Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to motor vehicles.
Chapter I: Preliminary
Chapter II: Licensing of Drivers of Motor Vehicles
- 3 Necessity for driving licence 3 judgments
- 4 Age limit in connection with driving of motor vehicles 4 judgments
- 5 Responsibility of owners of motor vehicles for contravention of sections 3 and 4 1 judgment
- 6 Restrictions on the holding of driving licences
- 7 Restrictions on the granting of learner's licences for certain vehicles 1 judgment
- 8 Grant of learner's licence
- 9 Grant of driving licence 1 judgment
- 10 Form and contents of licences to drive 2 judgments
- 11 Additions to driving licence 1 judgment
- 12 Licensing and regulation of schools or establishments for imparting instruction in driving of motor vehicles 1 judgment
- 13 Extent of effectiveness of licences, to drive motor vehicles
- 14 Currency of licences to drive motor vehicles 2 judgments
- 15 Renewal of driving licences 2 judgments
- 16 Revocation of driving licence on grounds of disease or disability
- 17 Orders refusing or revoking driving licences and appeals therefrom
- 18 Driving Licences to drive motor vehicles, belonging to the Central Government
- 19 Power of licensing authority to disqualify from holding a driving licence or revoke such licence 1 judgment
- 20 Power of Court to disqualify
- 21 Suspension of driving licence in certain cases
- 22 Suspension or cancellation of driving licence on conviction
- 23 Effect of disqualification order
- 24 Endorsement
- 25 Transfer of endorsement and issue of driving licence free from endorsement
- 25A National Register of Driving Licences
- 26 Maintenance of State Registers of Driving Licences
- 27 Power of Central Government to make rules 1 judgment
- 28 Power of State Government to make rules
Chapter III: Licensing of Conductors of Stage Carriages
- 29 Necessity for conductor's licence
- 30 Grant of conductor's licence
- 31 Disqualifications for the grant of conductor's licence
- 32 Revocation of a conductor's licence on grounds of disease or disability 1 judgment
- 33 Orders refusing, etc, conductor's licences and appeals therefrom
- 34 Power of licensing authority to disqualify
- 35 Power of Court to disqualify
- 36 Certain provisions of Chapter II to apply to conductor's licence
- 37 Savings
- 38 Power of State Government to make rules
Chapter IV: Registration of Motor Vehicles
- 39 Necessity for registration 3 judgments
- 40 Registration, where to be made 1 judgment
- 41 Registration, how to be made 3 judgments
- 42 Special provision for registration of motor vehicles of diplomatic officers, etc
- 43 Temporary registration 1 judgment
- 44 Production of vehicle at the time of registration 1 judgment
- 45 Refusal of registration or renewal of the certificate of registration
- 46 Effectiveness in India of registration
- 47 Assignment of new registration mark on removal to another State
- 48 No objection certificate
- 49 Change of residence or place of business
- 50 Transfer of ownership 3 judgments
- 51 Special provisions regarding motor vehicle subject to hire-purchase agreement, etc 4 judgments
- 52 Alteration in motor vehicle 1 judgment
- 53 Suspension of registration
- 54 Cancellation of registration suspended under section 53
- 55 Cancellation of registration 1 judgment
- 56 Certificate of fitness of transport vehicles
- 57 Appeals
- 58 Special provisions in regard to transport vehicles
- 59 Power to fix the age limit of motor vehicle
- 60 Registration of vehicles belonging to the Central Government
- 61 Application of Chapter to trailers
- 62 Information regarding stolen and recovered motor vehicles to be furnished by the police to the State Transport Authority
- 62A Prohibition of registration and issuance of certificate of fitness to oversized vehicles
- 62B National Register of Motor Vehicles
- 63 Maintenance of State Registers of Motor Vehicles 3 judgments
- 64 Power of Central Government to make rules 1 judgment
- 65 Power of State Government to make rules 1 judgment
Chapter V: Control of Transport Vehicles
- 66 Necessity for permits
- 66A National Transportation Policy
- 66B No bar against permit holders to apply and hold licences under schemes
- 67 Power to State Government to control road transport
- 68 Transport Authorities 3 judgments
- 69 General provision as to applications for permits
- 70 Application for stage carriage permit
- 71 Procedure of Regional Transport Authority in considering application for stage carriage permit
- 72 Grant of stage carriage permits
- 73 Application for contract carriage permit
- 74 Grant of contract carriage permit
- 75 Scheme for renting of motor cabs and motor cycles 1 judgment
- 76 Application for private service vehicle permit
- 77 Application for goods carriage permit
- 78 Consideration of application for goods carriage permit
- 79 Grant of goods carriage permit
- 80 Procedure in applying for and granting permits
- 81 Duration and renewal of permits
- 82 Transfer of permit
- 83 Replacement of vehicles 1 judgment
- 84 General conditions attaching to all permits
- 85 General form of permits
- 86 Cancellation and suspension of permits
- 87 Temporary permits
- 88 Validation of permits for use outside region in which granted 2 judgments
- 88A Power of Central Government to make schemes for national, multimodal and inter-State transport of passengers and goods
- 89 Appeals 1 judgment
- 90 Revision 1 judgment
- 91 Restriction of hours of work of drivers
- 92 Voidance of contracts restrictive of liability
- 93 Agent or canvasser or aggregator to obtain licence 1 judgment
- 94 Bar on jurisdiction of Civil Courts 1 judgment
- 95 Power of State Government to make rules as to stage carriages and contract carriages 1 judgment
- 96 Power of State Government to make rules for the purposes of this Chapter 4 judgments
Chapter VI: Special Provisions Relating to State Transport Undertakings
- 97 Definition
- 98 Chapter to override Chapter V and other laws
- 99 Preparation and publication of proposal regarding road transport service of a State transport undertaking 1 judgment
- 100 Objection to the proposal 1 judgment
- 101 Operation of additional services by a State transport undertaking in certain circumstances
- 102 Cancellation or modification of scheme
- 103 Issue of permits to State transport undertakings
- 104 Restriction on grant of permits in respect of a notified area or notified route 1 judgment
- 105 Principles and method of determining compensation and payment thereof
- 106 Disposal of article found in vehicles
- 107 Power of State Government to make rules
- 108 Certain powers of State Government exercisable by the Central Government
Chapter VII: Construction, Equipment and Maintenance of Motor Vehicles
Chapter VIII: Control of Traffic
- 112 Limits of speed 1 judgment
- 113 Limits of weight and limitations on use 1 judgment
- 114 Power to have vehicle weighed
- 115 Power to restrict the use of vehicles 1 judgment
- 116 Power to erect traffic signs
- 117 Parking places and halting stations 3 judgments
- 118 Driving regulations
- 119 Duty to obey traffic signs
- 120 Vehicles with left hand control
- 121 Signals and signalling devices
- 122 Leaving vehicle in dangerous position
- 123 Riding on running board, etc
- 124 Prohibition against travelling without pass or ticket
- 125 Obstruction of driver
- 126 Stationary vehicles
- 127 Removal of motor vehicles abandoned or left unattended on a public place
- 128 Safety measures for drivers and pillion riders 1 judgment
- 129 Wearing of protective headgear 2 judgments
- 130 Duty to produce licence and certificate of registration
- 131 Duty of the driver to take certain precautions at unguarded railway level crossing
- 132 Duty of driver to stop in certain cases
- 133 Duty of owner of motor vehicle to give information
- 134 Duty of driver in case of accident and injury to a person 4 judgments
- 134A Protection of Good Samaritans
- 135 Schemes to be framed for the investigation of accident cases and wayside amenities, etc
- 136 Inspection of vehicle involved in accident
- 136A Electronic monitoring and enforcement of road safety
- 137 Power of Central Government to make rules
- 138 Power of State Government to make rules 2 judgments
Chapter IX: Motor Vehicles Temporarily Leaving or Visiting India
- 139 Power of Central Government to make rules
- 140 Omitted 11 judgments
- 141 Omitted
- 142 Omitted
- 143 Omitted
- 144 Omitted 1 judgment
Chapter XI: Insurance of Motor Vehicles against Third Party Risks
- 145 Definitions
- 146 Necessity for insurance against third party risk 4 judgments
- 147 Requirements of policies and limits of liability 3 judgments
- 148 Validity of policies of insurance issued in reciprocating countries
- 149 Settlement by insurance company and procedure therefor 5 judgments
- 150 Duty of insurers to satisfy judgments and awards against persons insured in respect of third party risks
- 151 Rights of third party against insurers on insolvency of insured
- 152 Duty to give information as to insurance
- 153 Settlement between insurers and insured persons
- 154 Saving in respect of sections 151, 152 and 153
- 155 Effect of death on certain causes of action
- 156 Effect of certificate of insurance
- 157 Transfer of certificate of insurance 4 judgments
- 158 Production of certain certificates, licence and permit in certain cases 2 judgments
- 159 Information to be given regarding accident 1 judgment
- 160 Duty to furnish particulars of vehicle involved in accident
- 161 Special provisions as to compensation in case of hit and run motor accident
- 162 Scheme for golden hour
- 163 Refund in certain cases of compensation paid under section 161
- 164 Payment of compensation in case of death or grevious hurt, etc
- 164A Scheme for interim relief for claimants
- 164B Motor Vehicle Accident Fund
- 164C Power of Central Government to make rules
- 164D Power of State Government to make rules
Chapter XII: Claims Tribunals
- 165 Claims Tribunals 3 judgments
- 166 Application for compensation 67 judgments
- 167 Option regarding claims for compensation in certain cases 4 judgments
- 168 Award of the Claims Tribunal 16 judgments
- 169 Procedure and powers of Claims Tribunals 1 judgment
- 170 Impleading insurer in certain cases
- 171 Award of interest where any claim is allowed 2 judgments
- 172 Award of compensatory costs in certain cases
- 173 Appeals 16 judgments
- 174 Recovery of money from insurer as arrear of land revenue
- 175 Bar on jurisdiction of Civil Courts
- 176 Power of State Government to make rules
- 177 General provision for punishment of offences 2 judgments
- 177A Penalty for contravention of regulations under section 118
Chapter XIII: Offences, Penalties and Procedure
- 178 Penalty for travelling without pass or ticket and for dereliction of duty on the part of conductor and refusal to ply contract carriage, etc
- 179 Disobedience of orders, obstruction and refusal of information
- 180 Allowing unauthorised persons to drive vehicles 2 judgments
- 181 Driving vehicles in contravention of section 3 or section 4 2 judgments
- 182 Offences relating to licences
- 182A Punishment for offences relating to construction, maintenance, sale and alteration of motor vehicles and components
- 182B Penalty for contravention of section 62A
- 183 Driving at excessive speed, etc 1 judgment
- 184 Driving dangerously 4 judgments
- 185 Driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs 3 judgments
- 186 Driving when mentally or phycically unfit to drive
- 187 Punishment for offences relating to accident 1 judgment
- 188 Punishment for abetment of certain offences 1 judgment
- 189 Racing and trials of speed
- 190 Using vehicle in unsafe condition
- 191 Omitted
- 192 Using vehicle without registration 1 judgment
- 192A Using vehicle without permit 1 judgment
- 192B Offences relating to registration
- 193 Punishment of agents, canvassers and aggregators without proper authority
- 194 Driving vehicle exceeding permissible weight
- 194A Carriage of excess passengers
- 194B Use of safety belts and the seating of children
- 194C Penalty for violation of safety measures for motor cycle drivers and pillion riders
- 194D Penalty for not wearing protective headgear
- 194E Failure to allow free passage to emergency vehicles
- 194F Use of horns and silence zones
- 195 Omitted
- 196 Driving uninsured vehicle
- 197 Taking vehicle without authority
- 198 Unauthorised interference with vehicle
- 198A Failure to comply with standards for road design, construction and maintenance 1 judgment
- 199 Offences by companies
- 199A Offences by juveniles
- 199B Revision of fines and penalties
- 200 Composition of certain offences
- 201 Penalty for causing obstruction to free flow of traffic 1 judgment
- 202 Power to arrest without warrant
- 203 Breath tests 1 judgment
- 204 Laboratory test 1 judgment
- 205 Presumption of unfitness to drive 1 judgment
- 206 Power of police officer to impound document 1 judgment
- 207 Power to detain vehicles used without certificate of registration permit, etc
- 208 Summary disposal of cases 1 judgment
- 209 Restriction on conviction 1 judgment
- 210 Courts to send intimation about conviction
- 210A Power of State Government to increase penalties
- 210B Penalty for offence committed by an enforcing authority 1 judgment
- 210C Power of Central Government to make rules 1 judgment
- 210D Power of State Government to make rules 1 judgment
Chapter XIV: Miscellaneous
- 211 Power to levy fee 1 judgment
- 211A Use of electronic forms and documents
- 212 Publication, commencement and laying of rules and notifications
- 213 Appointment of motor vehicles officers 1 judgment
- 214 Effect of appeal and revision on orders passed by original authority
- 215 Road Safety Councils and Committees 3 judgments
- 215A Power of Central Government and State Government to delegate
- 215B National Road Safety Board
- 215C Power of Central Government to make rules
- 215D Power of State Government to make rules
- 216 Power to remove difficulties
- 217 Repeal and savings
- 217A Renewal of permits, driving licences and registration granted under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 14 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.