India / Driving licence and vehicles

Get your driving licence and RC in DigiLocker

Sign in to DigiLocker with Aadhaar, pick Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and fetch your driving licence and vehicle RC by number. The copies in Issued Documents, and the virtual DL and RC in mParivahan, can be shown to police under rule 139 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. A photo or scan does not count.

Fee: Free
Time: A few minutes if your record is in the National Register
How: Online, in the DigiLocker and mParivahan apps or on digilocker.gov.in

Checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. See the 12 sources.

Not confirmed

These points could not be confirmed on an official page on 13 October 2026. Check them with the office or portal before you rely on them.

The fetch screens inside DigiLocker and mParivahan sit behind a login and were not opened. The exact fields asked for the RC (for example chassis number) and the exact button labels in the current apps are not confirmed, so the steps describe them in plain words
A DigiLocker document says issued documents are at par with originals "as per Section 9A of Information Technology Act 2000". The provision actually found is rule 9A of the 2016 Digital Locker Rules made under that Act, not a section of the Act. The guide cites rule 9A
The DigiLocker FAQ says the Aadhaar name should match the name in the licence or RC record; the 2024 expert answers say a licence can be fetched by number from the search screen. How strictly the name match is applied was not tested
No official page opened today says in terms that a photo, screenshot or scanned copy kept in DigiLocker Drive or the phone gallery is invalid. The guide says only that the official pages give legal status to issued documents and the virtual DL and RC
Whether the official mParivahan site links to the app store listings could not be seen; the download links were not verified
The 2018 letter and SOP predate the 2020 text of rule 139; they are cited as the Ministry's explanation, and rule 139 as the binding rule

Quick answer

In DigiLocker, sign in, make sure your Aadhaar is linked to the account, open the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways under the document search, choose the driving licence, and enter your licence number. Do the same with Registration of Vehicles for your RC. The documents are then saved under Issued Documents.

In the mParivahan app (now called NextGen mParivahan), sign in with your mobile number and add your licence and vehicle to create a Virtual DL and Virtual RC.

Both can be shown to a police or transport officer. Rule 139 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 says the driver may produce the licence, RC, insurance, fitness, permit and pollution certificate "in physical or electronic form".

Who can apply

Anyone with an Indian driving licence or a vehicle registered in their name whose record is in the National Register (the Sarathi and Vahan databases).
For DigiLocker you need an Aadhaar number, because the DigiLocker FAQ says the Aadhaar must be linked to the account before the MoRTH documents can be fetched.
Your name in Aadhaar should match the name in the licence or RC record. The FAQ says this check exists so that only the rightful owner can fetch the document.
A very old licence or RC that the RTO never digitised will not be found until the RTO adds it.

Documents you need

What	Why
Aadhaar number and the mobile linked to it	To create or verify the DigiLocker account
Driving licence number, exactly as printed	To fetch the licence
Vehicle registration number	To fetch the RC
RC or insurance paper at hand	The apps may ask for vehicle details to confirm the record is yours
A phone with the official app	DigiLocker and NextGen mParivahan

Nothing has to be uploaded or scanned. The document comes from the transport database, not from you.

Steps

DigiLocker

Install DigiLocker using the app links on https://www.digilocker.gov.in, or use the website itself.
Sign up or sign in with your mobile number and complete the Aadhaar verification with the OTP sent to your Aadhaar linked mobile.
Open the document search and select Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. On the home screen the FAQ also describes quick links worded "Get your Digital Driving license" and "Get your Digital Vehicle RC".
For the licence, choose the driving licence option and enter your licence number. Your Aadhaar name is shown in a field you cannot edit.
Submit. Once fetched, the licence is saved under Issued Documents for later use.
For the RC, choose Registration of Vehicles, enter the registration number and any other vehicle detail the form asks for, and fetch.
Repeat for each vehicle. The same issuer also offers the Vehicle Insurance Certificate, Fitness Certificate and Vehicle Tax Receipt.
Open each document once while you have internet, so that you know it loads and shows a QR code.

mParivahan

Install NextGen mParivahan. It is provided by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways through NIC. Its official site is https://mparivahan.parivahan.gov.in.
Sign in with your mobile number and OTP.
Add your driving licence by number to create the Virtual DL.
Add your vehicle by registration number to create the Virtual RC. The app asks for details that only the owner would have.
Check that the virtual document shows a QR code, and that the RC screen shows current insurance, fitness and pollution validity.

Showing it to police

Open the document from Issued Documents in DigiLocker, or the Virtual DL or RC in mParivahan. Do not open a photo from your gallery.
The officer can verify it in three ways described in the Ministry's 2018 procedure: by entering your licence or vehicle number in the eChallan or mParivahan app, by scanning the mParivahan QR code with the eChallan app, or by scanning the DigiLocker QR code with the DigiLocker app. The QR checks work without internet.
Once the record is validated and found in force, rule 139 says the physical document shall not be demanded, even where an offence calls for seizure.
If a document has to be seized, rule 139A says the seizure is made electronically on the Portal and you are given a receipt, on paper or electronically.

Fees

Free. DigiLocker and mParivahan do not charge for fetching or showing a licence or RC. Any site or app that asks for payment to "download" your licence or RC is not one of these two.

How long it takes

A few minutes when the record exists and the names match. If the record has to be added or corrected by the RTO, it depends on the RTO.

Is the digital copy legally valid

Provision	What it says
Section 130, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988	The driver must produce the licence on demand by a police officer in uniform, and the certificates on demand by the authorised officers
Rule 139, Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (as substituted by G.S.R. 584(E), in force from 1 October 2020)	The documents may be produced "in physical or electronic form, as available on or downloaded from the portal". After validation, physical forms shall not be demanded
Rule 139A	Seizure of a document produced electronically is recorded on the Portal, with a receipt
Section 4, Information Technology Act, 2000	Where a law requires something in writing or print, an electronic record that is accessible for later reference satisfies it. The Ministry's 2018 procedure relies on this
Rule 9A, Digital Locker Rules, 2016 (inserted by G.S.R. 111(E), 8 February 2017)	Certificates issued in and shared from a Digital Locker account may be accepted at par with physical documents
MoRTH letter RT-11036/64/2017-MVL, 8 August 2018	Asks all States to treat DigiLocker and mParivahan records as valid under the Motor Vehicles Act

Two limits matter in practice:

The status attaches to documents in the Issued Documents section of DigiLocker and to the virtual DL and RC in mParivahan. DigiLocker separates these from "uploaded documents", which are files you put there yourself. The official pages do not give a scan, photo or screenshot the same standing.
The Ministry's procedure says that if the virtual copy with QR code, or the current validity status of insurance, tax, permit or PUC, is not available in the app you carry, the paper document is required. If your insurance or PUC does not show as valid in the app, carry the paper.

How to check status

There is no application to track. To confirm the fetch worked, open Issued Documents in DigiLocker and see that the licence and RC are listed and open. In mParivahan, open the Virtual DL and Virtual RC and check the validity dates.

Common problems

"No record available in issuer database for given document no." The DigiLocker FAQ says this means the licence or RC is not in the National Register. Check the number first. If it is right, the Parivahan FAQ says the RTO has to migrate the licence record to Sarathi, so visit the RTO with the original.
"The details provided did not match the issuer data." Some detail you typed is wrong. Re-enter it exactly as printed on the card.
Name mismatch with Aadhaar. Fetching may fail if the name on the licence or RC is spelt differently from Aadhaar. Correct whichever record is wrong: Aadhaar through UIDAI, or the licence or RC through the RTO.
Licence linked to a different mobile number. DigiLocker's expert answers say you can still fetch it from your own Aadhaar linked account by entering the licence number.
RC is in a family member's name. DigiLocker fetches documents for the account holder. The owner should fetch it. For a vehicle you only drive, carry the paper RC or have the owner share it; mParivahan shows a vehicle's validity details by registration number.
Officer refuses to accept the app. Stay polite, ask the officer to verify the number in the eChallan app, and mention rule 139. DigiLocker's own answer is that issued documents "should be accepted by the concerned authorities". If a challan is still issued, it can be contested; see the e-challan guide.
No network at the checkpoint. Open the documents once beforehand. The QR code check is designed to work offline.
Phone lost or battery dead. You then have nothing to show. Rule 139 gives fifteen days to produce an attested extract in person or by registered post.

FAQ

Is a driving licence in DigiLocker valid for traffic police?

Yes. Rule 139 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules allows documents in electronic form, and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways told all States in August 2018 to accept DigiLocker and mParivahan records.

Is a photo or photocopy of my licence on my phone valid?

The rules and advisories speak of documents issued through DigiLocker and the virtual documents in mParivahan, which an officer can verify by QR code or number. A photo or scan is not an issued document. Do not rely on one.

Do I need to carry the original RC and licence at all?

Not if the issued or virtual copy opens on your phone and shows as valid. Carry paper for anything the app does not show as current, such as insurance or PUC that has not updated.

Why is my driving licence not found in DigiLocker?

Usually because the record is not in the National Register or the number or name does not match. The RTO has to add or correct the record.

Can I download my RC by vehicle number?

Yes, through DigiLocker under Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Registration of Vehicles, if the vehicle is registered in your name and your Aadhaar name matches.

Is DigiLocker or mParivahan better for showing documents?

Either is accepted. DigiLocker holds a digitally signed copy that many other agencies also accept as ID. mParivahan shows live validity of insurance, fitness and permit along with the RC. Keeping both set up covers you if one app fails.

Can police seize my licence if I only have it on the phone?

There is nothing physical to take. Under rule 139A the seizure is recorded electronically on the Portal and you get a receipt.

Is the DigiLocker licence accepted as ID elsewhere?

DigiLocker's circulars page lists acceptance by Indian Railways for train journeys and by airport security for departing passengers, among others.

Official links

Sources

Every fee, time limit, form and address above was read on these official pages on 13 October 2026.

DigiLocker, Frequently Asked Questions Supports MoRTH integration with the National Register; Aadhaar must be linked to the DigiLocker account; quick links to get the digital driving licence and vehicle RC; Aadhaar name must match the name in the licence or RC record; meaning of the "No record available in issuer database" and "details provided did not match" errors; issued versus uploaded documents; spot verification by digital signature or QR code; MoRTH letter RT-11036/64/2017-MVL dated 08/08/2018
DigiLocker, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issuer page Supports Documents offered by MoRTH in DigiLocker (Driving License, Registration of Vehicles, Vehicle Insurance Certificate, Fitness Certificate, Vehicle Tax Receipt, Challan), pulled from Sarathi and Vahan
DigiLocker, answers from the Ask our Experts session of 18 October 2024 (PDF) Supports Search Document, then Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, then the driving licence record, then enter the licence number; the licence can be fetched even if it is linked to a different mobile number; issued documents are at par with originals; what DigiLocker says when police do not accept them
DigiLocker, Digital Locker Rules and Amendment (PDF) Supports Information Technology (Preservation and Retention of Information by Intermediaries Providing Digital Locker Facilities) Rules, 2016, G.S.R. 711(E) of 21 July 2016; rule 9A inserted by G.S.R. 111(E) of 8 February 2017, documents issued in and shared from a Digital Locker account at par with physical documents
MoRTH, G.S.R. 584(E) dated 25 September 2020, Central Motor Vehicles (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2020 Supports Rule 139 as substituted with effect from 1 October 2020 (documents in physical or electronic form, as available on or downloaded from the portal; physical copies not to be demanded once validated; fifteen days to produce an attested extract; inspection logged on the Portal); rule 139A, seizure of electronic documents is done on the Portal with a receipt; definition of Portal
MoRTH, G.S.R. 1081(E) dated 2 November 2018 Supports The first amendment that added "in physical or electronic form" and the pollution certificate to rule 139
MoRTH letter No. RT-11036/64/2017-MVL dated 8 August 2018 (PDF hosted by DigiLocker) Supports Advisory to all States that records in DigiLocker or mParivahan are deemed legally recognised at par with originals under the Information Technology Act, 2000; insurance shown as in force on mParivahan or eChallan need not be produced on paper; no physical seizure needed
MoRTH, Standard Operating Procedure dated 17 December 2018 (PDF hosted by Parivahan) Supports Section 4 and section 2(r) of the IT Act as the legal basis; mParivahan is provided by the Ministry through NIC and shows DL, RC, fitness, insurance and permit validity; officers verify by entering the number in eChallan or mParivahan or by scanning the QR code, which works offline; paper needed if the virtual copy or validity status is not available in the app
NextGen mParivahan (official site) Supports The app is called NextGen mParivahan and offers a Virtual DL and Virtual RC; run by NIC
Parivahan Sewa, FAQ Supports If the driving licence is not found in DigiLocker, the RTO has to migrate the record to Sarathi
Parivahan Sewa, Contact Us Supports Helpdesk emails for mParivahan, Sarathi and Vahan and the Vahan helpdesk phone number and hours
India Code, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (PDF) Supports Section 130, duty to produce the licence and certificates on demand

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