Obtaining a duplicate driving licence, renewing a licence, or updating the address on the card can now be accomplished online.

The transport department has decided to introduce a series of online or “faceless” services, where vehicle owners will no longer have to queue up at the public vehicles department offices physically.

Senior transport department officials said they had been receiving complaints from motorists that getting a job done — something as basic as replacing a driving licence or changing the photo and signature on the driving licence — was a challenge at the offices of the public vehicles department.

“Some of them complained that it took a long time just to reach the counters,” a senior transport department official said.

The long queues were often the reason touts stepped in and offered convenience for money in cahoots with a section of officials.

Some of the services which will now be offered online include an application for a learner licence, changing the name, address, photo and signature in a learner licence, issuing a duplicate driving licence, renewing a driving licence for which a test of competence to drive is not required and issuing an international driving permit.

At a recent meeting with senior officials of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), under the Union ministry of electronics and information technology, the transport department decided to offer a range of services that would be provided “faceless”. The stated objective was to alleviate the trouble of visiting the offices physically and dealing with the menace of touts or illegal intermediaries.

After several rounds of discussion on how some of these services could be offered online and the technological integration required, the transport department shortlisted some faceless services that could be delivered without requiring the applicant to turn up in person.
Saumitra Mohan, the transport secretary, issued a notification on November 3, listing at least 50 motor-vehicle related services. The notification said the introduction of newer online services was “with a view to improve further and strengthen the delivery of different motor-vehicle related services”.

For an international driving permit, too, one can apply online.

“The printed permit in the form of a booklet will have to be collected from the office,” said a senior transport department official.

According to sources, to modify an existing photograph and the signature on a driving licence, one can apply online using the details of their Aadhaar card.

“Several citizen-centric services, including getting a duplicate fitness certificate or updating mobile number in the records for transport-related services, will now be available online,” the official said.

“The backend work has been completed, and these services will be available online within a fortnight,” the official said.