[Zappo]

Well, I have news for you. Here is a linky. This provides the categories under which the driving licenses are issued. Although this is the AP Transport Dept's site the rules are CMV rules and hence valid across India. Obviously, you do not need to reapply for license if you shift state.

So you see there? Nothing called LTV license exists. You can drive even cabs on LMV license. To confirm this fact I just now walked down to our car pool and talked to a couple of Indicabbies. They all hold LMV licences just like us.

Go and tell your instructor to shove it... The bugger is taking you for a ride. He has invented a category as well. LTV!

[caliper]

The thing is, if I was going to have to get a new license anyway, I thought I would get "Tractor" endorsement as well as the (non-existent?) LTV.

After all, the Innova has hooks for towing, so whatever you're towing becomes a trailer and the Innova becomes a tractor, right? (At least in the eyes of a cop who wants to annoy.)

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by caliper

The thing is, if I was going to have to get a new license anyway, I thought I would get "Tractor" endorsement as well as the (non-existent?) LTV.

Correct me if I am wrong but an LTV license requires to be renewed more frequently than a normal non transport license, approx after a year I am told.

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Correct me if I am wrong but an LTV license requires to be renewed more frequently than a normal non transport license, approx after a year I am told.

First of all, there is nothing called a LTV license. You only get LMV, MMV and HMV licenses as per the CMV rules. For transport vehicles the license is valid for 3 years. A detailed rules section is available here.

For the drivers of tankers that carry hazardous chemicals there are some additional rules and guidlines that they need to meet. These are available here.

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by caliper

The thing is, if I was going to have to get a new license anyway, I thought I would get "Tractor" endorsement as well as the (non-existent?) LTV.

After all, the Innova has hooks for towing, so whatever you're towing becomes a trailer and the Innova becomes a tractor, right? (At least in the eyes of a cop who wants to annoy.)

Actually towing is not allowed under the rules if you hold a LMV license. That is very clear. As per the rule any vehicle that tows another vehicle, disabled or otherwise becomes a tow truck. A tow truck driver needs to have a MMV or HMV license.

I know it is a crazy rule since you may need to tow a vehicle at times when you are left with no other options in a desolate stretch of highway. However even then you are violating the rules if a cop wants to interpret it in letter and spirit. That is unless you hold a MMV license.

[moralfibre]

Thanks for the info Zappo. Quite helpful I must say.

[abhibh]

lol this reminded me of the guy who got ticketed because he was driving versa and versa is a small bus according to the traffic policeman LMAO...

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by abhibh

lol this reminded me of the guy who got ticketed because he was driving versa and versa is a small bus according to the traffic policeman LMAO...

That guy was an ***. He should have immediately taken out the RC book of the car. All versas were registered as LMVs. I myself saw one some years back. If the RC says that it is an LMV then you can always tell the traffic constable to shove it (lets be magnanimous and the choice of where to do that be his)... A minibus, a kiddie bus or a godzilla bus... as long as it is an LMV one can drive it with a LMV license. Period.

[dinar]

One can drive most of the vehicles below the range of tata 407 category on LMV license, in fact one can drive the new tata 207 DI which is yellow plate in most of the states, on your regular license.
So the instructor is trying to take you for a ride.

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

The LMV vehicle license mentions Car/Jeep.
If you drive yellow plate you need LTV.

@tsk, I am not sure about it. For yellow boards, you need an extra badge along with LMV driver's license. These two are seperate. The badge needs to be renewed once in every three years.
MMV- vehicles like TATA 407/Force traveller.

[abhibh]

Originally Posted by Zappo

That guy was an ***. He should have immediately taken out the RC book of the car. All versas were registered as LMVs. I myself saw one some years back. If the RC says that it is an LMV then you can always tell the traffic constable to shove it (lets be magnanimous and the choice of where to do that be his)... A minibus, a kiddie bus or a godzilla bus... as long as it is an LMV one can drive it with a LMV license. Period.

lol i tell you about my own incident. My cousin and i was going somewhere and interceptor pulls us off. They asked for RC etc etc. On RC it was mentioned LMV-NT. He said your license is not valid coz this is LMV-NT and not LMV

And after a lot of calls here and there to high superiors he lets us go DAMN...

[autozealot]

You can very well drive your Innova on a simple LMV licence.

Some common categories are as follows:-

L.M.V. (NT) - Non Transport - DL which most us have. Newer ones are valid for upto 20 yrs.

L.M.V. (TR) - Tranport -for tourist/pvt. taxis regd. as LMV with yellow plate be it Indica or Innova they are to be renewed every 3 yrs

L.P.V. (Light Passenger Vehicle) for Tempo Traveller etc. basically mini-bus sort of, but upto 18 seats with yellow plate

H. P. V. (Heavy Passenger Vehicle) for big buses, 18 seats & above

L.C.V. (Light Commercial Vehicle) for Tempo, Tata 407 ace etc

H.M.V. (Heavy Commercial Vehicle) for bigger trucks/dumpers/tankers
followed by all others like multi-axle vehicles/trailors/cranes etc.

Tell your instructor that you are a bhpian....not to mess

az

[mansidea]

That was telling him autozealot. i drive a scorpio with the normal LMV licence & recently got it inspected by a MVI due to an accident where the insurance co. will find out every possible way of not approving the claim.

[manikjeet]

i drive my innovas with my regular DL no problems till now but all my driver carries a LTV DL with him

[cadaver_prad]

Originally Posted by caliper

Sorry to ask what may seem like a dumb question, but what is the significance of a yellow number plate?

I've never seen a vehicle with such. Only with the standard black on white (or the fashionable white on black). I haven't seen any Innovas with yellow plates either.

Have u come back from the dead very recently??
Yellow plates are for commercial vehicles and white plates for vehicles for private use...