The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed separate colour formats and new personal details for driving licences issued to Indian and foreign nationals, along with a higher safe-driving tutorial pass mark of 75%. The changes are part of a draft amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, so they do not change a driver's current licence today.
Illustration: a conceptual RTO and road-safety scene. The cards shown are not issued government licences.
Key takeaways
- The draft would create separate licence formats for Indian nationals and foreign nationals, with different background colour specifications.
- The proposed safe-driving tutorial would run for at least 30 minutes, and the assessment pass mark would rise from 60% to 75%.
- New or renewed licences could carry nationality, blood group, organ-donor status, mobile number and emergency-contact details.
- Online applications to change licence particulars would have a proposed 15-day decision timeline; address changes left undecided for 30 days would be treated as approved.
- The draft is open to objections for 30 days and would take effect only after final publication in the Official Gazette.
What MoRTH has proposed
The draft is identified as G.S.R. 902(E), dated 16 Oct 2026, and was published in the Gazette of India on 21 Oct 2026. The notification says it is being issued for public comments and that the proposed rules will be considered after 30 days from the date the Gazette copies are made available. The official Gazette notification also says the amendments would come into force only on final publication, unless a particular provision says otherwise.
That wording matters for drivers and licence applicants. A draft notification is a proposal, not an instruction to replace an existing card, retake a test or submit medical information immediately. States and licensing authorities would need the final rules and implementation instructions before the proposed changes could be applied.
Separate formats and new card details
The draft would require every driving licence issued or renewed by a licensing authority to be a laminated or PVC card in Form 7. It proposes separate formats for Indian nationals and foreign nationals, with different background-colour specifications in the card design. The draft also adds nationality to the licence information and expands the machine-readable section into a QR Code Readable Zone.
The proposed data fields go beyond the information many drivers currently check on a card. They include blood group, organ-donor status, mobile number and an emergency contact name and number. The draft also refers to medical conditions or allergies, medications and medical implants in the expanded data fields. It does not mean that every existing licence is automatically reissued with those details.
What could change in the learner process
Rule 11 would be amended to require a safe-driving tutorial lasting at least 30 minutes. The proposed assessment threshold would rise from 60% to 75%. The same draft also changes the period for completing the tutorial from seven days to 15 days. These are proposed entry-process changes; they are not a new pass mark that applies to a licence already issued.
For a first-time applicant, the practical point is to follow the final Sarathi or state transport-department instructions rather than relying on social-media summaries. The final notification will determine when the new tutorial duration, pass mark and forms become operational.
Online updates could get clearer timelines
The proposed new Rule 16A would allow a licence holder to apply online, using Form 2A, to change particulars recorded on the licence. The licensing authority would have to approve or reject the application with written reasons within 15 days of receiving it. If an address-change application is neither accepted nor rejected within 30 days, the draft says it would be deemed approved.
The proposal would also remove the fee for changing an address, mobile number or email ID, and waive fees for services availed through online Aadhaar authentication. These are proposed fee and process changes, not a blanket promise that every licence service is free today. Applicants should wait for the final rule and the state portal's service instructions before assuming that a fee has been removed.
What the proposal means for drivers now
There is no immediate nationwide replacement deadline in the draft. Existing licence holders do not need to print a new colour-coded card or upload medical information solely because the notification has been published. The current licence remains the document to carry unless a separate final rule or state instruction says otherwise.
The draft may still matter to people applying for a learner's licence, renewing a licence, changing an address or updating contact details in the months ahead. Keep identity, address and age documents that can be independently verified, and check the final notice before submitting an application. The proposal also seeks to reduce reliance on some affidavits and other documents that are harder for authorities to verify.
It does not change a vehicle's fuel requirement, toll charge or road-trip permission. Drivers planning a journey can still use the road-trip planner to compare distance and timing, and estimate the fuel spend for a route with the fuel-cost calculator. For a route where tolls are material, the toll-charge calculator remains the relevant check; none of these tools should be read as proof that the draft rules are already in force.
What to watch next
The next meaningful update is the Ministry's response to objections and suggestions, followed by a final notification or a revised draft. The final text will determine whether the colour specifications, QR-readable fields, 75% assessment threshold, fee waivers and 15-day processing clock remain unchanged.
Until then, treat the development as proposed. A licence applicant should check the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Sarathi and the relevant state transport department for a final implementation date rather than changing a valid document based only on the draft.
Sources
- Ministry of Road Transport and Highways — G.S.R. 902(E), draft Central Motor Vehicles Rules amendment (21 Oct 2026).
- Telegraph India/PTI — Driving licence rules: Colour-coded cards proposed, safe-driving tutorial pass mark to rise to 75% (23 Oct 2026).
- The Economic Times — Driving licence holders, take note: New rules may change your card details, documents needed and online services (23 Oct 2026).
