Driving LicenceRules for driving on a learner's licence
A learner's licence is permission to learn, not permission to drive alone. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules set three conditions, and breaking any of them means you are driving without a licence.
The three conditions in rule 3
- You hold a learner's licence that is still valid, for the kind of vehicle you are driving.
- An instructor is with you. That means a person who holds a valid driving licence for that vehicle, sitting where they can control or stop it. It can be a friend or relative; the Delhi Transport Department says so in plain words.
- The vehicle shows the letter L, in red on a white background, at the front and at the back.
When all three are met, the law treats you as allowed on the road for the purpose of learning. When one is missing, the learner's licence does not protect you.
The L plate, with sizes
The note to rule 3 gives the measurements:
- The white square, painted on the vehicle or on a plate or card fixed to it: at least 18 cm by 18 cm.
- The red letter L: at least 10 cm high, 2 cm thick, and 9 cm wide at the bottom.
- One at the front and one at the rear.
A small sticker from a stationery shop is often under this size. A sheet of white card with the L drawn to these measurements does the job. Take the plates off, or cover them, when a licensed driver is using the vehicle on their own.
On a two-wheeler
Rule 3 says a learner on a motor cycle must not carry any other person, except the instructor. So no friend on the pillion, and no family member, unless that person is the licensed rider teaching you.
Learning to drive a commercial vehicle
For buses, trucks and taxis, learning with a relative is not enough. The Delhi Transport Department says such learners must train at a government driving school or one authorised by the state, because only a school can issue the driving certificate in Form 5 that the transport licence application needs.
How long it lasts
- Six months from the date of issue.
- Valid throughout India, Parivahan confirms, so you can practise in another state.
- 30 days must pass before the driving test.
- It cannot be renewed. Parivahan says an expired learner's licence is not extended; a new one is issued. On Sarathi the option is "Expired Learner License Issue Again" under the Learner's Licence menu.
That leaves a window of about five months for the driving test. If test slots in your city are booked far ahead, book early rather than in the last week. Parivahan's answer to "my learner's licence expires next week and no slots are free" is to contact the RTO; the website cannot stretch the date.
What the learner's test asks
Rule 11 lists four subjects:
- Traffic signs, traffic signals and the rules of the road.
- A driver's duties when the vehicle is in an accident that hurts or kills someone or damages another person's property.
- The care to take at an unmanned railway crossing.
- The documents a driver should carry.
The questions are objective type, and the rule counts "adequate knowledge" as answering at least 60 per cent of them correctly. The rule excuses some people from the test, among them a person who already holds a valid driving licence. That is why adding a class to an existing licence needs no learner's test.
Small problems and their fixes
- Missed the test date: reschedule on Sarathi, if slots are free.
- Failed the test: pay the Rs 50 re-test fee and book a new slot.
- Lost the learner's licence: where your state allows, print it again from "Print Learner Licence (Form 3)" with your application number and date of birth. Otherwise Parivahan says to contact the RTO.
- Want a second class: it is added to the same learner's licence. You cannot hold two learner's licences for the same class.
- Mistake in your details: before the fee is paid, the application can be edited online. After payment, Parivahan says to go to the scrutiny counter at the RTO.
Questions people ask
Can I drive alone with a learner's licence?
No. Rule 3 requires a person with a valid driving licence for that vehicle to be with you, seated where they can control or stop it.
What size should the L plate be?
A white square of at least 18 cm by 18 cm with a red L at least 10 cm high, 2 cm thick and 9 cm wide at the bottom, at the front and the rear.
Can I carry a pillion rider on a learner's licence?
No, except your instructor. Rule 3 bars a learner on a motor cycle from carrying anyone else.
Can a learner's licence be renewed?
No. Parivahan says it is valid for six months and after that a new learner's licence has to be issued.
Is a learner's licence valid in another state?
Yes. Parivahan confirms it is valid throughout India.
Check before you go. These facts were read on the official Parivahan website and the Delhi Transport Department website on 11 November 2026. Rules and fees change, and states add their own charges and steps. Your state's page on sarathi.parivahan.gov.in is the final word. This is not a government site.