The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has reportedly issued new norms to unify driving licenses and vehicle registrations in India. These new rules will be implemented pan-India from October 1, 2019. The government body has issued these norms in order to have a national central online database for all drivers and vehicles.

As per the new norms, the driving license and vehicle registration card will have the same appearance and features across all states in India. The new driving licenses will feature a QR code to help authorities keep track of offenders. It is said that the QR code feature will be able to keep a record of the driver’s data – including traffic violations – for upto 10 years. The government will also embed a chip in the license which will work using near-field communication (NFC) technology and will also print an emergency contact number on its reverse side. Additionally, these new licenses will contain information about differently-abled drivers and the modifications done to their respective vehicles to help them drive.

The new vehicle registration card will also follow a format similar to the new driving licenses. It has been reported that the registration card will feature the embedded chip on its front, with a QR code at its back. The card will contain information like vehicle owner details, fuel type, emission details, and chassis and engine numbers.

The new, technologically advanced cards will also be of a better quality than the current cards, which are known to be prone to fading.