Get driving licence, register car, bike at any RTO in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: From Sunday, you can apply for a new driving licence at any of the 50 RTOs in Maharashtra, irrespective of where you reside or work. You can also register your car/bike anywhere in the state, as the newly-amended Motor Vehicles Act comes into effect from September 1.

The Act stipulates that if you fail to renew your driving licence for a year, you have to go through the entire process of driving competence tests again. If juveniles are caught driving, parents will be fined and the vehicle (bike or car) will be "de-registered" for a year.

State transport commissioner Shekhar Channe said a government notification was issued on Saturday, but the department was seeking "clarity" on few amendments. "I have instructed my staff to allow cars and two-wheelers to be registered anywhere in the state. But we need clarity on whether a car registered by someone with a Nagpur address in Mumbai should be given a Mumbai or Nagpur numberplate. Similarly, for driving licences, who should be the sanctioning authority, although we are willing to generate licences from any of the 50 RTOs. Once we get clarity early next week, we can proceed smoothly," he said.

A senior RTO official said as per the new law, an applicant can get original proof of residence, Aadhaar card of his native town and get cars registered or even apply for a new driving licence at any of the four city RTOs.

"I welcome this, as often citizens who have migrated to Mumbai from other cities/towns in the state want a new licence," said Amit Sathe, who hails from Nagpur but works in Mumbai.

The rules for licences also mention the applications for learner's licence will be user-friendly, and can be submitted online. The minimum educational qualification to drive a transport vehicle has been scrapped. It also enables application for addition of other classes or descriptions of motor vehicles to a person's driving licence through a "smooth" online process.

The transport department will liaise with National Informatics Centre (NIC) to update software with the new rules and penalties. The Act allows applications for recording change of residence or place of business in vehicle registration certificates to be made online, and to any registering authority in the state.