Looking for how to apply and renew Nigerian Driver’s License? This guide can and will help you!
First, let’s dig into some history. It’s important.
You see, in 1988, the Federal Government of Nigeria decided that for the sole purpose of the prevention of accident and insurance of safety for motorists, an agency should be established. That is how and why the Federal Road Safety Commission was established that year together with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). While the Commission concentrated and still concentrates on policy-making for the agency, the Corps is responsible for operations and for implementing the Commission’s decisions in the country.
How to Apply and Renew Nigerian Driver’s License: Sample of Nigerian Driver’s License
So, What is A Driver’s License and Why is it Necessary to Have One?
The driver’s license is a legal document that empowers anyone who is fit to drive to do so without embarrassment, harassment and/or intimidation.
In Nigeria, this document is issued by the federal government of Nigeria and with it citizens and non-citizens of Nigeria are empowered to drive around the country without restraints. Because of cases of accidents especially due to age, behaviour, and vision-related problems in the country, in 2012, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) launched a new commercial driver’s license which requires that drivers undergo a mandatory medical examination and get certificates before they can be issued a Driver’s License in the country.
Also, prior to the year 2016, drivers and motorists would have to renew their Driver’s License every three years. However, The Federal Government in 2016 decided that Nigerian Driver’s License should have a five-year expiry tenor, before renewal. That, I think is a welcome development for motorists in Nigeria.
You must be up to 18 years before you can qualify to own a Nigerian Driver’s License. Even at that, you must first undergo training at an accredited driving school in Nigeria and certified fit to drive on Nigerian roads before you would be issued a Nigerian Driver’s License.
Obtaining New Driver’s License
Before obtaining a driver’s license, there are step-by-step procedures you must undergo which are as follows;
- Step 1: The applicant is to complete an application form that he or she also dates and signs.
- Step 2 : The applicant must provide a signature on a signature mandatory card, which is then scanned into a database and displayed on the driver’s license.
- Step 3: The applicant must provide two passport photographs that will also be scanned into the database and displayed on the driver’s license.
- Step 4: Payment: The applicant is to pay “the cashing office” a processing fee of 3,250 Nigerian naira (NGN) in cash or by a bank draft.
- Step 5: Applicant must provide proof of his or her identity or name by producing an international passport, a copy of which must be provided to the licensing office, or providing a birth certificate or sworn declaration of age or affidavit. The declaration of age or affidavit must be sworn before a court by a family member.
- Step 6: The applicant must also provide proof that he or she can operate a motor vehicle (ibid.), i.e., proof of a written driving test and proof that he or she has passed a road test from a government-approved driving school which will be verified by a licensing officer
- Step 7: The driver’s license is mailed to the applicant’s residential or chose mailing address once the application has been processed and the documents verified.
- Step 8: An applicant can also obtain a license from a state in which he is not a resident. He explained the process by saying that sometimes applicants will receive a driver’s license from a different state than the one from which they applied because of the high volume of applications in the first state.
- Step 9: The applicant is issued a temporary driver’s license that will last for the duration of 60 days.
- Step 10: Applicants are then expected to obtain their driver’s license at the end of 60 days.
You can get more information by logging onto https://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org/index.php
Driver’s License Renewal Step-by-Step Procedure
The applicant does not have to go through a driving test before renewing his/her driver’s license. Just follow the steps below:
- Step 1: The applicant is to go https://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org,which is the official website for driver’s license obtaining and renewal in Nigeria
- Step 2: The applicant is to navigate to where you see ‘driver’s license renewal’ and click on it, after it loads you should see a form that requires you to fill your birthdate and your expired driver’s license number. After filling this form accurately, you would be able to access and fill the application form.
- Step 3: The applicant should visit any of the designated banks to make payments for the license, he/she can also make the payments via the online platforms.
- Step 4: The application form along with the printed receipts should be presented to the drivers licensing center.
- Step 5: The applicant should visit the nearest safety office to get their biometric data captured.
- Step 6: The applicant would get a temporary license valid for only 60 days.
The official fee for the renewal of Nigerian Driver’s License is N6,000 but could cost up to N12,000, N15,000 or even more due to how things are done in Nigeria (Corruption!).
Summary & Conclusion
Just to remind you the process, here are the steps you have to follow to get a new Driver’s License or renew your expired Driver’s License in Nigeria:
- Step 1: This is the first step in renewing a driver’s license. The applicant is to visit https://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org to apply. Here he/she would fill out the required fields and then print out the form as well as the payment slip.
- Step 2: The applicant should visit any designated bank to pay the license fee. This fee can also be paid online
- Step 3: The applicant is to present the form printed earlier to the Board of Internal Revenue Officer or VIO
- Step 4: After this the applicant can now proceed to the Federal Road Safety Corps Officer at the DLC for Biometric Data Capturing
- Step 5: The applicant would obtain a temporary driver’s license that will be valid for 60 days.
