Driving Licence Number Validator
Check a driving licence number format and decode its state, RTO and year of issue
Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type or upload is sent to us or stored. How we handle privacy
| Code | State / UT |
|---|---|
| AN | Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
| AP | Andhra Pradesh |
| AR | Arunachal Pradesh |
| AS | Assam |
| BR | Bihar |
| CG | Chhattisgarh |
| CH | Chandigarh |
| DD | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu |
| DL | Delhi |
| GA | Goa |
| GJ | Gujarat |
| HP | Himachal Pradesh |
| HR | Haryana |
| JH | Jharkhand |
| JK | Jammu and Kashmir |
| KA | Karnataka |
| KL | Kerala |
| LA | Ladakh |
| LD | Lakshadweep |
| MH | Maharashtra |
| ML | Meghalaya |
| MN | Manipur |
| MP | Madhya Pradesh |
| MZ | Mizoram |
| NL | Nagaland |
| OD | Odisha |
| PB | Punjab |
| PY | Puducherry |
| RJ | Rajasthan |
| SK | Sikkim |
| TG | Telangana |
| TN | Tamil Nadu |
| TR | Tripura |
| UK | Uttarakhand |
| UP | Uttar Pradesh |
| WB | West Bengal |
| TS | Telangana |
| OR | Odisha |
| UA | Uttarakhand |
| DN | Dadra and Nagar Haveli |
Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type or upload is sent to us or stored.
Results are for general guidance. Please check anything important before relying on it. Terms of use
How to Use
- Type the driving licence number as it's printed on your card. Spaces, hyphens and slashes are fine, or tap one of the examples.
- The result shows the number in the standard Sarathi form (like MH-1420110012345), whether the format is valid, and the state. Tap either form under it to copy the number.
- Read the table for the state code, RTO code, year of issue and serial number. Any problem (an unknown state code, a year in the future, the wrong length) is listed in red.
- If you typed an older number with slashes, the tool shows how to write it in the 16-character form that Parivahan's DL status search accepts.
- To check whether the licence is genuine and valid, open the DL status search on Parivahan. This tool only checks the format, and nothing you type leaves your browser.
What this licence number checker does
Indian driving licences issued through Sarathi, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' national licence system on parivahan.gov.in, share one number format. This driving licence number validator checks a number against that format, tells you which state and RTO it comes from and the year it was issued, and rewrites older numbers in the layout that online searches expect. It's handy before filling an insurance form, a vehicle transfer, a job application or a rental agreement, where a single wrong digit means the licence can't be found.
It checks the format only. It can't look up a licence, its holder, its validity or any endorsements. The number stays in your browser and isn't sent or saved.
The Sarathi format
state code · RTO code · year of issue · serial number (15 characters)
| Part | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| SS | MH | State or UT code, the same letters as on number plates |
| RR | 14 | RTO (licensing office) code, two digits |
| YYYY | 2011 | Year the licence was first issued |
| NNNNNNN | 0012345 | Serial number at that RTO, seven digits with leading zeros |
Parivahan's DL status page asks for the number in one of two 16-character forms: SS-RRYYYYNNNNNNN (a hyphen after the state code) or SSRR YYYYNNNNNNN (a space after the RTO code). Telangana's example on that page is TS-1420110012345 or TS14 20110012345. The checker accepts both, plus the plain 15-character form.
Older licence numbers
Licences issued before a state moved to Sarathi often look different, with slashes, a short serial number or a two-digit year: MH12/12345/2005, KA-05/2003/123456 or TN22/1234/98. Parivahan's guidance is to convert such numbers into the Sarathi layout: write the year in four digits (88 becomes 1988) and pad the serial number with zeros to seven digits. The tool does this for you. Worked example: MH12/12345/2005 becomes MH-1220050012345 (state MH, RTO 12, year 2005, serial 0012345). If the converted number still isn't found online, the RTO may have migrated it differently; ask them or check the number in DigiLocker or mParivahan.
What gets flagged
- A state code that isn't an Indian state or UT. Older codes still on valid licences (TS for Telangana, OR for Odisha, UA for Uttarakhand) are accepted with a note.
- RTO code 00, or an RTO code with three digits.
- A year of issue in the future or before 1950.
- The wrong number of characters, letters where digits belong, or a serial number longer than seven digits.
How to check a licence for real
- DL status on Parivahan: the official DL status search takes the licence number and date of birth and shows the holder's name, validity and the classes of vehicle covered.
- DigiLocker and mParivahan: both apps pull your licence straight from the transport department's records. MoRTH told states in 2018 to accept these digital copies like the original card.
- Sarathi: renewals, duplicates, address changes and international driving permits are applied for on sarathi.parivahan.gov.in.
Tips
- The letter O and the digit 0 are the usual mix-up. After the two-letter state code, every character is a digit.
- Don't share a photo of your licence on social media. The number plus your date of birth is enough to pull up your details.