Driving licence renewal - Maharashtra

My Driving license was due for renewal.

The earlier license was from Delhi and now I have been living in Pune so it needed an address change too. I searched the net and found the renewal could be done online through the parivahan site. 

I filled the form online, uploaded the required documents - current licence and address proof in this case. The fees was also calculated by the same site and paid online. Next was the appointment booking again from the parivahan site. The appointment slots are from Monday to Friday only. 

I booked the slot for 10am monday morning. The RTO office is in sector 6, Moshi. It was a 25-min drive from my place and I reached the RTO office at 10am.

On the ground floor is a reception where no one sits. If you look at that you will probably keep waiting as rest of the activities happen on the floors above.

First floor is dedicated to all the driving licence work. When I reached there the first time, the counters were all deserted. People were waiting in a queue for their learner's licence test but there was no staff around.

After a while an old man appeared at one of the counters. On enquiring he told me the process and what I needed to do. There's a commercial building next to the RTO building where I got my medical certificate and my filled form printed. When I got back to the RTO office, the staff had increased a little. One of them verified my documents, stapled then together and asked me to get my biometrics done  and then wait till the operator comes who would actually enter this into the system. That lady joined in another 10 mins or so. She updated the details in the system, carried out her validations and it was done!!

What you need to do: 

1. Fill the form online

2. Pay the fees

3. Book your convenient slot

4. Visit the mentioned RTO office at the chosen time. 

Documents: 

1. Copy of the filled form 

2. Medical certificate issued by any one of the listed doctors

3. A photograph for the medical 

4. Original driving licence 

5. Xerox of address proof - as I needed an address change too

Tips:

1. Doctor and printer/xerox are all available in the building next to the RTO office 

2. Try not to choose the 10am slot as the staff comes only by 11

3. For a 5-page document, the shopkeeper asked ₹100. On asking, he mentioned he will have to login and hence ₹100. When I told him I have the form available with me, he charged ₹5 per page.

4. Carry your original driving licence as that needs to be submitted

5. The new licence will reach you through post in a month's time.

The application was approved and the renewed driving licence was available for download in around 7 hours flat 😊