COVID-19: Validity of driving license, vehicle registration extended till March 2021

The Centre on Sunday extended the validity of motor vehicle documents like driving license (DL), registration certificate (RC) and permits till March 31, 2021, in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The validity extension applies to all documents that were supposed to expire on February 1, 2020.

This is the fourth such extension after the earlier advisories on March 30, June 9 and August 24. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had earlier advised that documents such as fitness certificate, permit (all types), driving license and registration certificate would be treated as valid till December 31.

“Taking into consideration the need to prevent the spread of Covid-19, it is further advised that the validity of all of the above-referred documents may be treated to be valid till 31st March 2021. This covers all documents whose validity has expired since 1st Feb, 2020 or would expire by 31st March 2021,” a release from the ministry said.

Considering the current situation, the ministry further added, “Enforcement authorities are advised to treat such documents valid till 31st of March 2021. This will help out citizens in availing transport-related services, while maintaining social distancing.”

“The government has provided for the availability of the essential goods and production thereof and has allowed the vehicles for the transport of such goods/cargo and further opening up the operation of passenger transport in view of the fact that citizens were finding it difficult to get renewed the validity of various documents due to lock-down in operation at various stages in different parts of the country and other countries world over. Renewal of such documents is still leading to the assembly of people and long queues in front of the transport offices across the country,” the Union government said in an advisory to all states and union territories (UTs).

The ministry has asked all states and UTs to implement the recent advisory in letter and spirit so that citizens do not face additional challenges during Covid-19 pandemic.