Complete Guide to getting a Nigerian Driver’s License

There are a number of cases that necessitate getting a Nigerian driver’s license; it could be that you’re getting it for the first time, or you want to replace a lost one.

Whatever the case may be, the procedures for getting a driver’s license in Nigeria has changed, but only by a small bit.

In this article, I would be highlighting the steps to take when you’re out to get your driver’s license in Nigeria right now.

Getting Started on how to apply for Nigerian Driver’s License

 Usually, the journey to getting a driver’s license starts at the driving school. You are required to take a driving learning course at a driving school which FRSC recognizes.

The driving tests you’d take has to be supervised by Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO).

At the end of the program, you would be issued a certificate of completion (it’s a certificate of driving proficiency, actually).

The Next Step

You’ll have to proceed to fill an application form; there are two ways to go about it. One way is to obtain the driver’s license form from the DLC (Driver’s License Center).

Before you’re given the form, you’ll be required to present the certificate you previously got from the driving school, alongside a learner’s permit and birth certificate.

You will then be directed to pay an application fee at any of the designated banks.

Ensure to take a photocopy of the application form along (they need the application ID at the bank).

Another way to get the driver’s license form is through an online portal.

The website to visit is www.nigeriadriverslicence.org; on the main page of the site, locate DL Application and click on it.

A drop-down menu shows up; click on New Driver’s License.

The next page would ask that you input your driving course certificate number for validation; once it has been validated, you can proceed to complete the application form.

You can then make payment online, and print out an acknowledgment slip after the fact.

The next step would require that you physically go to various offices, and you can’t let someone else stand in for you.

The offices to visit are the BIR (Board of Internal Revenue) and the VIO (Vehicle Inspection Office). Both are typically located in the DLC.

You would be getting an endorsement from those offices, but before then, you’re required to submit the following documents;

• application form
• payment slip
• certificate from driving school
• learner’s permit
• birth certificate
• certificate of an eye test
• certificate of VIO test

After obtaining endorsement, the next step is biometric data capture; an FRSC officer at the DLC would do that for you.

You would get a temporary driver’s license at this point; it would expire after 2 months and be valid pending the time your permanent driver’s license is available to pick up.

Finally, The permanent driver’s license would be ready within 60 days. It will be at the DLC for you to go and pick up.

The Other Details

The application form has all the basic form fields such as health status and background. The other feature of the form is that it’s uniform all across the country, in all the states.

The data required of you include:

• Title: (Mr/Mrs/Miss) Surname
• First name
• Other names
• Sex: Male/ Female
• Date of birth (DD/MM/YY)
• Place of birth (City/ Town)
• Marital status
• Nationality
• Address information (House/ Flat/ Plot number), Street
• State of origin
• Local Govt of Origin
• Phone number(s)
• Occupation
• Mother maiden name
• Height
• Blood group
• Phone number of next of kin
• Nationality of next of kin
• Years of application: 3 years or 5 years.

Then there’s the cost; it’s important that you know how much each item costs at every stage of the way (that’s how to avoid unwarranted charges).

Typically, you can get a driving school certificate for around N8,000. The actual Driver’s License costs N6,350 (for the 3 years variant) or N10,450 (for the 5 years variant).

However, The VIO test can be had for N1,000, while the Eye test goes for N500. All these prices may vary, but it shouldn’t be more than N2,000.

Conclusion on how to get Nigerian Driver’s License

In Conclusion, Getting a Nigerian driver’s license is essential – for the safety of road transport, and the citizens as well.

Procuring a driver’s license is straightforward (so no excuse for not getting yours!), and isn’t as expensive as it might seem.

Above is a guide to getting your Nigerian driver’s license as seamlessly as possible. You might need to visit the necessary offices yourself but at least you have this guide to help.