Lucknow, Sept. 21 -- The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has clarified that Driving Licences (DLs) and Registration Certificates (RCs) may continue to be issued in laminated card form without a chip or smart card, in accordance with the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.The clarification comes in response to a query from the Uttar Pradesh government seeking confirmation on whether smart card issuance is mandatory for all RCs and DLs. The ministry's letter noted that while the smart card format is permissible, physical cards without chips or smart card features can still be issued, including for applicants who prefer them. In a letter, principal secretary (Transport) Amit Gupta referred to the Centre's earlier communication directing that RCs and DLs be issued only as smart cards. He noted that a subsequent communication from the Ministry dated August 14, 2025, exempts such mandatory issuance under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Gupta pointed out that this had created operational confusion, with some regional transport offices assuming that laminated cards without chips were no longer valid. The UP government specifically requested the Centre to confirm whether smart cards are compulsory or whether RCs and DLs may also be issued in printed or digital format, as per the vehicle owner's preference. "Bringing clarity to a long-standing confusion at the ground level, the MoRTH has stated that driving licences and registration certificates can continue to be issued in laminated card format without chip or smart card features, provided they conform to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR), 1989," a senior transport official said.Responding to the UP government's query, the ministry cited Rule 16(1) of the CMVR for DLs, which states: "Every driving licence issued or renewed by a licensing authority shall be in the form of a laminated card type without a chip or Smart Card type in Form 7 conforming to the specifications stipulated in Annexure XI." For RCs, the ministry referred to Rule 81 Note 2, which allows the issuance of laminated card RCs without a chip, with an additional fee of Rs 200 in specific cases, such as fresh registration after cancellation of hire-purchase, lease, or hypothecation agreements. "Therefore, a Driving Licence is required to be provided in the form of a laminated card without a chip or smart card type," the ministry stated, adding that the same applies to RCs in Form 23A. It directed that this clarification be communicated to all concerned to ensure compliance and prevent citizens from being compelled to obtain only smart card-based documents. "The clarification will help avoid unnecessary costs and smoothen the issuance process across RTOs in the state," the official added....