Driving Licence Status Check 2026: Sarathi Application Number Steps & Status Meanings

Official portal

sarathi.parivahan.gov.in

You need

Application number + date of birth

Menu

Select state → Application Status

Fee to check

None on the official portal

Driving licence status is the current stage of your licence application in the Sarathi system run under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It covers learner's licence (LL) applications, new driving licence (DL) applications after the LL, and services on an existing licence such as renewal, duplicate licence, change of address or additional vehicle class. The status page does not decide your application; your state transport department and RTO do. It only shows where the file is: fee payment, document scrutiny, test appointment, test result, approval or dispatch. Checking DL status is different from checking whether a licence number is valid for a traffic check or a job verification, which uses licence details rather than an application number.

Tracking the status yourself saves repeated RTO visits and helps you act on the right step at the right time. If the page shows a pending fee, you pay it through Sarathi's fee section instead of waiting. If it shows a test appointment, you know which slot to attend or reschedule. If it shows approval, you know to look for print or dispatch options. It also protects you from agents who charge money to 'check' a status that is free to see. Parivahan's FAQ notes that the acknowledgement, Form 1, appointment letter and fee receipt can be reprinted from the same status page, which helps when you have lost the papers needed at the RTO.

• ✓You must already have submitted an application on Sarathi (LL, new DL, renewal, duplicate, address change or endorsement). Status cannot be checked before an application number exists.
• ✓Select the same state or UT where you submitted the application; a different state's page will not find it.
• ✓Use the date of birth exactly as entered in the application.
• ✓For a permanent licence, Parivahan's FAQ says it is issued from the same state where your learner's licence was issued.

• ✓Application number from your acknowledgement slip or SMS.
• ✓Date of birth as given in the application.
• ✓Access to the captcha on the official page; never share OTPs with anyone.
• ✓Fee receipt and appointment letter, if you need to visit the RTO afterwards.
• ✓Original documents you submitted, in case the RTO asks you to correct an error in person.

1. Open sarathi.parivahan.gov.in directly. Do not use a search ad or a site that asks for payment to show status.
2. Select your state or union territory from the list.
3. From the menu (usually Apply Online or the main page), choose Application Status.
4. Enter the application number and date of birth, fill the captcha and submit.
5. Read the stage shown. If a fee is pending, pay it from Fee Payments; if a test is due, use Appointments to book or reschedule a slot.
6. If the licence is approved, check whether your state allows printing; some states only dispatch by post, and Parivahan notes printing depends on the state.
7. For a learner's licence, the printable Form 3 is under the Learner Licence menu using application number and date of birth, if your state offers it.
8. If the status has not moved for a long time or shows an error, contact your RTO or zonal transport office with the acknowledgement and original documents.

There is no single national deadline for checking status. Timelines for test slots, approval and dispatch are set by each state and RTO. Keep validity in mind: a learner's licence cannot be renewed and a fresh one is needed once it expires, according to Parivahan's FAQ. For renewal of a driving licence, Sarathi's FAQ says it can be done within one year before or after expiry; beyond one year, renewal with retest or revalidation may apply as per state rules.

• ✓Choosing the wrong state: status is only found in the state where you applied.
• ✓Filing a new application because status seems slow. Parivahan warns the system may show you already have an application; contact the RTO instead.
• ✓Missing the driving test date: you may have to pay a retest fee and book a fresh appointment.
• ✓Expecting to edit the application online after submission. Parivahan's FAQ says you must contact the zonal office or transport department with original documents.
• ✓Paying agents to check status or 'speed up' approval. Status is free on the official portal and nobody can guarantee a faster result.
• ✓Confusing application status with licence validity checks. They need different details.