Documents Required to Rent a Bike in Rishikesh
Short list, no surprises. Send them on WhatsApp before you arrive and handover takes ten minutes.
Last updated: August 2026
If You Hold an Indian Licence
1. Original driving licence, valid for the class of vehicle. This is the one that catches people out. A licence endorsed MC 50CC or gearless covers an Activa but does not cover a Royal Enfield. For any geared motorcycle you need MCWG (Motorcycle With Gear) or LMV-MC. Check the class printed on your card before you book — we can’t rent you a Classic 350 on a scooter licence, and neither can anyone else who’s operating legally.
A digital licence in DigiLocker or mParivahan is legally valid in India and we accept it, but bring the physical card if you have it. It makes a roadside stop shorter.
2. One original government photo ID. Aadhaar, Voter ID or Passport. It stays with us until the bike comes back, and it comes back with the bike. We do not photocopy and keep — we hold the original and return it.
3. Age 18 or over. No upper limit. We’ve rented to riders in their seventies.
If You’re Visiting From Outside India
1. Your passport, with a valid visa.
2. An International Driving Permit (IDP) issued in your home country, valid for motorcycles.
This is not our rule and it isn’t negotiable. Indian law requires an IDP to drive on a foreign licence. Without one you are riding uninsured in practice — if something happens, the insurance on the bike does not protect an unlicensed rider, and that becomes a very bad day for you. We don’t rent without one.
3. Your home-country licence, which the IDP accompanies. An IDP alone is not a licence; it’s a translation of one.
Get the IDP before you fly. They’re issued by automobile associations — the AA in the UK, AAA in the US, ADAC in Germany — usually in a day or two, and they cannot be obtained in India.
What if you have an Indian licence as a foreign national? If you hold a valid Indian driving licence with the correct class, that’s sufficient on its own. Bring your passport as the ID.
The Deposit
₹3,000 for the Activa, ₹5,000 for any Royal Enfield. Cash or UPI. Fully refundable at handback. Full deposit and damage policy →
Send Everything Ahead
WhatsApp us clear photos of your licence and ID when you book. We’ll confirm the class is valid before you travel, rather than at 7 AM on the morning you wanted to leave for Kedarnath.
Common Problems and How to Avoid Them
“My licence is at home in Mumbai.” A photo isn’t enough for the original-licence requirement at a police checkpost, though DigiLocker is. Pull it up in DigiLocker before you arrive.
“My licence expired last month.” An expired licence is not a licence. Renew before you travel.
“I only have a learner’s licence.” We can’t rent to learner’s-permit holders. A learner isn’t legally permitted to ride unaccompanied.
“I’ve got a gearless licence and I want the Classic.” Take the Activa instead, or ride pillion. We’d rather lose the booking than put you on the wrong side of a checkpost on the Badrinath road.
“I don’t want to leave my Aadhaar.” Understandable, and the alternative is a Voter ID or passport. We need one original held for the duration; it’s how self-drive rental works everywhere in India.
What You’ll Carry on the Bike
We hand these over with the keys, and you should keep them with you:
- Vehicle RC (registration certificate)
- Insurance certificate
- PUC (pollution) certificate
- Fitness and permit papers for the taxi-series plate
Every checkpost on the Chardham route asks for these. Ours are complete and current. If a rental shop can’t produce all four, that’s your answer about whether the bike is legal for self-drive.