Last updated: October 2026
To add a new vehicle class to a driving licence in Kerala, you first get a learner licence for the new class, hold it for at least 30 days, then apply for the endorsement in Form 8 on Sarathi Parivahan, pay the fee, and pass a driving test in a vehicle of the new class at your RTO. The official fee for the addition itself is Rs.500, verified on the Licensing Related Fees page of parivahan.gov.in in October 2026. The driving test costs a further Rs.300 per class, and the learner licence stage costs Rs.150 plus a Rs.50 test fee per class. You do not get a separate licence: the new class is endorsed on your existing licence, and a fresh card is issued showing all your classes.
This service is called Addition of a Class of Vehicle, or AEDL, on Sarathi. Common examples are a car licence holder (LMV) adding a motorcycle with gear (MCWG), a motorcycle holder adding a car, and an LMV holder moving up to a transport class. Each class is earned separately: holding one class never gives you another, and driving a vehicle of a class that is not on your licence is treated as driving without a valid licence for that vehicle. If you are still at the learner stage for your first licence, read when to apply for a permanent driving licence after a learner permit in Kerala first.
| New class | Minimum age and condition |
|---|---|
| Motorcycle without gear, up to 50 cc (MCWOG) | 16 years, with parent or guardian consent |
| Motorcycle with gear (MCWG) and light motor vehicle (LMV) | 18 years |
| Transport classes (goods and passenger vehicles) | 20 years, and you must already hold a licence for the lighter class it builds on |
You also need a valid, unexpired driving licence that is not suspended or disqualified, and a valid learner licence for the exact new class. That learner licence is valid for six months: wait at least 30 days after it is issued before the driving test, and clear the test while it is still valid.
Lead with the official fee. This table is from the Licensing Related Fees page on parivahan.gov.in, checked in October 2026, under Rule 32 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
| Fee item | Official amount |
|---|---|
| Issue of learner licence, per class | Rs.150 |
| Learner licence test fee, or repeat test fee | Rs.50 |
| Test of competence to drive, per class (including a repeat test) | Rs.300 |
| Addition of another class of vehicle to a driving licence | Rs.500 |
In stages, that is Rs.200 at the learner stage for one class, and Rs.800 at the endorsement stage (Rs.300 test plus Rs.500 addition). Two cautions. First, Sarathi may add a smart card charge for the reissued licence: a transport department breakdown for this same service lists Rs.200 for the smart card, taking its combined figure for the licence, test, addition and card components to Rs.1,150. Second, no separate Kerala-specific addition fee could be verified on an official Kerala page for this post. Treat the total Sarathi shows before you pay as final, and keep the receipt. If a driving school or agent files for you, anything above the official components is their service charge: ask for an itemised quote.
There are two stages. Skipping the first is the most common mistake: Sarathi will not complete a Form 8 endorsement for a class you do not hold a learner licence for.
The test is a test of competence for that class only, under Rule 15: it is not a retest of classes already on your licence. Bring a vehicle that matches the class exactly: a geared motorcycle for MCWG, not a scooter, and a car for LMV. If you fail, Parivahan lists the same Rs.300 for a test or a repeat test, per class, so a retest means booking again and paying the test fee again. Practise in the actual vehicle type before you book, because the fee is charged per attempt.
Expect the Form 1A medical certificate instead of the Form 1 self-declaration, and the Form 5 driving school certificate. Transport endorsements carry their own validity and renewal cycle, separate from a private licence, so check the validity printed on the endorsed licence rather than assuming it matches your LMV validity. No Kerala-specific transport endorsement timeline could be verified on an official page for this post, so follow the dates Sarathi and your RTO give you.
No fixed Kerala processing timeline for adding a class is published on the Parivahan page checked for this post, so this post does not quote one. The parts you control are the 30-day wait and your test slot date. After you pass, track the application on Sarathi under Application Status with your application number and date of birth, until the endorsement shows as approved and the card as dispatched. The digital licence is valid to show during a check while the card is in transit.
The official addition fee is Rs.500, from parivahan.gov.in. Add Rs.300 for the driving test, and Rs.200 at the learner stage (Rs.150 plus Rs.50). A smart card charge may also appear: the total on your Sarathi payment screen is final.
Form 8, under Rule 17(1) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. On Sarathi it is part of the online AEDL flow.
Yes, for the new class only. Hold it for at least 30 days and pass the test within its six-month validity.
Only if you hold learner licences for both and are ready to test in both. Fees are per class, so two classes cost roughly double the one-class official fees, before any card charge.
Yes. A reissued card showing all classes is sent to your address on record, and the digital licence updates once the endorsement is approved.
Fees and rules change without notice. Verify all fees and rules on parivahan.gov.in before applying, and treat the total shown on Sarathi for your application as the final amount to pay.
Keralam Transport