BEFORE YOU BOOK
DOCUMENTS YOU
ACTUALLY NEED
Two documents and a refundable deposit. No salary slip, no hotel booking, no local guarantor. Here is the full list, and the awkward cases nobody puts on their website.
THE FIVE THINGS
WE ASK FOR
Original driving licence, not a photocopy
A valid Indian licence with the LMV or LMV-NT class on it, held for at least one year. We check the number against the Parivahan record, so an expired licence or one still showing as a learner will not pass, even if the plastic card looks fine. Bring the physical card to handover. A DigiLocker copy is fine for the online step but not at the door.
One government photo ID
Aadhaar is the usual one. A passport, voter ID or PAN card also works, as long as the name matches the licence exactly. If your name is spelled differently across two documents, tell us on WhatsApp before you pay rather than at the door.
A refundable security deposit
Paid before the car leaves, refunded to the same account after the car is back and checked. The amount depends on the car and the route, and we tell you the number in writing before you confirm. It is a hold against damage and traffic challans, not a fee, and nothing is deducted from it unless something actually happened.
A one day advance to hold your slot
There is no online payment on the website. Once your dates and vehicle are confirmed on WhatsApp or a call, an advance equal to one day of the rental rate is paid directly to our team by UPI or bank transfer to lock the booking, and the balance is settled at delivery.
A working phone on you for the trip
The number you book with is the number we use if there is a problem with the car or a challan arrives. On Spiti and Ladakh bookings we also ask for a second contact who is not travelling with you, because there are long stretches with no signal.
What we do not ask for
- Salary slips or bank statements
- A hotel or flight booking
- A local address proof if you are visiting
- A credit card, UPI is fine
- A police verification letter
- A guarantor or reference
EDGE CASES
IF YOUR SITUATION
IS NOT STANDARD
You are visiting from another state
No problem, and no extra document. An Indian licence issued anywhere in the country is valid here. What we do ask for is a local address for the trip, usually the hotel or the place you are staying, because a challan raised in Himachal is served to the vehicle owner and we need to reach you.
You hold a foreign licence
You need either an International Driving Permit issued alongside your home licence, or a valid licence in English from your home country, plus your passport and a valid visa. Both the licence and the IDP have to be with you in the car. We cannot accept a licence in a script we cannot read, and we cannot rent to anyone on a licence that has expired at home. See our full foreign national and NRI rental guide for the complete list.
You are under 25
Our minimum age is 21 with a licence held for at least a year, so most people in their early twenties can book. On the 4x4s cleared for Spiti and Ladakh we ask for a bit more hill driving experience regardless of age, and that conversation happens on WhatsApp before the booking, not at the door.
Someone else in the group will also drive
Add them at booking and send their licence too. Both names go on the agreement. An unlisted driver at the wheel voids the insurance, which means a claim that would have cost you nothing becomes your bill instead. It takes two minutes to add a second driver and there is no charge for it.
DOCUMENT QUESTIONS
What documents are required for self drive car rental in Chandigarh?
An original Indian driving licence with LMV class, held for at least one year, plus one government photo ID such as Aadhaar or a passport. You also pay a refundable security deposit before the car is released. That is the whole list. There is no requirement for a salary slip, a hotel booking or a local reference.
Can I rent a self drive car in Chandigarh without a deposit?
No, and be careful with anyone who says yes. The deposit is what covers damage and traffic challans that arrive after you have gone home. An operator with no deposit is either taking a card imprint you have not read carefully or has an excess clause that leaves you exposed. Ours is refundable to the source account after the car is checked in.
How long does document verification take?
Under two hours on a normal weekday once you have uploaded the licence and ID. Late evening submissions are usually cleared the next morning. If you need a car at 6 AM for a Manali start, send the documents the evening before and the handover is just handing over keys.
Do you accept a learner licence or an international driving permit?
A learner licence, no. An International Driving Permit, yes, provided it is issued against a valid home licence and you carry your passport and visa. Both documents have to be in the car for the whole trip, because a check post will ask for them and not for our booking confirmation.
What happens if a traffic challan arrives after my trip?
It comes to us, because the car is registered to us. We forward you the challan with the photo, the time and the location, and it is settled from the deposit or paid by you directly. We do not add a handling charge on top. If the timestamp falls outside your rental, it is not yours and we deal with it.
Is the security deposit refundable and how long does it take?
Fully refundable, and it goes back to the account you paid from. The usual window is three to five working days after return, which is bank processing time rather than us holding it. If there is damage or a pending challan we tell you the amount and why before anything is deducted.
Do I pay online, or is there an advance to confirm the booking?
There is no online payment on the website. Once your documents are verified, an advance equal to one day of the rental rate is paid directly to our team over WhatsApp or a call, by UPI or bank transfer, and that locks your vehicle for the dates you asked for. The rest is settled at delivery.
DOCUMENTS READY?
Send them the evening before and the handover takes ten minutes instead of an hour.