All photo formats / India
Indian driving licence photo (Sarathi Parivahan)
Learner's and driving licence applications on Sarathi (sarathi.parivahan.gov.in) need a passport-size photo of 420 x 525 pixels in a JPEG of just 10-20 KB. Most editors either overshoot the size or wreck the face getting under it. This tool resizes first, then compresses to land inside the range - on your device, no upload.
The official requirements
| Dimensions | 420 x 525 px preferred (35 x 45 mm at 300 dpi); 420 x 525 is also the stated minimum |
|---|---|
| File format | JPG |
| File size | 10 KB to 20 KB - both a minimum and a maximum |
| Scan quality | At least 300 dpi / 300 ppi, true colour, if you scan a paper photo |
| Background | Light-coloured, preferably white |
| Other rules | Taken within the last 6 months, passport size, facing the camera; no caps, hats or dark glasses; religious headwear must not cover the face |
Checked against the official sources below on 7 Nov 2026.
Sarathi says the upload service is customised per state, so an individual RTO portal may show different limits. If your state's portal rejects this file, use the numbers in its error message with the custom-size page.
You also need a signature file (256 x 64 px, 10-20 KB) - there is a dedicated tool page for it, linked below.
How to do it
- Take or scan a passport-style photo on a light background.
- Upload it below and frame head and shoulders between the guide lines.
- Create the file; the checklist confirms 420 x 525 px and 10-20 KB.
- Download and upload it on the Sarathi page for your application, together with your signature file.
Common questions
Why is 10-20 KB so hard to hit?
Because most tools only compress. A full-resolution photo squeezed to 20 KB looks terrible; resizing to 420 x 525 first keeps the face clear inside the budget. Very flat images can also land under 10 KB even at maximum JPEG quality. If that happens, the tool explains the limit and asks for a different original rather than padding the file.
JPG or JPEG?
Same format, different extension. The portal accepts .jpg.