Planning to drive overseas on your next international trip? An International Driving Permit (IDP), often referred to as an international driving license, is a globally recognized document that translates your Indian Driving License into multiple languages. Approved by the United Nations conventions, an IDP makes it legal for Indian citizens to drive or rent motor vehicles in over 150 foreign countries.
If you are facing confusion regarding the Sarathi Parivahan portal, document requirements, or RTO procedures, this guide solves your exact problems step by step. This guide strictly follows official Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) guidelines to provide a factual, no-nonsense path to securing your IDP.
Who needs this service? (Eligibility)
Any resident Indian citizen planning to drive a motor vehicle in a foreign country requires an IDP.
Age Limit: You must be at least 18 years old.
Citizenship: Must be a resident citizen of India (NRIs cannot apply for a new IDP in India).
Valid Driving License: Must hold a valid permanent Indian Driving License (Learner’s license holders are not eligible).
Passport: Must possess a valid Indian Passport with at least six months of validity remaining.
Visa: Must have a valid visa for the destination country (unless travelling to a Visa-on-Arrival destination).
Required documents
To process your International Driving Permit application smoothly on the Parivahan portal or at the RTO, you must prepare the following documents in advance. For online uploads, keep scanned copies under 500 KB in JPEG/PDF format.
Form 4A: The official MoRTH application form for the issue of an International Driving Permit.
Valid Indian Driving License: Original and self-attested copies. Your license must cover the category of vehicle you intend to drive abroad.
Valid Indian Passport: Original and copies of the front and back pages.
Valid Visa: Proof of visa for the country you intend to visit.
Form 1A (Medical Certificate): A valid medical fitness certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner.
Passport-size Photographs: 3 to 4 recent passport-size photos (for offline submission). For online, a scanned recent photo is required.
Air Ticket: Copy of your confirmed flight tickets for verification.
Application Fee: ₹1,000 (Standard MoRTH prescribed fee). Note: Certain states may levy a minor nominal user charge/service fee on top of this.
Online application process
The Government of India has centralized driving license services through the Sarathi Parivahan portal. Follow these exact steps to apply for your IDP online without visiting an agent.
1. Go to the official portal: Visit the official Ministry of Road Transport and Highways portal: https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in
2. Select your State: On the homepage, select the state from where your current Indian Driving License was issued from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on the IDP Service: From the main dashboard, look for the “Driving License” menu.
Click on “Apply for International Driving Permit (IDP)”.
Alternatively, you can click on “Services on DL (Renewal/Duplicate/AEDL/IDP/Others)”.
Screenshot description: A blue grid of icons will appear. The IDP icon is typically a globe with a driving license. Click on it to proceed.
4. Read Instructions and Proceed: A multi-step instruction page will load. Read the required steps (Fill Applicant Details -> Upload Documents -> Upload Photo and Signature -> Driving License Test Slot Booking -> Payment of Fee). Click the “Continue” button at the bottom.
5. Enter Driving License Details:
Enter your Driving License Number (exactly as printed, e.g., RJ14 20210000000).
Enter your Date of Birth (DD-MM-YYYY).
Enter the Captcha code and click “Get DL Details”.
Screenshot description: Your personal details, photo, and valid vehicle categories will populate on the screen. Verify these details carefully.
6. State and RTO Selection: Select your State and the specific RTO where your DL was issued. If your license is older and not digitized, you may face an error here (see Common Problems section below). Click “Proceed”.
7. Update Mobile Number & Aadhaar (If prompted): If your mobile number is not linked, the system will ask you to update it. Enter your mobile number and the OTP received.
Aadhaar eKYC: Choosing Aadhaar-based authentication (Contactless Service) bypasses the need for physical RTO document verification in many states. Enter your Aadhaar number, receive an OTP on your UIDAI-registered mobile number, and submit.
8. Fill Form 4A Details: The digital Form 4A will open. You must fill in the following mandatory fields:
Birth Place and Birth Country.
Passport Number and “Valid Till” date.
Visa Number and “Valid Till” date.
Select the Country for which the Visa is granted.
Select the Class of Vehicles (COV) you wish to drive.
Disqualification/Ban Declarations (Select No, unless applicable).
9. Document Upload: Click “Confirm” and proceed to the document upload screen.
Upload your scanned Passport, Visa, Medical Certificate (Form 1A), and Driving License.
Ensure files are clear and meet the size limits (usually under 500 KB).
10. Fee Payment:
Proceed to the “Make Payment” gateway.
The standard fee is ₹1,000.
Pay via Net Banking, UPI, or Debit/Credit Card through your state’s treasury gateway (e.g., GRAS, SBI ePay).
Crucial Step: Download and print the payment receipt.
11. Slot Booking (If non-Aadhaar/Offline verification is required): If your state mandates physical verification or you did not use Aadhaar eKYC, you must book an RTO slot. Select an available date and time for document verification.
Offline process if available
For citizens who are not tech-savvy, face Aadhaar linkage issues, or have pre-2010 non-digitized driving licenses, the offline process at the local Regional Transport Office (RTO) is the best alternative.
Locate your RTO: You must visit the specific District RTO that originally issued your driving license.
Purchase or Download Form 4A: You can download Form 4A from the Parivahan website or purchase it from the stationery vendors outside the RTO.
Medical Certificate: Visit a government hospital or an RTO-authorized doctor to get Form 1A physically signed and stamped.
Create an Application File: Attach Form 4A, Form 1A, 3-4 passport-sized photographs, and self-attested photocopies of your DL, Passport, Visa, and Air Tickets. Carry all originals in a secure folder.
Submit to the IDP Counter: Submit your file at the designated IDP counter at the RTO. The inspecting officer will verify your original passport and visa against the photocopies.
Pay the Fee: Pay the ₹1,000 fee at the RTO cash counter. Collect the physical stamped receipt.
Biometrics (If required): You may be directed to the biometrics room to capture a fresh photograph and digital signature.
Processing Time: Offline processing generally takes 3 to 7 working days. You will have to return to the RTO to collect the physical IDP booklet, or it will be dispatched via Speed Post to your registered address.
State-wise variations
While Parivahan Sewa is the central portal, a few states maintain their own localized portals for transport services.
Telangana: Applicants must use the Telangana Transport Department portal (
tgtransport.net/tgcfstonline/) or the T App Folio mobile app. Slot booking is mandatory, and you must visit the RTA office with original documents.Andhra Pradesh: Operates through
aptransport.org. Similar to Telangana, applicants must submit Form IDP in writing or via the AP Transport portal to the local RTO.Delhi/NCR: Fully integrated with Sarathi Parivahan. Completely faceless (contactless) service is available if Aadhaar eKYC is successfully completed.
How to check status/track application
Do not fall for third-party tracking apps. Always use the official MoRTH portal to track your IDP status.
Go to the official portal: https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in
Select your State.
On the right side of the top menu bar, click on the “Application Status” button.
Enter your Application Number (received via SMS/Email during registration).
Enter your Date of Birth and the Captcha code.
Click “Submit”.
Screenshot description: A detailed flowchart will appear showing the stages of your application (e.g., “Scrutiny”, “Approval of IDP”, “Printing of IDP”, “Dispatch”). Green text indicates completed steps.
If the IDP has been dispatched, the portal will display the India Post Speed Post tracking number (AWB number). You can use this number on the India Post website to track the physical delivery.
Common problems and solutions
Applying for government services online can sometimes trigger technical errors. Here are the 5 most frequent problems applicants face while applying for an IDP, along with their official fixes.
1. Error: “Driving License details not found in Parivahan portal”
The Problem: Your driving license was issued years ago (usually before 2010) and has not been digitized or migrated to the central Sarathi database.
The Solution: You cannot apply online immediately. You must first apply for “DL Backlog Data Entry.” Visit your local RTO with your original DL. The RTO staff will manually enter your license details into the Sarathi system. Once digitized (takes 1-2 days), you can proceed with the online IDP application.
2. Error: “Payment deducted from bank account but receipt not generated”
The Problem: High server load on the state treasury gateway causes a timeout, leaving the payment status pending.
The Solution: Do NOT pay again immediately. Go to the Parivahan portal -> Select State -> Click on “Fee Payments” -> Select “Verify Pay Status”. Enter your Application Number and Date of Birth. The system will ping the bank gateway and update your receipt. If it fails, the amount is automatically refunded to your source account within 5-7 working days.
3. Problem: “Portal asks for Visa details, but my destination offers Visa-on-Arrival”
The Problem: The online Form 4A marks the Visa Number and “Valid Till” fields as mandatory, blocking submission for visa-on-arrival or visa-free countries (e.g., Thailand, Mauritius).
The Solution: The official Parivahan FAQ states that Visa details are mandatory to issue an IDP. If travelling to a visa-on-arrival country, you must apply offline at your RTO. Submit a written application explaining the visa-on-arrival status, attached with your confirmed two-way air tickets and hotel bookings. The Regional Transport Officer has the discretionary power to bypass the visa requirement locally.
4. Error: “Aadhaar authentication failed / Name mismatch”
The Problem: The name or date of birth on your Driving License does not perfectly match the data on your Aadhaar card (e.g., “Rahul K Sharma” vs “Rahul Kumar Sharma”).
The Solution: The eKYC system requires an exact match. If it fails, choose the “Submit without Aadhaar” option on the authentication page. You will be able to fill the form, but you will lose the “faceless” benefit and must book a physical slot to visit the RTO for manual document verification.
5. Error: “Document upload size exceeded / Invalid format”
The Problem: The portal strictly rejects files larger than the specified limit (usually 500 KB) or in the wrong format.
The Solution: Use free online compression tools to reduce your JPEG or PDF sizes. Ensure documents are scanned in color, clearly legible, and saved strictly as
.jpg,.jpeg, or.pdf. For the signature upload, use black ink on plain white paper for best visibility.
Official helplines and contact
If your application is stuck for weeks or you face persistent technical glitches, contact the official Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) helpdesks. Do not share your OTP or Application Number with unverified numbers found on social media.
Toll-Free Helpline: +91-120-4925505 (Operational from 06:00 AM to 12:00 Midnight)
Email Support for Sarathi/License Issues: helpdesk-sarathi@gov.in
Email Support for Vahan/Registration Issues: helpdesk-vahan@gov.in
Email Support for mParivahan App Issues: helpdesk-mparivahan@gov.in
When emailing the helpdesk, always use a clear subject line (e.g., “URGENT: IDP Application Stuck – App No. 12345678”) and attach screenshots of the error along with your Application Number, DL Number, and Date of Birth.
This information is from official sources as of February 2026. Always verify on official portal for latest updates.
