PSV badge to a driver: what it is and how to get one
A PSV badge to a driver is the permission an RTO adds to a driving licence so the holder can drive a public service vehicle, such as a taxi, auto-rickshaw or bus, for paying passengers. You usually need to be 20 or older, hold the right licence class, pass a medical and police check, and apply on Sarathi or at the RTO.
Key takeaways
- A public service vehicle is any motor vehicle that carries passengers for hire or reward, including taxis, maxi cabs and buses (MV Act section 2(35)).
- The badge is issued on top of your driving licence; the badge number is recorded against your DL in the licence database.
- Common conditions: age 20, a licence for the right class held for some time, a Form 1A medical, police verification and basic education.
- Delhi lists a Rs 200 issue fee and three-year validity; Odisha issues the badge to HMV licence holders only.
- Sarathi's loss, mutilated and surrender options deal with a lost, damaged or given-up badge, not a fresh one.
On this page · 23 sections
What does a PSV badge to a driver mean?
A PSV badge to a driver is the extra authorisation the licensing authority grants so that a person can drive a public service vehicle for paying passengers. In everyday terms, PSV badge means “this driver is cleared to carry the public for a fare”. It is linked to your existing driving licence.
What PSV stands for
PSV is short for public service vehicle. The words come from the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which uses them for vehicles that carry passengers commercially. So “PSV badge” literally means a badge for drivers of those vehicles, not for private car owners.
Why it is called a badge
In many states the authorisation is still handed over as a metal or plastic badge with a number, which the driver pins on the uniform. Delhi’s rules, for example, say a public service vehicle driver must display the badge while on duty.
What is a public service vehicle under the Motor Vehicles Act?
Section 2(35) of the Act defines a public service vehicle as any motor vehicle used or adapted to carry passengers for hire or reward. The definition expressly includes a maxi cab, a motor cab, a contract carriage and a stage carriage.
Vehicles that fall inside the definition
Taxis and app cabs (motor cabs), auto-rickshaws plying for hire, tempo travellers and vans run as maxi cabs, tourist buses on contract and route buses (stage carriages) are all public service vehicles. The driver of each is the person the badge rules are aimed at.
Vehicles that do not
A private car driven by its owner, a company car with a salaried chauffeur that never takes fares, and goods trucks are outside the definition. Goods vehicles still need a transport licence class, but the PSV badge concerns passenger work.
PSV licence or plain driving licence: what is the difference?
There is no separate card called a PSV licence in most states. The phrase describes a driving licence that carries a PSV badge endorsement. Your ordinary licence proves you can drive a class of vehicle; the badge proves you are also cleared to drive the public for money.
What the badge adds
The RTO checks things a private licence never asks about: police verification of antecedents, a fresh medical certificate, education proof and, in some states, a first-aid or driver-training certificate. A badge number is then recorded against the licence.
What it does not replace
The badge never stands alone. If your driving licence lapses, the badge cannot be used. You also still need the right class of vehicle on the licence; our guide to types of licenses in India explains LMV, transport and heavy classes.
Is a PSV license the same in every state?
No. The PSV license idea comes from the central Act, but the badge itself is created by state motor vehicle rules, so each state sets its own conditions, fee, validity and form. A badge from one state is generally meant for driving in that state.
What varies from state to state
Education level, the minimum period you must have held the licence, the training certificate asked for, the fee and how long the badge lasts all differ. Odisha, for instance, issues the badge to HMV drivers only, while Delhi issues it for autos, light transport and heavy vehicles.
What stays the same
The core purpose does not change: only a cleared driver may drive a public service vehicle, and an owner may not hand the wheel to someone without one. The section 4(2) minimum age of 20 for transport vehicles also applies everywhere.
Who is eligible for a drivers badge?
A drivers badge is usually open to anyone aged 20 or more who holds a valid licence for the vehicle class, is medically fit and clears police verification. Most states also ask for basic schooling and that the licence has been held for a period, often about one year.
Age and licence
Section 4(2) of the Act sets 20 as the minimum age to drive a transport vehicle. Many guides add that the LMV or transport licence should be at least one year old; this is a state rule, so check the exact period with your RTO.
Education, health and character
Delhi asks for 8th pass for auto-rickshaw and light transport badges and 10th pass for heavy vehicles. A medical certificate in Form 1A signed by a registered doctor and a clean police verification report are standard almost everywhere.
Which documents does an issue of PSV badge to a driver need?
The issue of PSV badge to a driver service needs your driving licence plus proof that you are fit and trustworthy enough to carry passengers. Delhi’s published list is a good model: the badge application, Form L.CON.A, residence proof, Form 1A medical, police verification, licence copy, training certificate and education proof.
Delhi document list
| Document | Who needs it in Delhi |
|---|---|
| Application for issue of PSV badge and Form L.CON.A | Every applicant |
| Self-attested residence proof and Aadhaar | Every applicant |
| Medical certificate in Form 1A | Every applicant |
| Police verification of antecedents | Every applicant |
| Attested copy of the driving licence | Every applicant |
| PSV badge training certificate | Every applicant |
| 8th pass certificate | Auto-rickshaw and LMV transport badges |
| 10th pass certificate | HMV badge |
Extra papers other states ask for
Odisha asks for a first-aid certificate to be uploaded with the online form. Other states may want passport photos, an address proof in a named form, or a certificate from a recognised driver training school. Your state’s Sarathi page lists the uploads it expects before you pay.
How do you apply for a badge licence online?
Where your state offers it, the badge licence apply process runs on the Sarathi licence portal. You open the services on DL menu, pick Issue of PSV Badge to a Driver, upload documents, pay and book a slot. The RTO then verifies the originals and issues the badge.
Step-by-step on Sarathi
- Open Sarathi and pick your state. Go to sarathi.parivahan.gov.in and select the state that issued your driving licence.
- Open the services on DL menu. Enter your driving licence number and date of birth and confirm the details shown.
- Choose Issue of PSV Badge to a Driver. Tick the badge service, fill in the form and add the requested education and first-aid details.
- Upload documents and pay. Upload the medical certificate, photo, signature and certificates, then pay the fee online.
- Book a slot and visit the RTO. Choose a date, take the originals to the RTO for verification and collect the badge once approved.
If the badge option is missing
Some states do not show the badge service online. In that case the badge licence application is made at the RTO counter with printed forms. Delhi’s procedure, for example, describes downloading the forms, filling them in and submitting them with the fee at the counter.
What happens at the RTO after you apply?
On the booked date you take the original documents to the RTO. An officer checks them against your uploads, may ask a few questions or call you for a driving test, and the file then waits for the police report. Once it is clear, the badge is approved.
Verification and any test
Odisha’s flow ends with verification at the RTO and issue of the badge on the same visit once papers are in order. Some states ask for a written or driving test; others rely on your existing licence test. Carry the acknowledgement slip and fee receipt either way.
How long approval takes
Delhi’s procedure estimates about 30 days from application, mainly because the police report has to come back first. Other states give no fixed period. You can follow the file using the application status option on Sarathi with your application number.
How much does a PSV badge cost?
There is no single national fee for a PSV badge, because state rules create it. The only official figure we could confirm is Delhi’s: Rs 200 for issue of a badge by the licensing authority. Expect online user charges or a smart-card charge on top in some states.
Fees we found
| State | Badge issue fee | What else to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | Rs 200 | Medical, police verification and training costs are separate |
| Odisha | Shown on the Sarathi payment screen | Paid online before slot booking |
| Other states | Set by state rules | Check the RTO fee list |
How to confirm the current amount
The Sarathi portal shows the exact fee for your state on the payment step before you commit. If you apply at the counter, the RTO fee notice or cashier will tell you. Ignore agents who quote a “badge package” without a receipt from the RTO.
How long is a PSV badge valid, and how is it renewed?
Delhi’s procedure gives a validity of three years, or as printed on the badge, and other guides quote three to five years depending on the state. Renewal means a fresh medical, sometimes a fresh police check, and the state’s renewal fee.
Keeping the badge and licence in step
A badge cannot outlive the licence it sits on. If your transport licence class is due for renewal, sort that out first through DL renewal, then renew the badge. Many RTOs handle both in one visit.
What to do before it expires
Note the validity date when the badge is issued and apply a few weeks early. Driving passengers on an expired badge is treated much like driving without one, and some aggregators block your account the day the date passes.
What is a license badge and when must you wear it?
A license badge is the physical token, usually metal or plastic, that carries your badge number and shows passengers and police that you are an authorised public service vehicle driver. Delhi’s rules require drivers to display it while on duty.
Rules on carrying it
Delhi’s rules add that a driver may not hold more than one such badge in the state, and that a vehicle owner may not let an unlicensed person drive a public service vehicle. Keep the badge on your uniform shirt and the licence in the vehicle.
If your state no longer issues a metal badge
Several states now record the authorisation only in the licence database and on the smart card. In that case the printed or digital licence showing the badge details is what you show at a check. Ask your RTO which form your state uses.
Where is the badge no in driving licence shown?
The badge no in driving licence records is the number the RTO allots when it grants the badge. Depending on the state, it is printed on the physical badge, on the licence card under the transport class, or shown in the licence details on Sarathi and mParivahan.
Finding it online
Use the DL status or licence-details search on Sarathi with your licence number and date of birth; our online licence check guide walks through it. Where the state records the badge, the number or badge date appears with the vehicle classes.
Why employers ask for it
Bus operators, school transport contractors and cab aggregators note the badge number when they hire. It lets them confirm with the RTO that you hold a valid badge, and it is often asked for again when the badge is renewed.
What does a DL badge look like on a smart card?
A DL badge on a smart-card licence normally appears as an extra entry next to the transport vehicle classes, with a badge number and issue date. The exact layout is a state design choice, so two cards from different states can look quite different.
Reading your own card
Look for wording such as “badge”, “PSV” or a separate badge number field near the class list. If the card shows only LMV with no transport class or badge data, the RTO has not recorded a badge for you, whatever an agent may have said.
When the card and the database differ
If the printed card lacks the badge but the online record shows it, the database is the reference most officials use. If neither shows it, contact the RTO with your badge receipt so the record can be corrected.
What is the loss of DL PSV badge meaning on Sarathi?
The loss of DL PSV badge meaning is simple: it is the reason you select when your driving licence or your PSV badge has been lost or stolen and you want a duplicate. It appears among the reasons on the duplicate licence service, and Tamil Nadu lists a separate duplicate PSV badge service.
What to keep ready
Most RTOs ask for a police complaint or FIR copy for a lost or stolen document, and some ask for an affidavit. The full duplicate process is covered in our duplicate driving license guide.
Lost badge, licence still safe
If only the badge is lost, say so on the form so the RTO reissues the badge without replacing the licence card. Keep driving passengers only once you have the duplicate or the RTO’s written acknowledgement, as your state allows.
What is the DL PSV badge mutilated meaning?
The DL PSV badge mutilated meaning is that the licence card or badge is damaged: torn, cracked, burnt, faded or otherwise unreadable. You choose this reason on the duplicate service when the document still exists but can no longer be read or trusted at a check.
What the RTO usually wants
For a mutilated document you normally hand in the damaged original instead of a police report. The officer compares it with the record, cancels it and issues the replacement.
Mutilated versus lost
Pick “mutilated” only if you still have the damaged card or badge to surrender. If the pieces are gone, use the loss reason instead, because the RTO cannot accept a mutilated claim without seeing the item.
What is surrender of COV(s) PSV badge(s)?
Surrender of COV(s)/PSV badge(s) is the Sarathi service for giving up a class of vehicle (COV) or a badge you no longer want on your licence, for example when you stop commercial driving. Odisha’s flow is online: choose surrender, select the class, upload documents, pay, book a slot and visit the RTO.
When drivers use it
Drivers surrender a badge when moving to private driving only, when a medical condition stops them driving passengers, or when the RTO asks them to clear an old entry before a correction. Surrender is voluntary and different from a suspension ordered by the authority.
What it means for later
Once surrendered, the class or badge is removed from your record. If you want it back later, expect to apply afresh and meet the eligibility rules again.
What is a yellow badge license?
Yellow badge license is a popular name, mostly in Karnataka and other southern states, for a transport licence or badge that allows commercial passenger driving. It echoes the yellow number plate carried by commercial vehicles, but the badge belongs to the driver, not the vehicle.
Badge versus yellow plate
A yellow plate with black letters marks a vehicle registered for commercial use. A yellow badge marks a driver cleared for it. A cab normally needs both: a commercially registered vehicle with a permit, and a driver with a valid licence and the state’s badge.
Do cab drivers still need a badge after the 2024 Supreme Court ruling?
On 6 November 2024 a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court upheld the Mukund Dewangan view that an LMV licence lets you drive a transport vehicle up to 7,500 kg gross weight without a separate transport endorsement. That ruling is about licence classes, not state badge rules.
What changed and what did not
The ruling settled insurance disputes over LMV holders driving light transport vehicles. It did not strike down state rules on badges, police verification or aggregator onboarding. Several states and app platforms still ask cab and auto drivers for a badge, so check your state’s current notice before you start.
Which drivers need a PSV badge: auto, taxi, bus or school van?
Anyone who drives a public service vehicle for hire generally needs the badge: auto-rickshaw drivers, taxi and app-cab drivers, maxi cab and tempo traveller drivers, and bus drivers on stage or contract carriage routes. Light LMV in driving licence entries alone are often not accepted.
Buses and heavy passenger vehicles
Bus drivers need a heavy passenger vehicle class plus the badge, and Delhi asks for 10th pass for that category. Odisha issues badges only to HMV licence holders. Bus conductors need a separate conductor licence instead.
School vans and staff buses
School and staff transport carrying people for a fee or under contract counts as a contract carriage, so state transport and school-safety rules usually expect the driver to hold a badge and a clean police record.
Why badge applications get sent back
Most rejections come from paperwork, not driving skill. The usual causes are a licence that is too new or in the wrong class, an outdated medical form, a pending police report and missing education proof. Each has a straightforward fix.
Licence and class problems
If your licence does not yet meet the state’s minimum period, wait until it does. If it shows only a private class, add the transport class first and then apply for the badge.
Document problems
Get a fresh Form 1A from a registered doctor, attach a self-attested pass certificate and follow up with the police station if verification is stuck. Re-upload clear scans rather than phone photos taken at an angle.
Driving a public service vehicle without a badge
Taking fare-paying passengers in a public service vehicle without the badge your state requires breaks the state’s driver rules and can lead to a challan, detention of the vehicle and trouble with the insurer after a crash. The owner who let you drive can also be held responsible.
Insurance and liability
Insurers check whether the driver held a valid licence and authorisation for the vehicle’s use. A missing badge gives them room to dispute a claim, which leaves the owner and driver exposed to third-party costs.
What to do if you are caught
Pay or contest the challan through the official route, stop commercial trips and apply for the badge straight away. Penalty amounts vary by state, so confirm them with the traffic police rather than relying on figures quoted by others.
Moving to another state with a badge
A badge is created under state rules, so it is generally meant for driving in the issuing state. If you shift states for work, change the licence address first and then apply to the new state’s RTO for its badge, meeting its eligibility list.
Steps that make the move easier
Keep copies of your old badge, police verification and training certificate. Some states accept them as supporting papers, though they will still run their own police check before issuing a new badge.
Badge rules in Delhi and Odisha compared
Delhi and Odisha show how differently states run the PSV badge. Delhi issues it across auto, light transport and heavy categories with a counter-based procedure, while Odisha runs an online flow on Parivahan and limits the badge to heavy vehicle drivers.
Side-by-side
| Point | Delhi | Odisha |
|---|---|---|
| Who can get it | Auto, LMV transport and HMV drivers | HMV licence holders only |
| Education | 8th pass; 10th for HMV | Not stated on the service page |
| Key extra papers | Form L.CON.A, Form 1A, police verification, training certificate | First-aid certificate |
| How to apply | Forms at the RTO counter | Online on Parivahan, then RTO slot |
| Validity | Three years or as on the badge | Not stated on the service page |
Using the comparison
Treat the table as an example, not a rule for your state. For other services, such as renewals and address changes, start from our driving licence hub and your state’s Sarathi page.
Official links
Sarathi licence servicessarathi.parivahan.gov.in ↗Parivahan Sewaparivahan.gov.in ↗Odisha: Issue of PSV Badge to a Driverodishatransport.gov.in ↗Delhi Transport Departmenttransport.delhi.gov.in ↗Psv badge to a driver questions
What does PSV badge mean?
PSV stands for public service vehicle. A PSV badge is the authorisation, recorded on your driving licence and often issued as a physical badge, that lets you drive a vehicle carrying passengers for hire, such as a taxi, auto-rickshaw or bus.
Is a PSV badge the same as a PSV licence?
People use both names for the same thing. Strictly, your driving licence is the licence and the badge is an extra authorisation issued on it by the RTO for public service vehicle driving.
What is the minimum age for a PSV badge?
Section 4(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act sets 20 years as the minimum age to drive a transport vehicle in a public place. Many states apply the same age to the badge.
Can I apply for a badge licence online?
Yes, in states that offer the Issue of PSV Badge to a Driver service on Sarathi. You fill the form, upload documents and pay online, then visit the RTO for verification. Some states still take applications only at the counter.
How much is the PSV badge fee?
It depends on the state. Delhi's rules list Rs 200 for issuing a badge. Check the fee shown on your state's Sarathi payment page or the RTO notice board before paying.
Where can I see my badge number?
The badge number is linked to your driving licence record. It may be printed on the badge itself, on the licence or shown in the licence details when you check your DL on Sarathi or mParivahan, depending on the state.
What does loss of DL/PSV badge mean?
It is the reason you choose on Sarathi when your driving licence or your badge has been lost or stolen and you want a duplicate. Expect to give a police report or complaint copy.
What does DL/PSV badge mutilated mean?
Mutilated means damaged: torn, broken, faded or unreadable. You choose this reason when applying for a duplicate and usually hand in the damaged card or badge.
Do Ola and Uber drivers need a PSV badge?
Many states and aggregator rules still ask for a badge or transport authorisation, although the Supreme Court has held that an LMV licence covers light transport vehicles up to 7,500 kg. Check your state transport department's current rule.
Parivahan Sewa (parivahansewa-in.com) is an independent information website and is not affiliated with MoRTH, Parivahan or any state transport department. Confirm fees and rules on the official portal before you pay or apply.