Independent guide by India Customer Care · Not the Parivahan government website · We never ask for your licence number, vehicle number, Aadhaar or OTP. Official services: parivahan.gov.in
Commercial Driving Licence: Taxi, Truck, Bus and PSV Badge
To drive a taxi, goods vehicle or bus for hire you need a licence that covers a transport vehicle. If the vehicle's gross weight is 7,500 kg or less, the Supreme Court has held that an ordinary LMV licence is enough. Above 7,500 kg, and for e-rickshaws and hazardous goods, the transport rules apply: minimum age 20, a Form 1A medical certificate and certified training. A transport licence lasts 5 years (3 years for hazardous goods). Some states also want a PSV badge for passenger vehicles.
- Minimum age
- 20
- LMV limit
- 7,500 kg gross weight
- Medical
- Form 1A, any age
- Validity
- 5 years (hazardous goods 3)
- Education
- None since 1 Sep 2019
On this page
Which licence do you need for a taxi, truck or bus?
The Motor Vehicles Act calls every vehicle used for hire or for goods a transport vehicle: a public service vehicle (taxi, auto, bus), a goods carriage, a school bus or a private service vehicle. What licence you need depends on the vehicle's gross vehicle weight, shown on its RC.
Gross vehicle weight up to 7,500 kg
- Taxis, autos, vans and small goods carriers usually fall here.
- An LMV licence is enough. The Supreme Court held in 2024 that you need no extra authorisation for a transport vehicle in this weight range.
- Form 2 still has a separate class, "Light Motor Vehicle as Transport Vehicle". Either way, check the badge and permit rules for your state.
Gross vehicle weight over 7,500 kg
- Medium and heavy trucks, tankers and full-size buses. A goods vehicle over 12,000 kg is a heavy goods vehicle.
- You need the transport vehicle class: on Form 2 it is "Medium or Heavy Goods or Passenger Vehicle as Transport Vehicle".
- Old licences may show this as HMV, HGMV or HPMV. Since 1994 the Act has one transport vehicle class (see licence codes).
Whatever the weight, an e-rickshaw or e-cart and a vehicle carrying hazardous goods still have their own rules. The 2024 judgment says those special requirements stay.
What changes between a private and a transport licence?
Private licence (LMV, motorcycle)
- Minimum age 18.
- Form 1 self-declaration of fitness; Form 1A only from age 40 at renewal.
- Validity depends on your age (until 40 if you are under 30). See licence validity.
- No driving school certificate is required by law.
Transport licence (over 7,500 kg, e-rickshaw, hazardous goods)
- Minimum age 20 (section 4(2)).
- You must have held an LMV licence for at least one year before the learner's licence (section 7(1)). E-rickshaws and e-carts are exempt.
- Form 1A medical certificate from a registered doctor, at any age.
- A driving certificate from a driving school (Form 5) is still required by section 9(4).
- No minimum education since 1 September 2019.
- Valid 5 years; with hazardous goods, 3 years.
Education: section 9(4) used to require a minimum qualification (Class 8) for transport drivers. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 removed it from 1 September 2019. Delhi's learner licence page still lists "8th standard pass"; if an office asks, you can point to the 2019 amendment.
How did the LMV rule change from 2017 to 2024?
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2017 | In Mukund Dewangan v. Oriental Insurance, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court held that a transport vehicle within 7,500 kg is a light motor vehicle, so an LMV licence needs no separate transport endorsement. The court applied it the same year to a tractor pulling a goods trolley (Sant Lal v. Rajesh). |
| 16 Apr 2018 | The Union government accepted the ruling by a notification. A second notification followed on 31 March 2021 to bring the rules in line. |
| 13 Sep 2023 | After insurers challenged the ruling, a Constitution Bench asked the Union government to take "a fresh look" at the law within two months. |
| 6 Nov 2024 | The five-judge Constitution Bench upheld Mukund Dewangan: an LMV licence holder may drive a transport vehicle within 7,500 kg gross weight. The extra transport conditions apply only above 7,500 kg, and to e-rickshaws, e-carts and hazardous goods. |
| 6 Jan 2026 | Applying it, the Delhi High Court held an insurer liable for a tourist taxi whose driver had only a private LMV licence. |
This matters most for insurance claims: an insurer cannot refuse to pay just because the driver of a light taxi or goods carrier held an LMV licence. It does not replace permits or badges. More on classes is in licence types.
How do you add the transport class to your licence?
YouRTO / SarathiFee or check
- Aged 20 and held an LMV licence for a year?No: wait until you qualify
- Get a Form 1A medical certificate and join a driving school
- On Sarathi, apply for a learner licence for the transport class and pay the fee
- Pass the learner licence test and get the learner licence
- After at least 30 days of training, book a driving test slot
- Passed the driving test in a transport vehicle?No: pay the retest fee and book again
- The transport class is added; valid for 5 years
- Open Sarathi and choose your state. Under the learner licence menu choose Application for New Learner Licence, give your existing licence details and pick the transport class.
- Upload Form 1A and pay. The learner licence guide covers the test.
- Train at a driving school for the transport class and keep its driving certificate (Form 5). A certificate from an accredited driver training centre (Form 5B) exempts you from the RTO driving test.
- After 30 days, apply under Services on DL (Renewal/Duplicate/AEDL/IDP/Others) and book the test under Appointments → DL Test Slot Booking.
- Take the test in a vehicle of the class. Delhi asks transport applicants for the driving certificate in Forms 5, 14 and 15.
Documents to collect
- Your current driving licence (held at least one year).
- Form 1A medical certificate from a registered doctor.
- Form 1 and Form 2 (filled in on Sarathi).
- Proof of age and address, if Sarathi asks (not needed with Aadhaar authentication).
- Driving school certificate (Form 5) or ADTC certificate (Form 5B).
- Hazardous goods: the course certificate (see below).
| Central fee (rule 32) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Learner licence for the class | ₹150 |
| Learner licence test | ₹50 |
| Driving test | ₹300 |
| Adding the class to your licence | ₹500 |
States add service and smart card charges. Renewal every 5 years needs a fresh Form 1A: see renewing a licence.
Open Sarathi (official) sarathi.parivahan.gov.in
Do taxi, auto and bus drivers need a PSV badge?
A PSV badge is a driver's authority to drive a public service vehicle (a taxi, auto, maxicab or bus). It is not a licence class: it comes from state rules and permit conditions, so who needs one and how you get it differ by state. Even when your LMV licence covers a light taxi, the permit may still require a badge.
YouRTO / policeFee
- Apply online on Parivahan under Driving License Related Services, with your licence details
- Choose the PSV Badge service and upload a first aid certificate
- Pay online and book a slot
- Visit the RTO for verification; some states check police records first
- The badge is issued
| State | What its transport department says |
|---|---|
| Delhi | Public service vehicles "can be driven only by drivers having PSV Badges apart from the appropriate driving licence". A badge is issued only after police verification. The 2013 notice lists two photos, a fee of ₹200, Delhi address proof, a certificate from an authorised driving training institution and a valid licence. Driving without one can get the vehicle impounded. |
| Odisha | "PSV Badge is issued to HMV Drivers only", online, with a first aid certificate, then a visit to the RTO. |
| Puducherry | E-rickshaw drivers get a badge after antecedent and character verification by the police. |
Ask your RTO which vehicles need a badge in your state. Owners are responsible too: Delhi says an owner is presumed to know if a driver without a badge drives their vehicle. Permits are explained in commercial vehicle permits.
What do you need to carry hazardous goods?
To drive a goods carriage carrying dangerous or hazardous goods (fuel, gas, chemicals), rule 9 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules adds conditions on top of your transport licence:
- You must be able to read and write at least one Indian language from the Constitution's schedule and English.
- You must have passed a course on transporting hazardous goods at an institute recognised by the state government. Andhra Pradesh publishes it as a 3-day course covering defensive driving, accident causes, vehicle condition and night driving.
- Your Form 1A medical includes extra checks: reaction time, side vision and glare recovery.
- The licence is valid for 3 years, and renewal is subject to conditions set by the central government.
YouInstitute / RTO
- Hold a transport licence for the vehicle class
- Pass the hazardous goods course at a state-recognised institute
- Get Form 1A with the extra eye and reaction checks
- Apply at the RTO with the course certificate; the licence then runs 3 years
The RTO tells you which Sarathi service your state uses for this and what it charges.
How do you get an e-rickshaw or e-cart licence?
E-rickshaws and e-carts have their own class on Form 2 and an easier route, set by rules of 2015:
- Minimum age 20 (Delhi and Puducherry).
- You do not need to have held an LMV licence for a year.
- At least 10 days' training from a registered e-rickshaw association or the manufacturer, with a certificate. Puducherry asks for at least 5 hours of actual driving in that time.
- You don't need a driving school's Form 5. In Delhi the learner test is oral instead of on a computer.
- Form 1, Form 1A, Form 2, age and address proof, and the rule 32 fee.
YouTrainer / RTOFee
- Complete 10 days' training with a registered association or manufacturer
- Apply for the e-rickshaw learner licence with Form 1A and pay
- Pass the learner test (oral in Delhi)
- After 30 days, take the driving test in an e-rickshaw with L plates
- Licence issued; get the badge if your state needs one
A licence for an e-rickshaw does not let you drive an auto or a car; for those you need the LMV class.
What can go wrong, and how do you fix it?
| Your situation | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sarathi won't accept a transport learner licence | Under 20, or your LMV licence is less than a year old | Wait until both conditions are met. E-rickshaw applicants are exempt from the one-year rule. |
| Office asks for your 8th-pass certificate | An old checklist | The 2019 amendment removed the education requirement from section 9(4). Ask the RTO to check. |
| Insurer refuses a claim because you had only an LMV licence | The vehicle was within 7,500 kg | Point to the Supreme Court ruling of 6 November 2024. See insurance claims. |
| Challan for driving a taxi without a badge | Your state's permit conditions require one | Get the badge from your RTO; pay or contest the challan. |
| Transport licence expired | 5 years have passed | Renew with a new Form 1A. After a year, you must pass the test again. |
| Old licence shows HMV or HGMV | A label from before 1994 | It is a transport class. See licence codes. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive a taxi on my car licence?
Yes, if the taxi's gross weight is within 7,500 kg (Supreme Court, 6 November 2024). Your state may still require a PSV badge and the vehicle needs a permit.
What is the minimum age for a commercial licence?
20 for any transport vehicle, including an e-rickshaw.
Do I need to be 8th pass for a heavy licence?
No. The education requirement was removed from 1 September 2019.
Do I need a car licence before a heavy licence?
Yes. You must have held an LMV licence for at least one year before getting a learner licence for a transport vehicle. E-rickshaws and e-carts are the exception.
How long is a transport licence valid?
5 years, or 3 years if you carry hazardous goods. You need a Form 1A medical each time you renew.
What is a PSV badge?
A state authorisation to drive a public service vehicle such as a taxi, auto or bus, usually issued after police verification. It is in addition to the licence.
Can a driving school certificate replace the RTO test?
Only a Form 5B certificate from an accredited driver training centre does. A normal driving school's Form 5 is still needed for a transport licence but does not exempt you from the test.
What is the age for an e-rickshaw licence?
20, with at least 10 days' training from a registered association or the manufacturer.
Sources
- India Code – Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (consolidated): sections 2, 4, 7, 9(4) and 14(2) with the 2019 amendments (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019: sections in force from 1 September 2019: education removed, 5-year and 3-year validity (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Form 2 (official PDF): transport classes, e-rickshaw, Form 1A, Form 5 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Supreme Court – Bajaj Alliance General Insurance v. Rambha Devi (Constitution Bench), 6 Nov 2024 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Supreme Court – order of 13 Sep 2023: notifications of 16 Apr 2018 and 31 Mar 2021 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Supreme Court – Sant Lal v. Rajesh, 3 Jul 2017 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Delhi High Court – Jai Kumar v. Oriental Insurance, 6 Jan 2026: conclusions of the Constitution Bench (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Transport Department, Delhi – Learner's licence: age 20, transport documents, e-rickshaw oral test, fees (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Transport Department, Delhi – public notice on PSV badges (18 Jan 2013) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Odisha State Transport Authority – Issue of PSV badge to a driver (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Transport Department, Andhra Pradesh – hazardous substances: rule 9 and the training course (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Transport Department, Puducherry – e-rickshaw guidelines (G.O. Ms. No. 25, 9 Dec 2015) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Transport Department, Delhi – Permanent driving licence: Forms 5, 14 and 15 for transport (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – accredited driver training centres (1 Jun 2024): Form 5B exempts the driving test (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Central Motor Vehicles Rules, rule 32 – fees, Government of Himachal Pradesh copy (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Page history: 26 Oct 2026: first published.