Licence renewal headache may go

Have a driving licence? You may now not have to worry about renewing it till the age of 50.

The S Sundar committee, in its recommendations to amend Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1989, has suggested to the ministry of road transport and highways to enhance validity of licences for non-transport vehicles till the owner attains the age of 50. At present, licences need to be renewed after every 20 years.

The committee has also suggested the government to raise validity of transport vehicle licences from three  to five years.

“Presently, a licence for driving a non-transport vehicle is valid for 20 years and for driving a transport vehicle for three years. An amendment to this act has been suggested to enhance the validity of a licence to drive a non-transport vehicle till the holder attains the age of 50 and for renewal thereafter till he attains the age of 70 on the basis of a medical certificate. Subsequent renewals will be valid for five years each,” the committee said in its recommendations.

“In the case of transport vehicles, the initial licence will be valid for a period of five years and shall be renewable,” the recommendations said.

The panel has also suggested hiking the eligibility criteria for obtaining a transport vehicle licence. “The committee recommends that with effect from 2015, the minimum educational qualification should be 10th standard passed,” the report said. At present, it is class-VIII passed.