Commercial Driving Licence (CDL)

The Commercial Vehicle (CV) industry is widespread and has a turnover of multi-billion rupees. It's also a lucrative business for many. Be it a businessman who owns a transport company with a fleet of trucks or an individual that own a commercial vehicle, it's necessary to ensure that the driver who is hired to drive the CV holds a commercial driving licence (CDL). In this post, we tell you the process and documents required for obtaining a commercial DL in India.

Types of Commercial Driving Licence (CDL)

There are several types of commercial driving licence, based on the type of CV one plans to drive. For example, a commercial driving licence for LMVs enables one to legally drive a car or jeep or a delivery van, while a CDL for an HMV lets him to drive heavy motor vehicles such as a bus. Listed below is a list of types of commercial driving licence.

Licence Type	Usage
MGV	For medium goods vehicle
LMV	Light motor vehicles including motorcars, jeeps, taxis, delivery vans
HMV	Heavy Motor Vehicles
HGMV	Heavy Goods Motor Vehicle
HPMV/HTV	Heavy passenger motor vehicle/Heavy transport vehicle
LMV - NT	Light motor vehicles used for non-transport purpose
MGV	Medium Goods Vehicle
Trailer	Person holding heavy vehicle driving licence can apply for heavy trailer license

Steps required to get Transport Driving Licence (CDL)

Getting a commercial driving licence is fairly easy as long as one is aware of the process involved in obtaining it. In order to get a CDL, one must have a learner's licence first. In some states, the minimum age for getting a commercial driving licence is 18 while in other, it is 22. Also, the candidate must have studied at least till class 8.

• All candidates who have applied for a CDL need to pass a written exam in order to first obtain a learner's licence. After a minimum of 30 days of obtaining a learner's licence, but within 180 days, one can apply for a permanent commercial driving licence.
• An individual can apply for a driving licence online or offline based on his comfort. One needs to fill the required forms and submit them along with the necessary documents.
• Once everything has been provided to the RTO, the applicants are called for a test. The applicant’s driving skills are tested and he or she is granted a CDL if one manages to satisfy the presiding officer.

Eligibility Criteria for Commercial Transport Licence (CDL)

For a candidate to be eligible for a commercial driving licence, one needs to be of the minimum age as required by the state in which he is applying for a CDL. Also, he must have studied till 8th grade and should be trained in a Government or at least a Government-affiliated training centre. Here is the full list of eligibility criteria-

• An applicant needs to be at least 18 years old (in some states) and 20 years old (in other states)
• An applicant needs to have cleared the 8th grade in school
• He or she must already have a Learner’s License.
• The candidate should be trained from a Government Motor School or one that is affiliated to the State Government.
• The applicant needs to possess all the required documents.

Documents Required for Commercial Driving License (CDL)

Below is the list of documents required to apply for a Commercial Driving Licence. The document requirement stays unchanged across all the states -

Any one of the below for proof of address

• Passport
• Aadhaar card
• Voter ID
• Ration card
• Utility bills issued in the applicant’s name

Any one of the below for proof of identity

• Aadhaar card
• PAN card
• Passport
• Birth Certificate
• 10th Grade mark sheet

Other documents:

• Application form 2, form 1A and form 5
• Original learner’s license
• Three passport size photographs

How to Apply for Commercial Driving License (CDL) Online?

Thanks to the push for digitalization, applicants of CDL now have the option of applying online. In order to do so, one needs to follow the below procedure-

• Log in to the Sarathi website and download Form 4
• Fill the form and upload the same, along with required documents and passport size photograph(s) to the portal
• Provide a medical certificate in Form No. 1A. In case the applicant wishes to drive a HMV, he or she will need to give a ‘Driver Refreshing Training Certificate’.
• It is compulsory to get trained from a Government Driving School or one that has been authorized by the State Government. Furnish the Form 5 provided by the training centre
• On submission of all of the above, the candidate will receive a serial number on the registered mobile number.
• On the allotted day, the applicant needs to go to the center and give the test

How to Apply for Commercial Driving License (CDL) Offline?

• One can also apply offline by going through the below process-
• Visit the closest RTO and obtain form No.2.
• Submit the filled copy along with the necessary documents
• Provide a medical certificate in Form No. 1A and ‘Driver Refreshing Training Certificate’ if the application is for a DL for a HMV
• It is compulsory to get trained from a Government Driving School or one that has been authorized by the State Government. Furnish the Form 5 provided by the training centre
• After submission of all the required documents, the applicant will receive a serial number along with notifications on their registered mobile number.

What To Do If You Lose The Commercial License (CDL)?

In case you lose your Commercial Driving License, you should report it to the Police immediately and obtain an FIR. Next, you should go to the zonal regional transport authority and file for an application of a duplicate CDL. It is recommended you submit a letter to the authority along with the necessary form to tell them that you have lost your licence. It is also advisable to obtain a stamped affidavit to notify that you’ve lost your commercial license and that you have registered an FIR for the same reason.

How to Get a Duplicate Commercial License (CDL)?

If you have lost your original commercial driving license, you can get a duplicate copy from the zonal transport office nearest to you. You can even obtain a duplicate copy in case the original one is torn or damaged or stolen. For this, you need to submit an affidavit and FIR copy and produce all the required documents to the RTO. You will have to submit the following documents to the RTO-

• Application form 2
• FIR; If your CDL was stolen or torn, you will have to produce an NCR form.
• Present the original license copy to the authority if it is torn, soiled or mutilated.
• Photocopies of your original commercial license
• Details of the license
• Passport size photographs
• Age proof

Commercial Four Wheeler Driving License

When applying for a CDL, the applicant needs to choose the class of commercial vehicle he plans to drive. Vehicle owners have the option of applying for a commercial driving license either online through the official website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways or on the website of the State Transport Department, or offline at the RTO within his/her jurisdiction.

Eligibility Criteria For Commercial Four Wheeler Driving License

To apply for a CDL, applicants need to meet the following eligibility criteria-

• An applicant needs to be at least 18 years old (in some states) and 20 years old (in other states)
• An applicant needs to have cleared the 8th grade in school
• He or she must already have a Learner’s License.
• The candidate should be trained from a Government Motor School or one that is affiliated to the State Government.
• The applicant needs to possess all the required documents.

Documents Required For A Commercial Four Wheeler Driving License (CDL)

Listed below are all the documents an applicant for a commercial four wheeler driving license needs to submit

Any one of the below for proof of address

• Passport
• Aadhaar card
• Voter ID
• Ration card
• Utility bills issued in the applicant’s name

Any one of the below for proof of identity

• Aadhaar card
• PAN card
• Passport
• Birth Certificate
• 10th Grade mark sheet

Other documents:

• Application form 2, form 1A and form 5
• Original learner’s license
• Three passport size photographs

How To Apply For A Commercial Four Wheeler Driving License Online? 

An applicant for a commercial driving license can apply for the vital document online on the official website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. He or she needs to follow the below procedure-

• Visit the official website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways - parivahan.gov.in.
• Click on ‘driving related services’.
• Click on ‘download forms’
• Download Form 4
• Fill the details and attest Form 4
• Self attest Form 4 and upload the documents
• Upload recent passport-size photographs.
• Submit Form 1(a)
• If the applicant wishes for a driving license to drive a heavy commercial motor vehicle, he/she will have to submit a ‘driver refreshing training certificate’.
• Submit Form 5 issued by the Government Motor School or State Government-affilated motor school on successful completion of training
• On submission of all the required documents, the applicant will receive the application number on his/her mobile number through SMS
• Visit the RTO to give the exam as per the allotted time slot

How To Apply For A Commercial Four Wheeler Driving License Offline? 

• In case you need to apply for a CDL offline, you need to follow the below steps-
• Visit the RTO within your jurisdiction and procure Form 2.
• Fill the required details of Form 2 and submit it along with Form 1(a)
• Furnish a ‘driver refreshing training certificate’ if one wishes to drive a heavy commercial vehicle
• The applicant should obtain Form 5 on successful completion of training from a Government Motor Driving School.
• Submit all the relevant forms and documents and obtain the application number
• The RTO will then schedule the driving test for the applicant.

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