Possessing a driving licence is compulsory as per the Motor Vehicle Act 1988 for anyone who uses a motorized vehicle on the public streets. In case you have been a resident of the North-Eastern state of Meghalaya and have been planning on getting a driving licence without needing to hire the service of a middleman or a broker, our guide here should provide you with some useful information. Not only will it tell you how to get driving licence offline and online in Meghalaya but will also tell you the process of obtaining an international driving licence or a duplicate driving licence in Meghalaya.
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Types of Driving Licence (DL) in Meghalaya (ML)
Basically, there are just three broad types of driving licences-
Broadly speaking, there are three different categories of driving licences —
- Driving license for 2-wheeler without gear: This is the driving licence that is required for anyone who plans to use a moped or a gearless scooter below 50cc
- Driving license for Light Motor Vehicle (LMV): This is the driving licence that is required for anyone to use a geared two-wheeler above 50cc or a non-commercial four-wheeler
- Driving license issued for transport vehicles: This is the category of driving licence that is required for using a commercial vehicle
Meghalaya (ML) Driving Licence (DL) – Eligibility Criteria
As is the case across the country, even in the North-Eastern state of Meghalaya, anyone who wishes to get a driving licence should satisfy the below criteria-
- Must be aged 16 years or more for using a motorcycle with an engine of the size of less than 50cc
- Must be aged 18 years or more for using a motorcycle with an engine capacity of more than 50cc.
- Must be aged be 20 years or more for getting a licence of driving a heavy transport vehicle
- Must be aware of all the traffic rules and regulations.
- Must hold a temporary driving licence for a minimum of 30 days but not more than 180 days
Documents Required for Driving Licence in Meghalaya
To get a driving licence in Meghalaya, one is required to submit to the RTO a self-attested copy of the below documents-
Just one of the below age proofs-
- Birth Certificate
- Educational certificate
- Passport
- Certificate from a state/ central government if you are an employee
Just one of the below address proofs
- Passport
- Voter’s ID
- Ration card
- Certificate obtained from a state/ central government or a local body if you are an employee of them
- LIC policy bond
Other documents:
- Application form 4
- Application form 5 if applying for commercial driving license
- Original learner’s license
- 3 passport size photographs
How to Apply for Driving Licence Offline in Meghalaya (ML)?
To get a driving license offline in Meghalaya, the following steps are required to be followed-
- Step 1: Get an application form from the nearest RTO
- Step 2: The form can be even downloaded from the official website and the printed copy needs to be submitted to the RTO.
- Step 3: Fill the following details:
- Full Name
- Father’s Name
- Residential Address
- Educational Qualification
- Date of Birth
- Place of Birth
- Blood Group
- Identification Mark
- Step 4: Provide the RTO with the address and age proofs and passport-size photos.
- Step 5: Get an appointment for the first round of the test. In this, your knowledge of traffic rules is tested.
- Step 6: On passing the test, you’ll be issued a learner’s licence. You can apply for a permanent DL after holding a learner’s licence for at least 30 days but not more than 180 days.
How to Apply for Driving Licence Online in Meghalaya?
In case you wish to apply for a driving licence in Meghalaya, the following process should be followed-
- Step 1: Visit www.megtransport.gov.in and choose the Driving Licence option
- Step 2: Download the application form and print it
- Step 3: Deposit the filled form to the RTO
- Step 4: Deposit all the required documents that are mentioned above
- Step 5: Get a slot for the driving test
- Step 6: On passing the test, you will receive your license in 2 to 3 weeks
Steps to Check Driving Licence Application Status Online:
Steps to check driving licence status online through State Transport Department website:
In case you need to check the status of the driving licence application online in Meghalaya, you can do so through any of the two available methods – you can either check the status on the official website of the State Transport Department of Meghalaya or you can verify it on the website of Ministry of Road Transport and Highway. The below process should be followed for the first method –
- Step 1: Visit the website of the Transport Department of Meghalaya
- Step 2: Click on ‘DL and LL registration’ option.
- Step 3: A new page will load, in which, click on ‘Know your application status’.
- Step 4: Enter your application number
- Step 5: Click on the ‘Submit’ button and you will be shown the status of your application.
Steps to check driving licence status online through the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways official website:
Mentioned below are all the steps that one needs to follow to verify the status of driving licence application using the second method mentioned below-
- Step 1: Go to parivahan.gov.in.
- Step 2: Click on ‘Driving license-related services’.
- Step 3: Select the state you reside in.
- Step 4: Click on ‘Verify status’ option on the new page that loads
- Step 5: Provide your application number and DOB
- Step 6: Fill in the correct captcha code.
- Step 7: You will be shown the status of your driving license.
How to Apply for a Duplicate Driving Licence in Meghalaya?
Documents required while applying for a duplicate driving license in Meghalaya
Given below are the names of all the documents that you should submit to the RTO to get a duplicate licence in Meghalaya
- Application form LLD
- FIR copy if the DL is stolen
- Challan clearance report issued by traffic police in case of commercial driving license
- Form 1
- Copy of Age Proof and Address Proof
- Copy of Original licence
- License number if the license is stolen
Please note – All photocopies of the documents should be attested by a gazetted officer or notary before being submitted to the RTO
Steps to apply for a Duplicate Driving Licence in Meghalaya
One you have paid the fee for a duplicate DL, the following process needs to be followed-
- Step 1: Completed form LLD at the RTO.
- Step 2: A fee of Rs. 200
- Step 3: On successful verification, the applicant receives a duplicate copy of driving license on the same day
If you don’t remember your driving licence’s number, you’ll have to apply for a new driving licence.
How to Renew Driving Licence in Meghalaya?
In Meghalaya, the driving licence for a non-commercial vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle has a validity for 20 years or until the holder attains the age of 50 years. After the expiry of the driving licence, it needs to be renewed every 5 years. Meanwhie, the validity of a commercial driving licence is just 3 years.
Documents required for renewal of driving license in Meghalaya
- Form 9
- A photocopy of Expired driver’s licence.
- Form 1A is required in case the driver’s age is more than 40 years
- 2 passport size photographs.
- Self-attested copies of age proof and address proof.
- Receipt of payment of application fee of Rs.200/-
Steps to apply for a Duplicate Licence in Meghalaya
In Meghalaya, the process of obtaining a driving licence can be initiated either online of offline, based on your convenience.
Offline Procedure:
- Step 1: Get the required form from the RTO
- Step 2: Fill and submit the form along with the relevant documents at the RTO
- Step 3: On verification of the documents, the applicant will be issued the renewed license on the same day.
Online Procedure:
- Step 1: Go to the official transport website of Meghalaya government
- Step 2: Download the form
- Step 3: Print the form and fill it
- Step 4: Submit the form to the RTO along with the required documents
- Step 5: A duplicate DL is issued after successful verification.
How to apply for an International Driving Licence in Meghalaya?
To get an international driving licence In Meghalaya, you can visit any RTO of the state. You won’t need to appear in any test but should compulsorily hold a permanent driving licence to be eligible for obtaining the international driving licence. It has a validity of 12 months.
Documents required for getting an International Driving License in Meghalaya
Here is a list of all documents that are required to be submitted to the RTO if you wish to apply for an international driving licence
- Nationality proof
- Attested copy of the permanent driving license, visa and passport
- Attested copy of a residence proof
- 5 passport-sized photos
- Medical Form 1-A
Steps to apply for a Duplicate Licence in Meghalaya
- Step 1: Visit the official website of the RTO and choose the renewal option.
- Step 2: Pay a fee of Rs.200 for the duplicate licence
- Step 3: Submit the required documents to the RTO and obtain the duplicate DL on successful verification
Driving Test Procedure in Meghalaya
The driving licence test in Meghalaya, like everywhere else in the country, is defined by Rule 15 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. A Motor Vehicle Inspector acts as an invigilator for this test is overlooked by an invigilator who is a Motor Vehicle Inspector from the concerned RTO. He fails or passes a candidate after judging his or her performs in the test. The applicant needs to have his own vehicle of the same class for which he has applied for a DL. In case he or she doesn’t own have a vehicle of the required category, the vehicle from the motor driving school can be used.
Test for Two-Wheeler & Three-Wheeler:
In case of driving licence test for a 2 and a 3-wheeler, the applicant is requested to ride his vehicle inside a given border and ride it in the pattern of figure ‘8’ without touching his feet on the ground. If satisfied, the invigilator then asks the applicant to ride on the road, where he judges the candidate on how well he controls a vehicle in real-world conditions. Based on the performance, a candidate is passed or failed.
Test for Four Wheeler
The test for driving licence for a 4-wheeler is fundamentally the same as that for a 2- or a 3-wheeler. In this test, the invigilator fails or passes a candidate based on how comfortable he or she is with controlling the vehicle. The candidate has to drive the vehicle on an ‘H’ pattern that is made on the testing ground without coming in contact with any of the columns placed on the boundary. If the candidate drives to invigilator’s satisfaction, he is asked to drive the vehicle on a public road. The candidate is marked passed if he can satisfy the invigilator with his driving skill. If failed, the applicant can apply for a re-test after 7 days after the payment of a nominal feel.
Tips for Clearing Your Driving Test:
- Make sure to practise a lot before going for the driving test
- Don’t panic or get nervous during the test
- Reach the testing grounds a bit early to ensure there are no last-minute hiccups
- Be smooth with shifting gears, braking and turning
- Turn the ignition off only when the vehicle has stopped completely
- Use indicators when you need to change directions