Last updated: October 2026
You change the name on a Kerala driving licence on Sarathi Parivahan, using the Change of Name in DL service under Services on DL. The official fee is Rs.200, which is the Parivahan fee for any application for a change in address or any other particulars recorded in the driving licence. You do not need a new licence and you do not take a driving test again: your DL number, vehicle classes and validity stay the same, and only the name on the record and the card changes. Start by deciding whether yours is a simple spelling correction or a legal name change, because the proof you need is different in each case.
These two cases look similar on the card but are treated differently at scrutiny, so prepare the right proof before you apply.
| Case | What it covers | Proof that usually fits |
|---|---|---|
| Spelling correction | A typo, a missing initial expansion, or a name printed differently from your other ID when the licence was issued | An ID that already shows the correct spelling, such as Aadhaar, passport or a Class 10 certificate |
| Name change after marriage or divorce | A surname taken after marriage, or a return to an earlier name after divorce | Marriage certificate, or a divorce decree where relevant, plus ID in the new name where you have it |
| Legal name change | A full name change made for personal reasons, completed through the gazette process | The gazette notification showing the old and new names, with the affidavit used for that process |
A practical order helps: update Aadhaar to the new name first where you can. The Sarathi record, DigiLocker and the printed card then line up, and scrutiny is simpler when the name you ask for already matches a government ID you hold.
The fee below is from the Licensing Related Fees and Charges page on parivahan.gov.in, checked in October 2026. Read it as the central fee for the name change itself, not as a promise of the final total on your payment screen.
| Item | Official fee |
|---|---|
| Change of name, as a change in particulars recorded in the driving licence | Rs.200 |
| Change of address, only if you apply for it in the same application | Rs.200 |
| Renewal, only if you add it in the same application | Rs.200 |
One gap, stated plainly: the Parivahan licensing fee page lists the Rs.200 particulars fee but does not list a separate Kerala smart card or postal charge for this service on that page. If Sarathi adds a card or service charge for your application, the total shown on the Sarathi payment screen before you pay is the final figure for your case. If you also need the address updated, our driving licence address change guide covers that service on its own. Anyone offering to file this for you is selling assisted filing: treat any amount above the official fee as a service charge and ask for an itemised receipt.
Use clear scans. A blurred marriage certificate or a gazette copy where the names cannot be read is a common reason for an application to be sent back at scrutiny. Keep the originals ready as well, because the RTO can ask to see them even when the application starts online.
Menu labels on Sarathi change from time to time. Follow the labels closest to Services on DL and Change of Name in DL, and stay on the official parivahan.gov.in domains.
Use the Application Status service on Sarathi with your application number and date of birth. It shows the current stage, from submission and document scrutiny to approval and card dispatch. Our driving licence status check guide explains what each status means. No fixed Kerala timeline for a name change could be verified on an official page for this post, so do not plan around a promised number of days from a third party site: the status screen for your own application is the reliable record.
Three follow ups save trouble later. First, fetch the updated licence again in DigiLocker or mParivahan so the digital copy matches the new card: our driving licence download guide covers all three routes. Second, remember that a vehicle RC is a separate record on Vahan: changing the name on your licence does not change the name on your RC, so file that correction separately if your RC needs it too. Third, tell your vehicle insurer about the new name so the policy and the licence match at claim time. If the card itself is lost while all this is in progress, that is a different service: see our duplicate driving licence guide instead of filing a second name change.
Rs.200. That is the official Parivahan fee for an application for a change in address or any other particulars recorded in the driving licence, checked on the Licensing Related Fees and Charges page in October 2026. Any card or service charge for your application, if added, appears in the Sarathi total before you pay.
No. A name change corrects the particulars on your existing licence. Your DL number, the vehicle classes you hold and the validity period stay the same.
In most cases the marriage certificate is the core proof for a surname change after marriage, supported by your existing licence and ID. If the RTO asks for an additional document in your case, the scrutiny note on your application status will say what is missing.
Not always. Many applications are filed fully online, but the portal or the RTO can ask you to bring originals for verification, which is more likely for a legal name change than for a small spelling correction. Follow what your application and slot booking say.
Yes. Your existing licence stays valid until its expiry date. Keep the application acknowledgement with you until the updated card arrives, so you can explain the name difference if you are asked.
If your licence is close to expiry, adding the renewal to the same application saves a second filing. Each service keeps its own official fee, and Sarathi shows the combined total before payment.
Fees and rules change without notice. Verify all fees and rules on parivahan.gov.in before applying, and treat the Sarathi payment screen and application status for your own DL number as the final record.
Keralam Transport