Last updated: 16 September 2026
Quick Answer: You apply for a driving licence in Karnataka on Parivahan's Sarathi portal in two stages: learner's licence first, then a driving test at your RTO. The learner's licence is faceless: Aadhaar e-KYC and an online test. After at least 30 days, you take the driving test in a vehicle of your licence class, with its RC, insurance and emission certificate.
Your learner's licence stays valid for six months, so book the driving test soon after day 30 to leave room for a retest.
Overview: driving licence in Karnataka at a glance
| Detail | What applies in Karnataka |
|---|---|
| Issuing authority | Transport Department, Government of Karnataka, through Regional and Assistant Regional Transport Offices (RTOs and ARTOs) |
| Where you apply | Sarathi, on the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' Parivahan site |
| Learner's licence | Faceless: Aadhaar e-KYC and an online test with face match |
| Driving licence | RTO test in a vehicle of your class, from day 30 |
| Central fees | ₹900 for one vehicle class, including the smart card, before user charges |
| Learner's licence validity | Six months |
How do you apply for a driving licence in Karnataka in 2026?
You apply online on Sarathi with Karnataka selected, finishing the learner's licence without an RTO visit and the driving licence with one.
How does Karnataka's faceless learner's licence work?
You complete it entirely online, and the RTO only approves the result.
- Apply for a learner's licence through Aadhaar e-KYC. Your personal details come from Aadhaar and can't be edited here, so correct Aadhaar first if anything is wrong.
- Pay the fee through Khajane-2, Karnataka's treasury gateway, by card, net banking or UPI.
- Watch the road safety tutorial in full. It's compulsory before the test and can't be fast-forwarded.
- Take the online learner's test. The camera matches your face with your Aadhaar photo before the test starts. Practise first with these learner's licence test questions and answers.
- Download the learner's licence once the RTO approves it, using the link in the approval message.
If Aadhaar authentication isn't possible for you, the Transport Department's older Sarathi-4 procedure has you upload age and address proofs and take the learner's test at the RTO. Ask your RTO if it still offers it.
How do you get the permanent licence after 30 days?
You apply on Sarathi again, then pass a driving test at your RTO.
- Apply for the driving licence on Sarathi; no documents need uploading.
- Book a test slot and pay online, or pay at the RTO counter on the day.
- Visit the RTO on your slot with your acknowledgement, e-receipt and vehicle.
The Transport Department's Sarathi-4 driving licence guidelines (a 2022 PDF) set out these steps. Before the RTO visit, read what happens at the driving test.
If you'd like someone to file it with you, Jaagruk Bharat can help with your learner's licence application and later the permanent driving licence application. Fees still go to the government through Sarathi.
What documents does Karnataka require for a driving licence?
At the learner's stage, most Karnataka residents upload nothing, because Aadhaar e-KYC supplies identity, age and address. On driving-test day, you must bring papers for the vehicle as well as your own.
| Stage | What you need |
|---|---|
| Learner's licence, Karnataka Aadhaar, under 40 | Aadhaar-linked mobile number; Form 1 (self-declaration of fitness) is filled online |
| Learner's licence, aged 40 or above | Also upload a medical certificate (Form 1A); Karnataka's guide says "above 40", so keep one ready if you're exactly 40 |
| Learner's licence, Aadhaar from another state | Also upload proof of your present Karnataka address |
| Driving licence application | No uploads needed |
| Driving test at the RTO | Learner's licence copy, plus the test vehicle's registration certificate (RC), insurance and emission certificate |
Parivahan asks for Form 1A at "equal to or above 40 years". Bring all three vehicle papers, even for a borrowed vehicle.
What does a driving licence cost in Karnataka?
Central fees for one vehicle class come to ₹900: ₹150 learner's licence + ₹50 test + ₹300 driving test + ₹200 licence + ₹200 smart card. Sarathi shows the final Karnataka amount at payment, which can include user charges.
| What you pay for | Fee |
|---|---|
| Learner's licence, each vehicle class | ₹150 |
| Learner's test, or a repeat test | ₹50 |
| Driving test or retest, each vehicle class | ₹300 |
| Issue of the driving licence | ₹200 |
| Smart-card licence | ₹200 |
| Total for one class | ₹900 |
| Adding a class to an existing licence | ₹500, plus that class's learner's licence and test fees |
All are Rule 32 fees under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Each extra class adds ₹150 for its learner's licence and ₹300 for its driving test.
Which Karnataka RTO issues your licence?
The RTO or ARTO for the area where you live issues your licence. Karnataka groups its 67 offices into six divisions.
| Division | Example offices |
|---|---|
| Bengaluru Urban | 12 offices in and around Bengaluru (table below) |
| Bengaluru Rural | Tumakuru KA-06, Kolar KA-07 |
| Mysuru | Mysuru West KA-09, Mandya KA-11 |
| Shivamogga | Shivamogga KA-14, Mangaluru KA-19 |
| Belagavi | Belagavi KA-22, Dharwad KA-25 |
| Kalaburagi | Kalaburagi KA-32, Ballari KA-34 |
Addresses, phone numbers and email IDs for all 67 are on the Transport Department's RTO and ARTO contact list.
How do you get a driving licence in Bangalore (Bengaluru)?
You follow the same Sarathi process, and your driving test happens at the Bengaluru Urban office for your area.
| Code | Office | Area |
|---|---|---|
| KA-01 | RTO | Agara, HSR Layout |
| KA-02 | RTO Bengaluru West | Rajajinagar |
| KA-03 | RTO Bengaluru East | Kasturi Nagar |
| KA-04 | RTO Bengaluru North | Yashwanthapura |
| KA-05 | RTO Bengaluru South | Anjanapura, JP Nagar 9th Stage |
| KA-41 | RTO | Malathalli |
| KA-43 | ARTO | Devanahalli |
| KA-50 | RTO | Yelahanka |
| KA-51 | RTO Electronic City | BTM 4th Stage |
| KA-53 | RTO | KR Puram, Old Madras Road |
| KA-57 | RTO, state transport and autorickshaws | Shanthinagar |
| KA-59 | RTO | Chandapura |
For a private licence, use the office covering your area, not KA-57.
How do you check your Karnataka DL status or download it?
Both are online, without an RTO visit. While you wait, track your driving licence application status. Once it's issued, download your driving licence as an e-DL.
