How to register, Update, and verify your Driver’s license in Nigeria

A driver’s license is a legal or official document confirming or authorizing a specific individual to operate cars, trucks, or buses on a public road. Driving a vehicle or riding a bike without a driver’s license is a punishable offence in Nigeria and globally.

Aside from that, car transportation has been a means to an end for some Nigerians, a legit hustle. Don’t be shocked that your Uber driver is a graduate working overtime after closing at his workplace. And as a Nigerian, I am certain you won’t want to order an Uber or board a car knowing that the driver does not have the legal right to be behind the wheel. Life might be tough, but no one wants to die.

So, in order to transport yourself and other people from one destination to another, you must have legal permission, which is a driver’s license, and also equip yourself with the laws relating to the issuance of a driver’s license; they vary between jurisdictions.

This article will walk you through the ABC of registering, updating, and verifying your driver’s license in Nigeria without cutting corners. Winks!

Table of Contents

How to Register for a Driver’s License in Nigeria

You must know that before you are granted a driver’s license, you must be qualified and must meet certain criteria for the safety of the driver, passengers, and other road users.

And as earlier stated, in Nigeria, it is illegal and a punishable offence to drive without a license. Before you can be issued a driver’s license, one of the basic requirements is the eligibility of age; you must be 18 years old and above to request a driver’s license. Other requirements include the following documents:

A driving school certificate: You must undergo practical driving training at any accredited driving school, after which you will be issued a certificate upon completion of your lessons.
Learners permit: In some cases, a permit is issued after the individual passes a driving test; in others, a person must obtain a permit before beginning to drive.
VIO test certificate: Your driving school will present you to the Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO) for a driving test. Once you pass the test, you will be given a proficiency certificate from the VIO.
Birth certificate or Age declaration: Your birth certificate is required as proof that you are 18 years or above.
Eye test certificate from FRSC-approved clinics.
Evidence of driver’s permit payment (bank teller or printout).
National Identification Number (NIN)

All these are documents you will be required to submit while processing your license. When you have all these documents in order, you will then proceed to fill out a driver’s license application form, which can be obtained online via their website or by visiting a driver licensing centre. Let’s have a quick look at the procedures or processes.

You fill out a form containing basic information about your background and the number of years of driver’s license you want.
After filling in your biodata, you proceed to the payment of the license fee. Payment of the license can be made online or at the bank. After Which, you get a printed payment receipt or a bank teller to verify and acknowledge your payment.
Present your application form/slip to the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) Officer and VIO at the DLC for endorsement.
Then you proceed to the driver’s licensing centre for biometric data capture.

After your biometric data capture exercise, you will be issued a temporary driver’s license valid for 60 days. Note that the original driver’s license will be available for pick up at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Office after 60 days.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Updating Driver’s License in Nigeria

The driver’s license has a 3-5-year warranty, and after it expires, it is necessary to do a renewal depending on how long you registered or paid for. You can also update your license if there is a change in your personal information, such as your name, address, or date of birth.

Steps involved in updating/Renewing your license include the following:

Log on to the FRSC website or Visit the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) office nearest to you.
Request the Driver’s License Application Form and fill it out.
Submit the form with the following document: Two passport photographs, a Photocopy of your national identification card or international passport, and proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, or any other document that shows your address).
Choose your renewal option and make payment.

It is important to note that if your license is still valid for more than 30 days, you are not qualified to request or get a driver’s license renewal.

How to Verify Your Driver’s License in Nigeria

In a country like Nigeria, some people are lazy to go through due process and are always in a rush to get documents. They are tempted to cut corners for cheaper, easier, and faster results, which can lead to getting an entirely fake Drivers license. It is also possible to go through due process but still fall into the hands of fraudsters.

So how do you go about this? We have come up with a 5-Step online process that can help you verify your driver’s license and know whether it is authentic or not:

Visit the Nigeria Driver’s License Website.
Click on the “Driver’s license application” tab on the menu bar.
Select the “Verify Driving License” option from the menu.
Input your driver’s license number in the space provided and click on the “Search” button.
The website will display the details of your license: your name, date of birth, license status, and expiry date.

You can also visit any FRSC office closest to you to verify your license in person. You will need to provide your driver’s license number, full name, and other relevant details to complete the verification process.

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Conclusion

Laws are made to maintain order in society; in the same vein, driver’s licenses are meant to keep motorists and other road users in order. Beyond that, it also serves as a safety measure to deter just anyone who can drive or has access to a vehicle from plying public roads, thereby endangering the lives and property of people.

It is also important to adhere to or follow due process when getting your license and promptly do a renewal or update when necessary, as it is also a punishable offence to drive with an expired or fake driver’s license.

Edited by Emmanuel Odebiyi