Last updated: October 2026
The Kerala driving test costs Rs.300 per vehicle class as the official test fee, and you can appear only after holding a learner's licence for at least 30 days. The test has two parts: a ground test of manoeuvres, which under the Kerala MVD's 2024 rules includes real-life challenges like angular parking, parallel parking, zig-zag driving and gradient testing plus the H course, and then a road test on public roads with traffic. If you fail, your application stays active: you wait 7 days, rebook on Sarathi, and pay the test fee again. This guide covers the official fee, the current format, what examiners score for two-wheelers and cars, what to carry on test day, and what a fail means.
The table below is from the Licensing Related Fees schedule on parivahan.gov.in, as last read in October 2026. Both parivahan.gov.in and mvd.kerala.gov.in were unreachable during this research session, so treat the Sarathi payment screen as final.
| Fee item | Official amount |
|---|---|
| Driving test (competence test), per class of vehicle | Rs.300 |
| Issue of the driving licence itself | Rs.200 |
| Learner's licence issue, per class, plus LL test fee (paid earlier) | Rs.150 plus Rs.50 |
| Smart card, where issued | Rs.200 |
| Retest after a fail | No separate official figure could be verified; Sarathi recalculates the fee for the new appearance |
National applicant guides quote retest sums between about Rs.50 and Rs.150, but those are reported ranges, not a Kerala official rate. The fee schedule prices each test at Rs.300 per class, so go by the total your own Sarathi checkout shows. Our learner licence application guide explains the LL fees paid before this stage.
The traditional format is a ground test of control, the 8 course for two and three wheelers and the H course for four wheelers, followed by a road test. The Kerala MVD's circular of 4 April 2024 changed the ground portion: applicants now face real-life driving challenges, the road test runs on public roads with traffic, and the assessment includes angular parking, parallel parking, zig-zag driving and gradient testing, followed by the H test on the ground. Carandbike and Autonexa describe it this way; the circular text itself could not be read on an official site, so treat fine points as reported, not verified.
| Manoeuvre | What is scored |
|---|---|
| H course | Clean steering through the course without touching boundary markers, no stalling on the turns |
| Angular and parallel parking | Correct entry angle, use of mirrors before and during reversing, parking inside the bay without touching markers |
| Zig-zag driving | Steering control at low speed through the marked path |
| Gradient test | Controlled hill start with minimal rollback; national automated-track guides put the typical tolerance around 30 cm, which is a guide figure, not a Kerala official figure |
| Road test with traffic | Lane discipline, signalling every turn and lane change, visible mirror checks, correct speed for the stretch, and behaviour at junctions |
The same themes run through examiner guidance used across RTOs: smooth throttle and clutch from the first metre, visible head movement toward the mirrors, a signal for every turn, and neither speeding nor crawling. A single stall is usually noted rather than failed outright; repeated stalling forms a pattern the examiner cannot ignore.
| Manoeuvre | What is scored |
|---|---|
| 8 course | Balance and control through both loops at low speed, without putting a foot down or crossing the lines |
| Gradient and slope start | Clean pull-away on the slope without stalling or rolling back |
| Road test | Gear use, lane position, signals, and awareness of traffic around the bike |
Remember the Kerala vehicle rule: arrive on a geared motorcycle above 95 cc. An applicant who shows up on a scooter or a smaller bike is turned away before the test starts. Real applicant experiences are collected in our companion post on what to expect at the Kerala driving test.
A missing document means being turned away, per national RTO practice guides, so check the list the night before.
No. The 2024 MVD rules bar electric and automatic cars from the driving test. Take the test in a manual car.
No. The test vehicle must be a motorcycle with manual gears above 95 cc. Practise on the bike you will be tested on.
That is what the 2024 circular introduced: the road test on a public road with traffic plus the ground manoeuvres. Confirm with your RTO how your centre currently runs it.
No. The LL stays valid and only the test is rebooked after the 7-day wait, with a fresh fee.
Book the new slot after 7 days. Practical availability depends on your RTO's daily cap, so check the portal rather than counting on a fixed timeline.
Fees and rules change without notice. Verify all fees and rules on parivahan.gov.in before applying, and treat the fee total and slot conditions on your own Sarathi payment and booking screens as final.
Keralam Transport