How to File RTI for Driving Licence Delay or Application Status (MoRTH / Sarathi)

Driving licence delays and unexplained test failures are among the most common grievances Indians face with government services. The process involves multiple stages — document verification, learner's licence issuance, skill test, smart card printing, and postal dispatch — and a delay or error at any single stage can freeze the entire application without any explanation appearing on the Sarathi portal.

An RTI application with the Regional Transport Office compels the authority to document the exact stage of your application, disclose any internal objection or deficiency note, confirm the outcome of your driving test, and if your DL has been dispatched, provide the tracking number — all in a formal written response within 30 days.

What Can You Achieve with an RTI to the RTO / MoRTH?

• Get the exact stage of your application and the date each processing step was completed or is pending
• Know the specific grounds on which your driving skill test was failed, including the examiner's name
• Get the written reasons for any rejection, with the specific provision of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 applied
• Obtain the dispatch date and Speed Post/India Post tracking number if your smart card DL was sent but never arrived
• Confirm whether any document was flagged as deficient and what specific deficiency was noted
• Get the name of the officer responsible for your file for direct follow-up

Where to File: The Right Authority

Driving licences in India are issued by Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), which are state government bodies under each state's Transport Department. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is the central ministry that administers the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, and the Sarathi/Vahan IT platforms.

For your individual application (delay, rejection, test result, dispatch): File with your district RTO through your state's RTI portal. RTOs are state bodies; their records are held at the state level.

For policy-level complaints (Sarathi portal malfunction, interpretation of a MoRTH circular, national-level statistics): File with MoRTH at rtionline.gov.in, selecting: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways → relevant division or office.

Important: rtionline.gov.in is the portal for Central Government bodies only. For most states, the RTO RTI must be filed through the state RTI portal (e.g., rti.delhi.gov.in for Delhi; see your state government's official website for the correct portal for other states).

How to File: Step by Step

Step 1: Gather Your Details

Before filing, collect:

• Your Sarathi application number (from the confirmation SMS or the parivahan.gov.in/sarathi portal)
• The category of licence applied for (e.g., LMV, MCWG, LMV-TR)
• The date you submitted the application and the driving test date if you appeared
• The name of the RTO where the test was conducted
• The current status shown on the Sarathi portal

Step 2: Determine the Correct Authority

Decide whether you are filing with the RTO (state portal) or MoRTH (rtionline.gov.in), based on the guidance above. For most individual application matters, the RTO through the state portal is correct.

Step 3: Draft Your Application

Be specific — ask about the current stage, test result and grounds if failed, any deficiency or rejection with the legal basis, dispatch details if applicable, and the name of the officer responsible. The sample draft above covers all key points. Adjust the header (addressee) according to whether you are filing with the RTO or MoRTH.

Step 4: File on the Appropriate Portal

For MoRTH (Central Government):

1. Visit rtionline.gov.in
2. Click Submit Request
3. Select: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
4. Paste your application text and pay ₹10 online

For RTO (State Government):

1. Visit your state's official RTI portal
2. Select the relevant Transport Department / RTO
3. Paste your application and pay the state RTI fee (usually ₹10)

Step 5: Appeals

If there is no response within 30 days, or the response is unsatisfactory, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) — an officer senior to the CPIO within the same authority — within 30 days of the date of the decision or the expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

If the FAA's response is also absent or inadequate, file a Second Appeal:

• For MoRTH (Central Government): with the Central Information Commission (CIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days
• For a state RTO (State Government): with the relevant State Information Commission within 90 days

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

1. Current stage of processing of driving licence application No. XXX as on today's date, with dates each stage was completed or is pending
2. Whether the skill test for this application was recorded as passed or failed — if failed, the specific grounds, the criteria applied, the examiner's name and designation, and the date of the test
3. If the application was rejected — the specific reason, the provision of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 or Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 applied, and whether a written rejection order was issued
4. Whether the smart card DL has been printed and dispatched — if yes, the date of dispatch, dispatch agency, tracking number, and dispatch address; if returned, the date of return and current location of the smart card
5. Whether any document submitted was found deficient or incorrect — if yes, specify the document and the deficiency
6. Name and designation of the officer currently holding or processing my application