Before you start

A valid foreign driving licence, with an International Driving Permit for the initial period
Proof of Mumbai address, usually the registered leave-and-licence agreement
Valid visa and passport
A medical certificate on the prescribed form for some applicants

Step-by-step

1
Decide whether you will drive at all
Mumbai's traffic is among the densest anywhere, lane discipline is nominal, and parking in south Mumbai and Bandra is genuinely scarce. App cabs and autorickshaws are cheap and ubiquitous, and a full-time driver costs a fraction of a European or American salary. Most foreign residents choose one of those.
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2
Use your foreign licence plus an IDP in the meantime
A valid foreign licence with an International Driving Permit lets you drive for a limited period after arrival. Carry both, along with your passport and visa, because you will be asked at checkpoints.
In personWho: You
3
Apply to the RTO with jurisdiction over your address
Applications go through the Parivahan portal and then to your local RTO. Mumbai has several — Tardeo, Andheri, Borivali, Wadala — and which one you use is determined by your registered address, not your choice.
OnlineWho: You
4
Expect a learner's licence, a test, and a wait
Foreign nationals generally follow the standard route: a learner's licence with a written test, a waiting period, then a driving test. Some nationalities and licence types may be handled differently; confirm with your RTO rather than assuming.
In personWho: You
5
If you employ a driver, do it properly
Hiring a driver is normal and affordable. Check their licence, agree hours and overtime in writing, and understand that you are an employer with obligations. Many households arrange drivers through their building society or a colleague's recommendation rather than an agency.
In personWho: You
6
Learn how the monsoon changes driving
From June to September, roads flood predictably in known low-lying areas, potholes multiply, and a stalled car in standing water is a common and expensive outcome. Locals know which underpasses to avoid; ask before the first heavy rain rather than after.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Valid foreign driving licence and International Driving Permit
Passport and valid visa
Proof of Mumbai address — usually the registered leave-and-licence agreement
Passport photographs
Medical certificate, where required

Things most newcomers don’t know

Employing a driver is normal here and cheaper than you expect.

For a foreign professional salary, a full-time driver costs a small fraction of what an equivalent service would elsewhere, and it removes the two hardest parts of Mumbai driving — navigating traffic and finding parking. It is a completely ordinary middle-class arrangement, not an extravagance.

Source: community-reported

Your RTO is fixed by your address, not your preference.

Mumbai has several Regional Transport Offices and jurisdiction follows your registered address. Turning up at the wrong one wastes the trip, and moving house can move your RTO. Confirm which one covers your postcode before applying.

Source: Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department

An IDP works for a limited period and then it does not.

A foreign licence with an International Driving Permit covers you for a period after arrival, generally up to a year. People stay on it indefinitely and are fine until an accident or a checkpoint, at which point the position is much worse. If you are staying, convert.

Source: Parivahan — driving licence services

The monsoon is a driving hazard with a known map.

Mumbai floods in the same places every year — specific underpasses, low-lying junctions and stretches of the Western Express Highway. Long-term residents know them and route around them. Ask colleagues for the list before June rather than discovering it in a stalled car.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Driving on an IDP indefinitely rather than converting when you become resident.
Applying at the wrong RTO for your address.
Underestimating Mumbai traffic and parking, and buying a car you then cannot use.
Driving through standing water in the monsoon and writing off the engine.
Hiring a driver informally with no agreement on hours, overtime or responsibilities.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.