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Driving Licence Validator

Everyday

Validate whether an Indian driving licence number follows the official 15-character format — state code, RTO code, year, and serial number. Instant check.

Reviewed by the thecalcu.com team · Last updated 24 July 2026

🇮🇳This tool is specific to India

What is a DL?

The Driving Licence Validator checks whether an Indian driving licence number follows the official 15-character format assigned by Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Every driving licence issued in India carries a unique number that encodes four pieces of information: the issuing state, the RTO code, the year of issue, and a serial number, and that number must follow a specific structure to be structurally valid.

The format is: two uppercase letters (state code) + two digits (RTO code) + four digits (year) + seven digits (serial) = 15 characters. For example, MH012020001234 is a Maharashtra-issued licence (MH), from RTO 01, issued in 2020, with serial 0012345.

This validator accepts numbers with or without hyphens, the format MH-01-2020-001234 is equivalent to MH012020001234. It also validates the state code against the complete list of officially assigned 2-letter codes for all 28 states and 8 union territories, and checks that the year falls within a plausible range (1990 to the present).

For related document validation, use the Aadhaar Number Validator and Vehicle Registration Validator.

Why Use a Driving Licence Validator?

Driving licence numbers are entered in a range of official contexts, vehicle loan applications, insurance forms, job applications, KYC verification, and police verification for rented accommodation. A mistyped DL number in any of these forms causes processing delays or outright rejections.

Common entry errors include: copying only 14 characters (missing the last digit), writing the state registration prefix (from the vehicle number plate) instead of the DL state code, entering the year in 2-digit form instead of 4-digit, and confusing hyphens as mandatory characters that need to be excluded. This validator catches all of these with specific error messages.

Who Should Use This Validator?

Individuals submitting vehicle loan or insurance applications, Lenders and insurers require the DL number as part of KYC. A format check before submitting the application prevents rejection due to a simple transcription error.

HR and background verification teams, Companies running employee background checks or vehicle operator verification often collect DL numbers in bulk. Validating format at the point of collection prevents bad data from entering the HR system.

Transport and logistics companies, Fleet operators who maintain driver records and submit DL numbers to insurance companies benefit from a quick format check during onboarding of new drivers.

Developers building KYC or onboarding flows, Applications that collect DL numbers for identity verification need a client-side format validator. This tool documents the exact rules and state code list to implement.

Individuals applying for DigiLocker or Parivahan services, Linking your DL on DigiLocker or Parivahan requires entering the number correctly. A format check before entry catches typos that would cause a "DL not found" error on the portal.

What Insights Does the Driving Licence Validator Give You?

The validator decodes the number into its four components, state, RTO, year, and serial, and names the state associated with the state code. This allows a quick sanity check: if you entered a Maharashtra address but the state code decodes to Rajasthan, the number was likely copied incorrectly.

The year check confirms whether the issue year is plausible, it must be between 1990 (when computerised issuance became widespread) and the current year. An obviously wrong year (like 1975 or a future year) is flagged immediately.

How to use this DL calculator

  1. Type or paste the driving licence number into the input field. You can enter it with or without hyphens (e.g. MH012020001234 or MH-01-2020-001234), both are accepted.
  2. The result updates automatically as you type, no button press needed.
  3. Check the Valid or Invalid badge.
  4. If Invalid, read the error message, it will tell you specifically whether the state code is unrecognised, the year is out of range, or the number is too short or too long.
  5. If Valid, check the details section to see the decoded state name, RTO code, year, and serial number.
  6. To validate a different number, clear the field and enter the new value.
Show formula & methodology ↓Show less ↑

Formula & Methodology

Format rule: An Indian driving licence number must satisfy all conditions:

1. Exactly 15 characters (after stripping hyphens and spaces)
2. Characters 1–2: valid state or UT code from the official MoRTH list (e.g. MH, DL, KA)
3. Characters 3–4: 2-digit RTO code (digits 00–99)
4. Characters 5–8: 4-digit year between 1990 and the current year
5. Characters 9–15: 7-digit serial number (digits only)

Regular expression: /^[A-Z]{2}[0-9]{2}[0-9]{4}[0-9]{7}$/

Valid examples:
- MH012020001234, Maharashtra, RTO 01, year 2020, serial 0012345
- DL042015001234, Delhi, RTO 04, year 2015, serial 0012345
- KA032018001234, Karnataka, RTO 03, year 2018, serial 0012345

Invalid examples:
- MH01202000123, only 14 characters (serial has 6 digits instead of 7)
- XX012020001234, 'XX' is not a valid state code
- MH012030001234, year 2030 is in the future
- MH-01-2020-001234 without stripping, treated as 19 characters; the validator strips hyphens automatically

Related Tools

You may also find these useful: Pincode / ZIP Validator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Indian driving licence number?
An Indian driving licence (DL) number is a 15-character unique identifier assigned to every driver's licence issued by a Regional Transport Office (RTO). The number encodes the issuing state, the RTO office code, the year of issue, and a 7-digit serial number. It is printed on the front of the physical card and on the DigiLocker digital copy. The licence is issued under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and is administered by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
What format does an Indian driving licence number follow?
An Indian driving licence number is exactly 15 characters: 2 uppercase letters for the state code (e.g. MH for Maharashtra, DL for Delhi), 2 digits for the RTO code (e.g. 01, 12), 4 digits for the year of issue (e.g. 2020), and 7 digits for the serial number (e.g. 0012345). An example: MH012020001234, Maharashtra, RTO 01, issued in 2020, serial 0012345. The number is sometimes printed with hyphens (e.g. MH-01-2020-001234) as a display convention.
Does this validator confirm that a driving licence is genuine or active?
No. This tool checks only the structural format, that the number is 15 characters, begins with a valid state code, has a 2-digit RTO code, a plausible year, and a 7-digit serial. It does not connect to the Sarathi portal, Parivahan database, or any transport authority system. Format validation is useful for catching typos; verifying authenticity requires the official MoRTH Parivahan portal at parivahan.gov.in.
Why does the driving licence number sometimes appear with hyphens?
Hyphens (and sometimes spaces) are used as visual separators on physical driving licence cards and in some government portals to make the 15-character string easier to read. The underlying number has no hyphens, it is always 15 continuous characters when entered into databases. This validator automatically strips hyphens and spaces before checking the format, so both MH-01-2020-001234 and MH012020001234 are accepted.
What do the different parts of the DL number mean?
The first two characters are the state code, identifying which state or union territory issued the licence. The next two digits are the RTO code, identifying the specific Regional Transport Office within that state. The four-digit year indicates when the licence was issued. The final seven digits are the serial number, a unique number assigned to this licence within that RTO and year combination.
What state codes are used in Indian driving licence numbers?
Each state and union territory has a fixed 2-letter code: MH (Maharashtra), DL (Delhi), KA (Karnataka), TN (Tamil Nadu), GJ (Gujarat), RJ (Rajasthan), UP (Uttar Pradesh), MP (Madhya Pradesh), WB (West Bengal), HR (Haryana), PB (Punjab), AP (Andhra Pradesh), TS (Telangana), KL (Kerala), OD (Odisha), JH (Jharkhand), BR (Bihar), UK (Uttarakhand), AS (Assam), HP (Himachal Pradesh), CG (Chhattisgarh), JK (Jammu & Kashmir), GA (Goa), and others. The validator recognises all officially assigned state and UT codes.
Is my driving licence number stored when I use this tool?
No. Validation happens entirely in your browser. The number you enter is never sent to any server, stored in a database, or shared with any third party. The tool operates without a network connection once the page has loaded.
How do I find my driving licence number?
Your driving licence number is printed on the front of your physical driving licence card. It is also available on DigiLocker (digilocker.gov.in) if your licence is linked, and on the Parivahan Sewa portal (parivahan.gov.in) where you can search by name and date of birth. If you have lost your physical card, these portals are the official channels to retrieve your DL details.
What should I do if my DL number fails the format check?
First verify that you have copied all 15 characters correctly, including both letters at the beginning (state code) and the full 7-digit serial at the end. Check that the year is a 4-digit number between 1990 and the current year. If the state code shows as unrecognised, verify the two letters against the official state code list, common errors include using the state's vehicle prefix (e.g. 'MH 12' plate format) rather than the DL state code. A format error does not mean your licence is invalid, it may simply be a data-entry mistake.
Can a person have driving licences from different states?
A person can hold a licence from one state and apply for a transfer when they relocate permanently to another state. The original licence is surrendered and a new number is issued by the new state's RTO. However, holding two active licences from different states simultaneously is not permitted under the Motor Vehicles Act.
What is the difference between a Learner's Licence and a Driving Licence number?
A Learner's Licence (LL) is a temporary permit issued while a person is learning to drive. It has its own number format, often prefixed differently by each state. A regular Driving Licence is issued after passing the driving test and has the standard 15-character format described here. Learner's Licence numbers are not validated by this tool, it checks only the format of regular driving licences.
Also known as
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