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
How to Read a Driving Licence: Number Format and Use as ID
A driving licence card has your licence number, name, date of birth, address, photo and signature on the front, with the validity dates, and your vehicle classes and a QR code on the back. The licence number has 15 characters: a 2-letter state code, a 2-digit RTO code, the 4-digit year of issue and a 7-digit serial number. The licence is also accepted as identity proof: for bank KYC (with address), for voting if you don't have your voter ID card, for Aadhaar (identity only), and as date-of-birth proof for a passport.
- Card format
- Form 7, rule 16
- Size
- 85.6 × 54 mm, like a bank card
- Number
- 15 characters: SS RR YYYY + 7 digits
- ID for banks
- Yes, identity and address
- ID for Aadhaar
- Identity only
On this page
What does each part of the licence mean?
Every state prints the card to the national Form 7 design under rule 16 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules: a card of 85.6 × 54 mm, laminated or a smart card with a chip. The real card also carries the National Emblem and your state's name, which the sample leaves out. Pick a side:
Front of the card
- State/UT code: the state or union territory that issued the licence.
- Driving Licence Number: your unique number (format explained below). Quote it for renewal, duplicates and corrections.
- Photograph and Holder's Signature.
- Issue Date, Validity (NT) and, for transport licences, Validity (TR). Date of First Issue shows when you were first licensed, which stays the same after renewals.
- Name, Date of Birth, Blood Group, Organ Donor and Son/ Daughter/ Wife of.
- Address: the address on record when the card was printed.
Back of the card
- Driving Licence Number, repeated.
- QR code, 15 × 15 mm (see below).
- The table of the vehicle classes you may drive: Class of Vehicle, Code, Issued by, Date of Issue and Vehicle Category. Codes such as MCWG and LMV are explained in licence types and classes.
- Badge Number, Badge Issued Date and Badge Issued by: filled only for transport licences.
- Emergency Contact Number and the Licensing Authority (your RTO).
Fields that don't apply to you, such as Hazardous Validity, Hill Validity or Invalid Carriage, are left blank.
Something printed wrongly? See change or correct licence details: the central fee is ₹200 plus ₹200 for a new smart card.
How do you read the validity dates?
Validity (NT): non-transport
This is the last day you may drive private vehicles, such as your own car or motorcycle, on this licence. How far ahead it is set depends on your age when the licence was issued or last renewed. In the sample, the holder was 26 at issue, so the licence runs until the day before turning 40.
Validity (TR): transport
Shown only if you hold a transport (commercial) class. It is shorter than the private validity, so the two dates are usually different. The badge columns on the back are also filled.
The licence is not valid from the day after the date printed. Validity by age and the renewal window: renew a driving licence.
What does the driving licence number mean?
Parivahan's licence search explains the national format. The sample number XX01 20260001234 breaks down like this:
| Part | Sample | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| SS | XX | Two-letter state code, like RJ for Rajasthan or TN for Tamil Nadu |
| RR | 01 | Two-digit RTO code |
| YYYY | 2026 | Year of issue, in four digits |
| NNNNNNN | 0001234 | Seven-digit serial number |
That is 15 characters. Online services accept it with a hyphen or a space after the RTO code (16 characters in all), for example XX-0120260001234 or XX01 20260001234. "XX" is not a real state code; it is used here so the sample can't belong to anyone.
Number already in the new format
Type it exactly as printed, with the hyphen or space after the first four characters if the form asks for one.
Old number with slashes or a 2-digit year
Older licences look different, for example XX-05/DLC/99/4567. Convert it before typing it into an online service: keep the state and RTO codes, write the year in four digits (99 becomes 1999, 12 becomes 2012), and pad the serial with zeros to 7 digits. The example becomes XX-0519990004567.
YouResult
- Keep the 2-letter state code: XX
- Keep the 2-digit RTO code: 05
- Drop letters such as DLC and write the year in 4 digits: 99 becomes 1999
- Pad the serial number with zeros to 7 digits: 4567 becomes 0004567
- Result: XX-0519990004567
If the converted number still isn't found online, the old licence may never have been added to the national database. Ask the RTO that issued it to enter it (often called a backlog entry); see DL and RC in DigiLocker.
What is the QR code, and does a digital copy count?
Form 7 places a 15 × 15 mm QR code on the back of every card. To prove your licence at a check, you can also show it inside DigiLocker or mParivahan: the transport ministry's 2018 advisory treats those as equal to the original, and its 2019 procedure says documents not in those apps are not. A photo or scan on your phone is not the same. How to add it: DL and RC in DigiLocker and mParivahan.
Where is a driving licence accepted as ID?
| Where | Accepted, and for what |
|---|---|
| Banks and other RBI-regulated entities (KYC) | Yes. An "officially valid document" for identity and address |
| Voting at the polling booth | Yes, if you are on the voter list. One of 12 alternative photo IDs if you can't show your voter ID card (EPIC) |
| Aadhaar enrolment or update (adults) | Yes. Proof of identity only, not address or date of birth |
| Passport application | Yes, if born before 1 Oct 2023. Proof of date of birth (it must show your date of birth) |
| Police or transport check | Yes. The card, or the copy inside DigiLocker or mParivahan |
For other places, such as offices, hotels or travel, ask the organisation which IDs it accepts; we have not found a government list to quote. Aadhaar details: documents for Aadhaar on our Aadhaar guide.
Can you use your licence as proof of address?
Banks and other RBI-regulated KYC
Yes. RBI's KYC Direction lists the driving licence as an officially valid document containing name and address. If the address on your licence is out of date, the bank can accept a document such as a utility bill not more than two months old for the address, and you then give an officially valid document with your current address within three months.
Aadhaar
No. UIDAI's list of acceptable documents takes the driving licence as proof of identity only. For an address update, use another document from the UIDAI list. See Aadhaar address update.
Passport
The 2025 passport rules list the driving licence as a proof of date of birth for applicants born before 1 October 2023. For proof of address, check the current list on the Passport Seva website before you apply.
Moved house? Update the licence first: change of address costs ₹200 under the central rules, plus ₹200 for the new card.
What can go wrong, and how do you fix it?
| Your situation | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "No record found" online | Number typed in the old format, or an old licence not in the database | Convert the number; if it still fails, ask the issuing RTO for a backlog entry. |
| Bank rejects the licence for address | The address on it is old | Give a recent utility bill now and the updated licence within 3 months, or change the address. |
| Name or date of birth printed wrongly | An entry error | Apply for a correction with proof. |
| Validity (TR) blank | You hold no transport class | Nothing to fix; only private vehicles are covered. |
| Card lost or damaged | You need a replacement | Apply for a duplicate licence; meanwhile use the DigiLocker copy at checks. |
| Expiry date has passed | The licence is no longer valid | Renew it before you drive again. |
Frequently asked questions
How many characters is a driving licence number?
15: a 2-letter state code, a 2-digit RTO code, a 4-digit year and a 7-digit serial. Online forms often take 16 with a hyphen or space after the RTO code.
What do the first two letters mean?
The state or union territory that issued the licence, like RJ for Rajasthan or TN for Tamil Nadu.
My licence number has slashes. Is it still valid?
The format is older; what decides validity is the expiry date printed on the licence. Convert the number to the new format to use it online.
What is the difference between Issue Date and Date of First Issue?
Issue Date is when this card or renewal was issued; Date of First Issue is when you were first licensed.
Is a driving licence valid ID for opening a bank account?
Yes. RBI lists it as an officially valid document, for identity and address.
Can I vote with my driving licence?
Yes, if your name is on the voter list and you can't show your voter ID card. It is one of 12 alternative photo IDs.
Does UIDAI accept a driving licence for an Aadhaar address change?
No. UIDAI takes it as proof of identity only.
Can a driving licence prove my date of birth for a passport?
Yes, if you were born before 1 October 2023 and the licence shows your date of birth.
Is a photo of my licence on my phone enough?
No. Show the card, or the licence inside DigiLocker or mParivahan.
Sources
- Form 7, rule 16 – driving licence card format (Parivahan PDF): size, front and back fields, QR code (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Parivahan – driving licence search, note on the number format: state code, RTO code, year, 7 digits, old-number conversion (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Reserve Bank of India – Master Direction, Know Your Customer (KYC) Direction, 2016: officially valid documents, address update within three months (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – 12 alternative photo IDs for voting (10 Oct 2025) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – List of acceptable documents for enrolment and update (PDF) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Passport rules amendment, G.S.R. 156(E), 24 Feb 2025 (Passport Seva PDF): proof of date of birth (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Documents in DigiLocker and mParivahan valid (9 Aug 2018) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – SOP for transport documents in electronic form (20 Sep 2019) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Transport Department, Uttarakhand – Fee structure: change of particulars and smart card fees (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Page history: 26 Oct 2026: first published.