Last updated: October 2026
You can download your Kerala driving licence online free of charge in three ways, with no RTO visit if your licence record is already approved: print or save the PDF from Sarathi Parivahan with your application number and date of birth, fetch the licence into DigiLocker with your DL number, or create a virtual licence in the mParivahan app. The DigiLocker and mParivahan versions are treated at par with the physical card for checks in Kerala, so do this as soon as your licence is approved, even before the card arrives by post.
Pick the route that matches what you have. A recent applicant has the application number, so Sarathi print is fastest. A holder with only the DL number should use DigiLocker or mParivahan. All three read the same Sarathi record, so names, classes and validity dates should match across them.
| Route | Details you need | Account needed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarathi Parivahan, Print Driving Licence | Application number and date of birth | No | Recent applicants who want a PDF or print on paper |
| DigiLocker, Issued Documents | DL number, Aadhaar linked mobile for sign in | Yes, DigiLocker account | A stored copy that stays in your account for repeat use |
| mParivahan app, My DL | DL number and date of birth, mobile for OTP | Yes, app registration | Showing the licence on your phone at a check |
There is no separate download fee on any of these routes, and no download charge could be found on a primary fee page in this run, so treat the download itself as free. Only use parivahan.gov.in, sarathi.parivahan.gov.in, digilocker.gov.in and the official mParivahan app, and do not pay a third party site for this. Fees apply to licence services such as a duplicate card or a renewal, not to this download.
If the portal shows no record, your application may not be approved yet. Check the stage first with our guide to checking driving licence status online in Kerala, and try the print route again once the status shows approved or issued.
A learner licence prints from Sarathi in a similar way. Use the Print Learner Licence (Form 3) option, enter the application number and date of birth, verify with the OTP if asked, and save the PDF. Keep it for the full learner period, since you need those details again for the driving test.
Yes, when it is shown the right way. A Ministry of Road Transport and Highways advisory reported by the Press Information Bureau on 9 August 2018 asked states to accept a driving licence presented in electronic form through DigiLocker or mParivahan as valid under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, at par with the certificate issued by the transport authority, under the Information Technology Act 2000. Kerala Police followed with Circular No. 25 of 2018, instructing officers in Kerala to accept documents shown through DigiLocker or mParivahan on the same basis. If a document has to be impounded, the advisory says the action is recorded electronically through eChallan instead.
A loose copy does not get the same treatment. A photo, screenshot or scan of the card is not a fetched DigiLocker or mParivahan record. Keep the Sarathi PDF for your records and for uploads, and show the live app record at a vehicle check.
| Problem | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| No record found on Sarathi | The application is still in process, or the application number or date of birth has a typo. Recheck both values and confirm approval on the Application Status page. |
| DigiLocker cannot fetch the licence | The DL number does not match the database, or the licence is an old record that has not been entered in Sarathi. Contact the issuing RTO and ask for the record to be updated. |
| No OTP arrives | The mobile number on the licence record is old or different from the one you are using. Update the number through the RTO or the Sarathi service that covers your licence before retrying. |
| Details on the copy are wrong | Do not edit the PDF. Apply for the correction as a licence service, for example an address change, and download a fresh copy after it is approved. |
For an address correction, see our driving licence address change guide for Kerala, which covers the fee and the documents. For renewal dates and late charges, see our Kerala driving licence renewal fees guide.
Downloading gives you a copy of an existing, valid licence. It does not replace a lost card as a card, it does not extend an expired licence, and it does not change any detail on the record. If the physical card is lost, stolen or damaged and you need a new card issued, apply for a duplicate instead: our duplicate driving licence guide for Kerala covers the fee, Form LLD and the steps. Use the download while the duplicate is in process, provided the licence itself is still valid.
Yes. A licence fetched in DigiLocker or shown as a virtual licence in mParivahan is accepted at par with the physical card at checks in Kerala. Show it from inside the app, not as a screenshot.
No fee for the download itself could be verified on an official fee page, and the Sarathi print, DigiLocker fetch and mParivahan routes are used as free record views. If any site asks for payment just to show or download the licence, leave it and use the official portals listed above.
Yes, once the application status shows the licence as approved or issued and a DL number exists. The record comes first and the card follows by post, so the digital copy is often available earlier.
Older licences that were never entered into Sarathi may not fetch in any app. Take the card to the issuing RTO and ask for the record to be brought onto the Sarathi database, then try the download again.
Portals and menu names change without notice. Verify the current process and any fee on parivahan.gov.in and sarathi.parivahan.gov.in before you apply, and treat the record shown for your own DL number as the final version.
Keralam Transport