What DigiLocker Is
DigiLocker is a Government of India platform that gives every citizen a personal digital storage space linked to their Aadhaar, where official documents — issued directly by government departments and other registered organisations — can be stored, accessed, and shared without carrying physical copies.
The Difference Between Uploaded and Issued Documents
DigiLocker distinguishes between two kinds of documents: those issued directly to your account by an authorised issuer (such as a driving licence from the transport department, or a mark sheet from an education board), and those you upload yourself as scanned copies. Issued documents carry a digital signature from the issuing authority and are treated as legally equivalent to the physical original under applicable Indian law; self-uploaded documents are for your own convenient access and don’t carry that same issuer-verified status.
What You Can Typically Store
Common documents available as issued documents in DigiLocker include driving licences, vehicle registration certificates, educational mark sheets and certificates from participating boards/universities, and various other certificates issued by registered government departments and agencies — the specific list of available issuers and document types has expanded significantly over time.
How to Get Started
Setting up DigiLocker typically involves signing up with your mobile number and Aadhaar, after which you can search for and pull in documents from any issuer already linked to the platform, provided the record exists under your name with the relevant authority (for example, your driving licence needs to already be issued by the transport department before you can fetch it into DigiLocker).
Why It’s Useful Beyond Just Storage
Beyond convenience, DigiLocker documents can often be shared directly and verified by third parties (such as at an airport, or during a KYC process) through the platform itself, reducing dependence on carrying and photocopying physical originals — particularly useful for documents you need to produce occasionally but don’t want to risk losing.