A new and stricter procedure for obtaining a driving licence has been enforced from September 17, 2026, in Punjab. Under the new system, candidates must complete each stage of the licence testing process within the prescribed time limit before proceeding to the next stage.
Under the revised procedure, applicants will have to complete the e-sign test, road test and PSID stages within the specified deadlines. Failure to meet any deadline will result in the testing process being restarted.
According to traffic authorities, candidates who pass the e-sign test must take the road test within 24 hours. If an applicant fails to take the road test within this period, the e-sign test result will be considered invalid, requiring the candidate to go through the entire process again.
The time limit between the e-sign and road tests is one of the key aspects of the new procedure. Once a candidate passes the e-sign test, the next step will be the road test, which must be completed within 24 hours.
Traffic authorities have directed officials to strictly implement the prescribed procedure and ensure that no candidate is allowed to exceed the specified time limits.
According to the available licensing SOPs, candidates applying for a regular driving licence must pass both the e-sign test and the practical driving test. Records of the tests and PSID payments are entered into the DLIMS system.
Under the new system, simply passing the e-sign and road tests will not be sufficient. Authorities have stated that even if both tests are passed within 24 hours, the results will expire if a PSID is not generated within the prescribed period.
In such a case, the candidate will have to repeat the e-sign and road testing process. The measure is aimed at completing the entire licensing procedure through an integrated digital system.
A specific deadline has also been set for payment of the PSID fee. According to the authorities, if the fee is not paid within seven days after the PSID is generated, the entire process will be cancelled.
If the PSID expires after the prescribed period, the candidate will have to complete the relevant stages again, including taking both the e-sign and road tests.
This means that under the new system, passing the tests alone will not be enough. Candidates will also have to complete the digital payment process within the specified timeframe.
Traffic authorities said the site where the road test is conducted will submit the candidate’s regular driving licence application through the relevant system.