The Maharashtra government will make the residence certificate mandatory for obtaining a driving licence from August 1, 2026, as part of a new policy aimed at streamlining the licensing process. According to reports from Business Standard, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced this development during the legislative assembly on Tuesday, stating that the proposal had been sent to the Law and Judiciary Department for approval and would be implemented after receiving necessary clearance. The legislative announcement came during Question Hour, following concerns raised by Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande regarding commuter safety and the proliferation of unauthorized app-based transport operators.
Under the new policy, bike taxi drivers will be charged ₹5 per day and ₹2 per ride must be mandatorily deposited into a welfare fund. As reported by Business Standard, Minister Sarnaik revealed that this comprehensive regulatory framework aims to generate state revenue and create employment opportunities for young people. The Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules, 2025 include special provisions for the safety of women, students and minor passengers, with the government implementing a policy to bring bike taxi services within a legal framework to achieve four objectives: passenger safety, regulation of drivers, revenue generation and employment opportunities for youth. The rules specifically prohibit applicants from transporting passengers using private two-wheelers and require mandatory police character verification before issuing public service vehicle driving licences.
The government's enforcement efforts have yielded significant results, with enforcement agencies penalizing over 1,000 illegal transport vehicles between April 2025 and May 2026, collecting over ₹18.5 lakh in fines. According to the latest data from Business Standard, from April 2025 to March 2026, action was taken against 814 offending vehicles with 151 vehicles seized and ₹16.25 lakh in fines collected. In the two-month period from April 2026 to May 2026, action was taken against 211 offending vehicles with 66 vehicles seized and fines totalling ₹2.31 lakh collected. Minister Sarnaik emphasized that "Individuals from other states who come to Maharashtra to start transport businesses illegally will no longer be tolerated." The policy will strictly impact commercial permits and shape the state's upcoming regulatory framework to legalize and govern app-based bike taxis.
The new driving licence rules will require residence certificate submission as a mandatory document for obtaining a driving licence in Maharashtra. As reported by Business Standard, Minister Sarnaik confirmed that the proposal had been sent to the Law and Judiciary Department for approval, indicating that the policy will only come into force after receiving legal clearance from the department. To qualify for a Maharashtra domicile certificate under existing state regulations, an individual must have continuously resided in the state for a minimum of 15 years. Under Section 3 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, bike taxi drivers must possess a valid driving licence, while under Rule 4 of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, they must also hold a public service vehicle driving licence with mandatory police department character verification.
The government is simultaneously addressing unauthorized bike taxi services while developing a comprehensive regulatory framework to legalize and manage the sector. As reported by Business Standard, Minister Sarnaik revealed during the Question Hour that this initiative will generate state revenue and create employment opportunities for young people. The regulatory framework aims to establish clear operational accountability, enhance state revenue tracking, and prioritize employment opportunities for local youth in the logistics and ride-hailing sectors. The State Transport Authority has approved temporary licences for 30 days to Uber India Systems Private Limited, Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited (Rapido) and ANI Technologies Private Limited (Ola) for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, subject to all conditions being fulfilled within one month.
