Form 1A can be obtained either through an in-person (offline) examination or through an online platform that conducts the examination via video consultation and issues a digitally-signed PDF.
Both pathways have their place. This page lays out where each one fits — and where one is clearly better than the other.
Quick facts
Pick your pathway and get started
Open the Form 1A hub to see your state's options for online or in-person Form 1A.
Prefer clarity before you pay?
Read the steps + FAQs below. Written for patients, not policy documents.
Choose the closest match so the certificate format and wording fit your use case.
The case for offline: it's the established channel, almost universally accepted, and necessary for vision tests / detailed clinical exam in transport categories. The cost is low (govt hospital nearly free).
Clear guidance and an application flow designed for real-world acceptance.
The case for online: it's fast, remote, and doctor availability is on-demand. For a 30-year-old applying for an LMV (private) renewal who has no medical conditions, online is hard to beat on convenience.
Clear guidance and an application flow designed for real-world acceptance.
Where you should NOT use online: transport / commercial licences, applicants with significant medical conditions that need a hands-on clinical exam (BP, urine, gait, ear), or any RTO that explicitly mandates in-person.
Clear guidance and an application flow designed for real-world acceptance.
A simple flow that feels like a modern healthcare app — not a confusing form.
Online: book a slot on a Form 1A platform, do a video consultation, the doctor reviews your declared health and uploaded test data, signs digitally, and you download the PDF.
Pick the right option so the certificate matches what your HR/college expects.
Offline: walk into a government hospital or call a civil surgeon's office or private clinic to book; visit, get examined, and collect the signed paper Form 1A (or a scanned PDF copy).
Follow the next step and submit complete details to avoid delays.
Either way: verify the doctor's name, registration number, signature, and stamp on the final document.
Follow the next step and submit complete details to avoid delays.
Upload the PDF to Sarathi or take the original paper to the RTO as your state's process requires.
Follow the next step and submit complete details to avoid delays.
Clear answers to the questions people have before paying.
Right tool for the job
Online for routine non-transport renewals; offline for transport licences and complex medical histories.
Both are legitimate
Both online and offline Form 1A involve a real registered medical practitioner. The format differs, not the legitimacy.
Confirm with your RTO
If you're at all uncertain, a 5-minute call to your RTO confirms whether they accept digitally-signed online Form 1A for your licence class.
Written in plain language to reduce doubts.
Most state RTOs accept digitally-signed online Form 1A for non-transport licences. A few states or specific transport categories may still require in-person. Confirm with your RTO if uncertain.
You're paying for the platform service (booking, video infrastructure, digital signature, customer support) on top of the doctor's consultation. Government offline channels charge minimal fees because they're subsidised.
Online platforms typically use a calibrated visual acuity test on-screen, with self-reported correction status. For routine cases this is sufficient. For known eye conditions or transport licences, an in-person test is more reliable.
If your conditions are well-controlled and documented, online may still work — bring recent prescription records to the consultation. If conditions are uncontrolled or recently changed, in-person clinical assessment is more appropriate.
Both are accepted in most states for non-transport. Digital is easier to upload; paper requires you to scan it cleanly. Functionally, neither is 'better' — they're just different formats of the same document.
Discover related services and resources.
Pick your pathway and get started
Open the Form 1A hub to see your state's options for online or in-person Form 1A.
Pick your pathway and get started
Open the Form 1A hub to see your state's options for online or in-person Form 1A.
