Driving License Procedure in Pakistan Needs an Upgrade! (Personal Experience)
I have a driver’s license that I got issued from Karachi. It is about to expire and I am currently in Lahore. I went to the Lahore License office in Liberty Lahore to get some information on the renewal procedure. As I reached the office, I saw a lot of people waiting. There were two counters open at that time. One counter was for senior citizens while the other was for the average aged citizens.
There was no one to guide me and I felt completely lost. I saw a traffic police officer nearby and I decided to ask him about the process of renewing a driver’s license. When the traffic police officer found out that my license was issued in Karachi, he told me that it can’t be renewed in Lahore. Then he told me that my NIC must have a Lahore address, for my driver’s license to be renewed in Lahore. He also added, “this applies to everyone, including people with NICs from other districts of Punjab”. I was disappointed and headed back to my car. While heading back to my car, I got an idea of writing a blog on the process of getting a driver’s license. I went back to the officer and asked him a few more questions.
The officer was thankfully cooperative in this regard and told me that it costs Rs.360 to get a learner’s permit (Rs.60 for the ticket, Rs.100 for medical form and Rs.200 as processing fee). A learner’s permit is valid for a year and I can apply for a proper driver’s license after 42 days. The process for a learner’s permit involves, database entry, medical fitness test, and finally picture capture. He told me, the medical officer checks your eyesight and verifies, whether or not you are mentally stable. The learner’s permit is issued immediately and a book is given with all the rules and regulations for driving in Pakistan.
The documents needed for a learner’s permit are:
- Copy of CNIC
- Ticket of Rs.60 for each category (issued by General Post Office and Learner’s Permit Office)
- Medical Certificate (issued by a registered medical practitioner authorized by the govt.)
The documents needed for a driver’s license are:
- Copy of CNIC
- 3 Passport size photographs
- Medical Certificate (issued by a registered medical practitioner authorized by the govt.)
- Medical Fitness Certificate (only for the candidates who are 50+ years of age)
- Application form (A)
- Original learner’s permit (at-least 42 days within validity period)
- 180 on STR form has to be deposited in the licensing office after passing the test.
According to the officer, a driver’s license for a Motor car category costs Rs.900 and with the other charges (medical & processing fee) it would cost a total of Rs.1,250 (valid for 3 years). He also added that I will need to pass a written test as well as a driving test before the license is issued. I asked him what would happen if I fail the test, he replied “you will need to come back after 42 days for another test”. I then asked about renewal charges, and he said it will cost Rs.500-Rs.700 for a car driver’s license.
Now I will have to go to NADRA’s office to get my address changed to Lahore, and then get my driver’s license renewed in Lahore. I don’t know why there is discrimination among provinces in Pakistan? All the databases should be made centralized to make it easy for everyone to get a license from anywhere in Pakistan.
Do share your experience and opinion with us.