Key Differences Between Learner, Permanent And Commercial Driving Licence
3 min readRegional Transport Office (RTO) also known as the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) is a government body that is accountable for issuing the driving licence (DL) in our country. A standard DL comes with an official stamp and signature from the concerned authority as well as the type of vehicle for which it is issued. It is mandatory to carry a driving licence while driving on public roads. Those who are above 18 years of age can apply for a driving licence, however the eligibility criteria differs according to the type of driving licence.
The three fundamental types of driving licences in India are learner driving licence, permanent driving licence and commercial driving licence. You can apply for any of these licences at your local RTOs. For instance, if you live in UP, then RTO Offices in Uttar Pradesh will issue a driving licence to you. The government has also come up with an online facility of submitting an application for a driving licence through the state transport website. For example, the driving licence Uttar Pradesh (UP) can be obtained by applying online on the transport website of UP. All these three driving licences have some key differences between them. Read below to know more about them:
Learner Driving Licence
A person who is still learning to drive and wants to practice driving on roads can apply for a learner driving licence. A learner driving licence is valid for a time period of six months. However, if you wish to apply for a permanent licence, then you can apply for the same after 30 days of issuance of learner licence. It is worth noting that the candidate has to pass a mandatory driving test only after which he/she can upgrade the learner license to permanent driving licence. Also, if you are a holder of a learner licence, then you cannot drive alone on roads. It is important that you always drive in the presence of a permanent driving licence holder.
Permanent Driving Licence
A standard driving licence issued to the private vehicle owners is regarded as a permanent driving licence. This vehicle lawfully grants permission to a candidate to drive specific kinds of vehicles on public roads. Apart from submission of documents and application form, it is mandatory to pass a driving test for obtaining a permanent license. One of the most important eligibility criteria for getting a permanent license is that an applicant should at least be 18 years old. A typical driving licence besides containing the driver’s information also mentions the type of vehicle for which the driving licence is issued.
Commercial Driving Licence
Commercial vehicles are basically used for the transportation of goods from one place to another. The application process for getting a commercial driving licence involves a series of steps. Some of the steps are the same as those for a permanent driving licence. However, a primary difference is that for commercial driving licence application, a medical certificate is mandatory. Besides this, the person should have passed at least 8th class examinations. The minimum age to get a commercial licence is 20 years.