Mumbai Traffic Police to accept digital copies of driving licenses, registration and PUC certificates

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In a significant step towards digitisation and simplifying compliance for vehicle owners, the Mumbai Traffic Police has directed all officers to accept digital copies of driving licenses, vehicle registration certificates, insurance, and Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates stored in DigiLocker or the mParivahan app.

This decision comes in response to complaints from citizens who received e-challan penalties despite presenting valid digital copies of their documents. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has clarified that digital versions of these documents, accessible through DigiLocker and mParivahan, are legally equivalent to physical copies under Sections 4 and 5 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. These provisions grant legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures.

The notification emphasises that once a document is digitally signed, it is considered as valid as the original physical copy. This aims to reduce the inconvenience for vehicle owners, who will no longer need to carry physical copies of their documents, as long as they are available in the approved digital format.

Traffic police officers have been instructed to verify the digital documents presented through the apps and to refrain from issuing fines or seizing vehicles unless other violations are found. Strict compliance with the directive is expected across all traffic sections.