If the card is torn, defaced or the important details can no longer be read, a duplicate licence is generally the right route rather than applying for a completely new licence.
Simple, practical guidance for Indian driving-licence services. We are an independent website; applications and official records are handled by government portals.
Information on this page is based on current guidance published by DigiLocker and Parivahan Sewa. State/RTO workflows, document lists and fees can change, so always follow the instructions shown on the official portal.
If the DL number, name, date of birth, validity, photograph or other important details are damaged enough to make the card difficult to read, replacement is sensible.
If the card is only slightly worn but all details are clearly readable, you may not need an immediate replacement. However, the issuing authority ultimately decides whether the card needs to be replaced.
Do not laminate, alter or manually rewrite information on the licence in an attempt to repair it. Use the official replacement process.
Keep the damaged original licence. Parivahan's guidance says the original licence should be provided when it is written or defaced and available.
Keep a clear photocopy or scan if you have one.
Keep identity/address proof and any other documents requested by your state/RTO.
Keep a recent photograph only if the online process asks for one. Form 2 includes a photograph field and the current form is used for several DL services.
Go to the official Sarathi portal and choose the state that issued the licence.
Open the driving-licence services and select duplicate DL/replacement where available.
Enter your DL details and complete the verification process.
Upload the damaged-document evidence and any other documents requested by the portal.
Pay the applicable official fee and complete an appointment or RTO visit if the application requires one.
Keep the receipt until the replacement licence is issued.
Parivahan's duplicate-licence guidance explicitly lists a photograph that requires replacement as a reason for issuing a duplicate.
That means you should not assume that you need a brand-new driving licence. Check the duplicate/replacement route first and follow the current state-specific instructions.
If the physical card is damaged but the data is correct, the task is replacement.
If the name, DOB or address printed on the card is wrong, that is a correction issue and may require a different service.
If the physical card is fine but DigiLocker shows a mismatch, diagnose the digital-record problem separately.
We explain the process here, but your licence record, application and payment should be handled on the official systems.