What Changes Are Proposed For Vehicle Registration?
The government has also proposed removing the fee for recording a change of residence in a vehicle's registration records.
It has proposed scrapping additional charges for delays in submitting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a change of residence.
Under the existing provision, the additional charge is Rs 300 for every month or part of a month of delay for motorcycles and Rs 500 for other vehicles. These charges would be removed under the proposed amendments.
How Will The New System Work?
The draft introduces a new Form 2A for services such as driving licence renewal, issuance of duplicate licences, addition of a new vehicle category and correction of personal details.
Applications to change licence particulars would be submitted through the online portal along with valid supporting documents. Applicants could verify their identity using an electronic signature or another mode notified by the Centre.
Information already available on the Sarathi portal, including existing licence details, could also be fetched automatically, reducing the need for applicants to enter the same information repeatedly.
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When Will The New Rules Come Into Force?
The proposed changes have not yet come into effect. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has invited objections and suggestions for 30 days from the date copies of the Gazette notification are made available to the public.
The government will consider the feedback before finalising the amendments.
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