The transport department in Uttar Pradesh has introduced an online facility to correct the date of birth (DOB) on driving licences, bringing relief to applicants facing issues due to mismatched records.
Under the new order, residents can apply for corrections through the Sarathi portal without visiting the ARTO office at the initial stage. The decision follows complaints that incorrect birth dates on driving licences were causing problems during document verification for banking, travel and other official purposes. The number of affected applicants is yet to be determined.
Officials said the correction will be allowed only after submitting one of three approved documents: a certificate from a recognised institution, a municipal birth certificate, or a certificate issued by the chief medical officer.
Pradeep Kumar, regional transport officer (RTO) (Administration), Lucknow, said the system is expected to simplify the process for licence holders dealing with such discrepancies.
The department noted that while learning licences are already issued online, applicants still need to visit the ARTO office for permanent licences to complete biometric verification and driving tests. Many licence holders had reported errors in their recorded birth dates, leading to repeated visits to offices.
To apply for correction, applicants must visit the Sarathi website, select Uttar Pradesh and choose ‘Apply for DL services’. After entering licence details, they need to select the option to change the date of birth, upload valid documents, pay the prescribed fee and book a slot for verification. Biometric authentication and document checks will be carried out at the ARTO office on the scheduled date.
The fee for correction is ₹200, while those opting for a smart card licence will need to pay an additional ₹200, taking the total to ₹400.
Officials also advised that if there is an error in the Aadhaar card’s birth date, applicants should first correct it in the driving licence and then use the updated document as proof to make changes in Aadhaar records.
