{ "updated": "2026-08-12", "source": "https://trafficchallan.com/fines/", "license": "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to TrafficChallan", "offences": [ { "slug": "dangerous-driving-red-light", "name": "Dangerous driving and jumping a red light", "target_keyword": "red light jumping fine india", "mva_section": "Section 184, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (substituted, and Explanation inserted, by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Section 184 punishes driving at a speed or in a manner dangerous to the public, or — after the 2019 amendment — in a manner that causes a sense of alarm or distress to the occupants of the vehicle, other road users and persons near roads. The 2019 Explanation spells out what counts as dangerous: (a) jumping a red light, (b) violating a stop sign, (c) use of handheld communications devices while driving, (d) passing or overtaking contrary to law, (e) driving against the authorised flow of traffic, and (f) driving in a manner far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver. Because red-light jumping now sits in Section 184, a challan charged under that section is a court matter rather than an on-the-spot compounding. States differ in how they book it: Delhi charges 'Jumping Red Light' under 184 MVA and marks it a court challan, while Maharashtra's Section 200 compounding notification confines its Section 184 entry to handheld communication devices, so no other Section 184 conduct can be compounded there — and an ordinary signal violation is instead booked under Rule 239 of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules read with Section 177 at ₹500, where it stays payable online. Check which section your challan actually cites.", "base_fine_text": "First offence: imprisonment for not less than 6 months and up to 1 year, or a fine of not less than ₹1,000 and up to ₹5,000, or both", "base_fine_min": 1000, "base_fine_max": 5000, "repeat_fine_text": "Second or subsequent offence committed within three years of a previous similar offence: imprisonment up to 2 years, or a fine of ₹10,000, or both", "licence_impact": "Section 206(4) obliges the officer to seize the driving licence of a driver believed to have committed a Section 184 offence and forward it to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under Section 19. Section 209 also bars conviction under Section 183 or Section 184 unless the driver was warned at the time, or a notice specifying the offence was served or sent by registered post within fourteen days, or a summons was served within twenty-eight days.", "compoundable_online": false, "faqs": [ { "q": "Why can't I pay a red-light jumping challan online like other challans?", "a": "If it is charged under Section 184, you cannot. Section 200, which lists compoundable offences, brings in only 'clause (c) of the Explanation to section 184' — the use of handheld communication devices. Jumping a red light is clause (a), so a Section 184 charge goes to court, and Delhi's published schedule accordingly marks 'Jumping Red Light — 184 MVA' as a '*Court challan' whose amount is at the court's discretion. Not every state charges it that way, though: Maharashtra's published schedule books 'Jumping signal' under Rule 239 of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules read with Section 177 at ₹500, which is compoundable and payable online. Read the section printed on your own challan before assuming either way." }, { "q": "What exactly counts as dangerous driving under Section 184?", "a": "The 2019 Explanation lists jumping a red light, violating a stop sign, using handheld communication devices while driving, passing or overtaking contrary to law, driving against the authorised flow of traffic, and driving in any manner falling far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver where the danger would be obvious to such a driver." }, { "q": "Is there a minimum jail term for dangerous driving?", "a": "For the first offence the section reads 'imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year but shall not be less than six months or with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees but may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both' — so where the court chooses imprisonment there is a six-month floor, but the court may instead impose only a fine." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28460§ionno=184&orderno=204", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28483§ionno=206&orderno=237", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28486§ionno=209&orderno=240", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences", "https://vcourts.gov.in/virtualcourt/", "https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s35dec707028b05bcbd3a1db5640f842c5/uploads/2025/04/202504251593727433.pdf", "https://egazzete.mahaonline.gov.in/Forms/GazetteSearch.aspx" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12" }, { "slug": "driving-without-helmet", "name": "Riding without a helmet", "target_keyword": "helmet challan fine", "mva_section": "Section 194D read with Section 129, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (as amended by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Section 129 requires every person above four years of age who drives, rides or is carried on a motorcycle in a public place to wear protective headgear conforming to standards prescribed by the Central Government, with an exemption for a Sikh wearing a turban. Section 194D punishes riding or allowing a motorcycle to be ridden in contravention of Section 129. The penalty is not only monetary: the section itself directs a three-month disqualification from holding a licence, and Section 206(4) obliges the officer to seize the driving licence and forward it to the licensing authority.", "base_fine_text": "₹1,000 fine and disqualification from holding a driving licence for three months", "base_fine_min": 1000, "base_fine_max": 1000, "repeat_fine_text": "₹1,000 — Section 194D fixes a single amount and does not prescribe a higher figure for repeat offences; the Delhi Traffic Police schedule likewise shows ₹1,000 for first and subsequent offences", "licence_impact": "Section 194D expressly disqualifies the rider from holding a licence for three months, and Section 206(4) requires the police officer to seize the driving licence and send it to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under Section 19.", "compoundable_online": true, "faqs": [ { "q": "Does the pillion rider also get fined for not wearing a helmet?", "a": "Yes. Section 129 applies to every person above four years of age driving, riding or being carried on a motorcycle, so a pillion rider without a helmet is covered. A separate provision, Section 194C, punishes violation of the safety measures in Section 128 with ₹1,000 and a three-month licence disqualification — Delhi books triple riding on a two-wheeler under that section." }, { "q": "Is a Sikh wearing a turban exempt from the helmet rule?", "a": "Yes. The first proviso to Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 states that the section does not apply to a person who is a Sikh if, while driving or riding a motorcycle in a public place, he is wearing a turban." }, { "q": "Can I be challaned if my helmet is not BIS-certified or the strap is loose?", "a": "Yes. Section 129 defines protective headgear as a helmet that both affords a reasonable degree of protection by its shape, material and construction and is securely fastened to the head by straps. Delhi's published schedule lists 'Helmet w/o strap or strap not tied' and 'Defective helmet (not conforming BIS)' as separate ₹1,000 offences under Section 194D." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=49504§ionno=194D&orderno=220", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28402§ionno=129&orderno=139", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=49502§ionno=194C&orderno=219", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28483§ionno=206&orderno=237", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "statute_quote": { "text": "…punishable with a fine of one thousand rupees and he shall be disqualified for holding licence for a period of three months.", "attribution": "Section 194D, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (inserted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)" } }, { "slug": "driving-without-insurance", "name": "Driving without insurance", "target_keyword": "driving without insurance fine india", "mva_section": "Section 196 read with Section 146, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (fine substituted and repeat-offence limb inserted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Section 146 makes it unlawful to use, or to cause or allow another person to use, a motor vehicle in a public place unless a policy of insurance complying with Chapter XI is in force in relation to that use. Section 196 punishes driving, or causing or allowing a vehicle to be driven, in contravention of Section 146. The 2019 amendment raised the fine from 'which may extend to one thousand rupees' to a flat two thousand rupees for the first offence and inserted a distinct four thousand rupee penalty for any subsequent offence.", "base_fine_text": "First offence: imprisonment up to 3 months, or a fine of ₹2,000, or both", "base_fine_min": 2000, "base_fine_max": 2000, "repeat_fine_text": "Subsequent offence: imprisonment up to 3 months, or a fine of ₹4,000, or both", "licence_impact": "No automatic licence action. Section 196 is not among the offences listed in Section 206(4) for which the officer must seize the driving licence, and the section itself orders no disqualification.", "compoundable_online": true, "faqs": [ { "q": "Is the owner or the driver fined when there is no insurance?", "a": "Either can be. Section 196 catches whoever 'drives a motor vehicle or causes or allows a motor vehicle to be driven' in contravention of Section 146, so the owner who lets the vehicle out uninsured is liable alongside the driver. The Explanation to Section 146(1) protects a person driving merely as a paid employee unless he knew or had reason to believe no policy was in force." }, { "q": "Does an expired policy count as no insurance?", "a": "Yes. Section 146 requires a policy that is 'in force' in relation to the use of the vehicle at that time. A lapsed or expired policy is not in force, so using the vehicle attracts Section 196 exactly as if no policy had ever been taken." }, { "q": "Is own-damage cover enough, or must it be third-party?", "a": "The statutory requirement is a policy complying with Chapter XI of the Act, which is third-party liability cover. Own-damage-only cover does not satisfy Section 146. A vehicle carrying dangerous or hazardous goods additionally needs a policy under the Public Liability Insurance Act 1991." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28473§ionno=196&orderno=224", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28419§ionno=146&orderno=158", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28483§ionno=206&orderno=237", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "statute_quote": { "text": "…punishable for the first offence with imprisonment which may extend to three months, or with fine of two thousand rupees, or with both, and for a subsequent offence shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine of four thousand rupees, or with both.", "attribution": "Section 196, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (fine substituted and repeat-offence limb inserted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)" } }, { "slug": "driving-without-licence", "name": "Driving without a valid licence", "target_keyword": "driving without licence fine india", "mva_section": "Section 181 read with Section 3, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (fine substituted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Section 3 says no person shall drive a motor vehicle in a public place unless he holds an effective driving licence authorising him to drive that class of vehicle, and a transport vehicle needs a licence that specifically entitles him to drive it. Section 181 punishes driving in contravention of Section 3 (no valid licence) or Section 4 (under the minimum age). The 2019 amendment raised the fine from 'which may extend to five hundred rupees' to a flat five thousand rupees. A separate offence, Section 180, catches the owner or person in charge who lets an unauthorised person drive.", "base_fine_text": "Imprisonment up to 3 months, or a fine of ₹5,000, or both", "base_fine_min": 5000, "base_fine_max": 5000, "repeat_fine_text": "₹5,000 — Section 181 sets one amount and does not prescribe a higher repeat figure; Delhi's published schedule also shows ₹5,000 for first and subsequent offences", "licence_impact": "There is no licence to endorse or suspend, but under Section 207 a police officer who believes a vehicle is being used in contravention of Section 3 or Section 4 may seize and detain the vehicle, or seize its certificate of registration instead. The owner must then apply with documents to have it released.", "compoundable_online": true, "faqs": [ { "q": "Is driving with an expired licence the same offence as having no licence?", "a": "Section 3 requires an 'effective' driving licence, so a licence that has expired and has not been renewed does not satisfy Section 3 and the driver is exposed to the Section 181 penalty of imprisonment up to three months or a ₹5,000 fine or both." }, { "q": "Who is fined if I lend my car to someone without a licence?", "a": "Both of you. The driver is liable under Section 181, and separately the owner or person in charge who causes or permits a person not satisfying Section 3 or Section 4 to drive is liable under Section 180 to imprisonment up to three months or a fine of ₹5,000 or both." }, { "q": "Is driving without a licence compoundable, or does it go to court?", "a": "It is compoundable. Section 200(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act lists Section 181 among the offences a State Government may allow to be settled for a notified amount, and Delhi's published schedule accordingly shows 'Driving Without License — 3/181 MVA' at ₹5,000 rather than marking it a court challan." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28456§ionno=181&orderno=199", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28276§ionno=3&orderno=5", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28455§ionno=180&orderno=198", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28484§ionno=207&orderno=238", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "statute_quote": { "text": "Whoever, drives a motor vehicle in contravention of section 3 or section 4 shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine of five thousand rupees, or with both.", "attribution": "Section 181, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (fine substituted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)" } }, { "slug": "driving-without-puc", "name": "Driving without a valid PUC certificate", "target_keyword": "puc challan fine", "mva_section": "Section 190(2), Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (penalties substituted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Section 190(2) punishes any person who drives, or causes or allows to be driven, a motor vehicle in a public place that violates the standards prescribed in relation to road safety, control of noise and air pollution. A Pollution Under Control certificate is the document that evidences compliance with the emission standards, which is why an expired or missing PUC is booked under this sub-section. The 2019 amendment replaced the old flat ₹1,000 first-offence fine with imprisonment up to three months or a fine up to ₹10,000 or both, and added a mandatory three-month licence disqualification for the first offence.", "base_fine_text": "First offence: imprisonment up to 3 months, or a fine which may extend to ₹10,000, or both — and disqualification from holding a licence for three months. There is no statutory minimum, but Delhi's notified schedule compounds it at the ₹10,000 ceiling", "base_fine_min": 0, "base_fine_max": 10000, "repeat_fine_text": "Second or subsequent offence: imprisonment up to 6 months, or a fine which may extend to ₹10,000, or both (the mandatory disqualification is written only into the first-offence limb)", "licence_impact": "Section 190(2) itself disqualifies the person from holding a licence for three months on the first offence. Section 206(4) separately obliges the officer to seize the driving licence of a driver believed to have committed a Section 190 offence and forward it to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under Section 19.", "compoundable_online": true, "faqs": [ { "q": "How much is the PUC challan actually charged at?", "a": "The statute sets a ceiling, not a fixed sum: a fine 'which may extend to ten thousand rupees'. States fix the compounding amount within that. Delhi's published schedule lists 'W/O PUCC — 115 CMVR / 190(2) MVA' at ₹10,000 for both the first and any subsequent offence, i.e. at the statutory maximum." }, { "q": "Can my licence really be suspended for an expired PUC?", "a": "Yes. The first-offence limb of Section 190(2) says the offender 'shall be disqualified for holding licence for a period of three months', and Section 206(4) requires the officer to seize the licence for a Section 190 offence and send it to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under Section 19." }, { "q": "Which rule is a PUC challan actually issued under?", "a": "Section 190(2) is the penal provision, but the emission standards themselves sit in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989. Delhi's published schedule books the offence as '115 CMVR / 190(2) M.V.A', pairing Rule 115 of those rules with the Motor Vehicles Act penalty, so a PUC challan normally cites both the rule and the section." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28466§ionno=190&orderno=210", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28483§ionno=206&orderno=237", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12" }, { "slug": "driving-without-rc", "name": "Driving an unregistered vehicle (no RC)", "target_keyword": "driving without rc fine india", "mva_section": "Section 192 read with Section 39, Motor Vehicles Act 1988", "description": "Section 39 forbids driving, or permitting the driving of, any motor vehicle in a public place unless it is registered under Chapter IV, its certificate of registration is neither suspended nor cancelled, and it carries a registration mark displayed in the prescribed manner. Section 192 punishes contravention of Section 39, and the court may impose a lesser punishment for reasons to be recorded. An Explanation inserted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 (in force 1-10-2020) deems use of a vehicle in contravention of Section 56 — the fitness certificate requirement — to be a contravention of Section 39, punishable in the same way.", "base_fine_text": "First offence: a fine of not less than ₹2,000 and up to ₹5,000", "base_fine_min": 2000, "base_fine_max": 5000, "repeat_fine_text": "Second or subsequent offence: imprisonment up to 1 year, or a fine of not less than ₹5,000 and up to ₹10,000, or both", "licence_impact": "No licence disqualification is prescribed, but under Section 207 a police officer or authorised person who believes a vehicle is being used in contravention of Section 39 may seize and detain the vehicle, and the owner must apply with the documents to the transport authority for its release.", "compoundable_online": true, "faqs": [ { "q": "Is not carrying the RC in the car the same as driving an unregistered vehicle?", "a": "No. Section 39 asks three things of the vehicle itself: that it be registered under Chapter IV, that the certificate of registration be neither suspended nor cancelled, and that the registration mark be displayed in the prescribed manner. Section 192 punishes breach of those. A registered vehicle whose driver simply cannot produce the paper on the spot is a different and far lighter matter." }, { "q": "Does an expired fitness certificate now count as no registration?", "a": "For commercial vehicles, yes in effect. The Explanation added to Section 192 by the 2019 amendment, in force from 1 October 2020, deems use of a motor vehicle in contravention of Section 56 (certificate of fitness) to be a contravention of Section 39 and punishable in the same manner as Section 192(1)." }, { "q": "Can my vehicle be seized for having no valid registration?", "a": "Yes. Section 207 allows a police officer or an officer authorised by the State Government to seize and detain a vehicle he believes is being used in contravention of Section 39, and to hold it in temporary safe custody until the transport authority verifies the documents and orders release." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28468§ionno=192&orderno=212", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28312§ionno=39&orderno=42", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28484§ionno=207&orderno=238", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12" }, { "slug": "driving-without-seatbelt", "name": "Driving without a seat belt", "target_keyword": "seat belt fine india", "mva_section": "Section 194B, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (inserted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Section 194B was inserted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 and has two limbs. Sub-section (1) punishes a driver who drives without wearing a safety belt or who carries passengers not wearing seat belts. Sub-section (2) separately punishes driving, or allowing a vehicle to be driven, with a child under fourteen who is not secured by a safety belt or a child restraint system. Both limbs carry a fine of one thousand rupees, and a State Government may by gazette notification exclude transport vehicles carrying standing passengers from sub-section (1).", "base_fine_text": "₹1,000 for the driver, and ₹1,000 where a child under fourteen is not secured by a seat belt or child restraint system", "base_fine_min": 1000, "base_fine_max": 1000, "repeat_fine_text": "₹1,000 — Section 194B prescribes a flat amount with no separate repeat-offence figure; Delhi's published schedule shows ₹1,000 for both first and subsequent offences", "licence_impact": "None automatically. Section 194B carries no disqualification, and Section 206(4) — which compels an officer to seize the driving licence — does not list Section 194B.", "compoundable_online": true, "faqs": [ { "q": "Can rear-seat passengers be fined for not wearing a seat belt?", "a": "Yes. Section 194B(1) covers both the driver who is not belted and the driver who 'carries passengers not wearing seat belts' — the wording is not limited to front seats, so an unbelted rear passenger exposes the driver to the ₹1,000 fine." }, { "q": "Is there a separate penalty for a child not in a car seat?", "a": "Yes. Section 194B(2) is a distinct offence: driving, or allowing a vehicle to be driven, with a child who has not attained fourteen years and is not secured by a safety belt or a child restraint system is punishable with a fine of one thousand rupees." }, { "q": "Can a seat belt challan be paid online without going to court?", "a": "Yes. Section 200 of the Motor Vehicles Act lists Section 194B among the offences that may be compounded, so state authorities can settle it for the notified compounding amount and it can be cleared on the e-challan portals rather than in court." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=49501§ionno=194B&orderno=218", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28483§ionno=206&orderno=237", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "statute_quote": { "text": "(1) Whoever drives a motor vehicle without wearing a safety belt or carries passengers not wearing seat belts shall be punishable with a fine of one thousand rupees: Provided that the State Government, may by notification in the Official Gazette, exclude the application of this sub-section to transport vehicles to carry standing passengers or other specified classes of transport vehicles.", "attribution": "Section 194B(1), Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (inserted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)" } }, { "slug": "drunk-driving", "name": "Drunken driving", "target_keyword": "drunk driving fine india", "mva_section": "Section 185, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (fines substituted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Section 185 applies to a person who, while driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle, has alcohol exceeding 30 mg per 100 ml of blood detected by a breath analyser or any other test including a laboratory test, or who is under the influence of a drug to an extent that leaves him incapable of exercising proper control over the vehicle. The 2019 amendment raised the first-offence fine from ₹2,000 to ₹10,000 and the subsequent-offence fine from ₹3,000 to ₹15,000, and deleted the earlier requirement that a repeat offence fall within three years of the previous one. 'Drug' is defined to include narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under the NDPS Act 1985.", "base_fine_text": "First offence: imprisonment up to 6 months, or a fine of ₹10,000, or both", "base_fine_min": 10000, "base_fine_max": 10000, "repeat_fine_text": "Second or subsequent offence: imprisonment up to 2 years, or a fine of ₹15,000, or both — and, unlike before 2019, there is no three-year window, so any earlier conviction counts", "licence_impact": "Section 206(4) obliges the officer to seize the driving licence of a driver believed to have committed a Section 185 offence and forward it to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under Section 19. The temporary acknowledgement issued in exchange does not authorise the holder to drive.", "compoundable_online": false, "faqs": [ { "q": "Can a drunken driving challan be paid online?", "a": "No. Section 200 lists the offences that may be compounded and Section 185 is not among them, so a drunken driving case cannot be settled by paying a compounding amount — it has to go before a court. Delhi's published schedule marks drunken driving under 185 MVA as a '*Court challan' with no fixed amount, the note explaining that the final amount is at the court's discretion." }, { "q": "What is the legal alcohol limit for driving in India?", "a": "Section 185(a) fixes the threshold at alcohol exceeding 30 mg per 100 ml of blood, detected by a breath analyser or any other test including a laboratory test. The 2019 amendment added the words 'or in any other test including a laboratory test' so that a blood test result also brings the section into play." }, { "q": "Does refusing a breath test help?", "a": "No. Section 203 empowers a police officer in uniform, or an authorised Motor Vehicles Department officer, to require a breath test in the circumstances the section sets out, and Section 205 allows the court to presume unfitness to drive where a person prosecuted under Section 185 refused a test when required and offered no reasonable excuse." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28461§ionno=185&orderno=205", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28483§ionno=206&orderno=237", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28480§ionno=203&orderno=234", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28482§ionno=205&orderno=236", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences", "https://vcourts.gov.in/virtualcourt/" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "statute_quote": { "text": "…shall be punishable for the first offence with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine of ten thousand rupees, or with both;", "attribution": "Section 185, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (fines substituted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)" } }, { "slug": "mobile-phone-while-driving", "name": "Using a mobile phone while driving", "target_keyword": "mobile phone driving fine india", "mva_section": "Section 184, Explanation clause (c), Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (inserted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Before 2019 phone use while driving was usually booked under the residual Section 177 for a few hundred rupees. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 inserted an Explanation into Section 184 declaring that 'use of handheld communications devices while driving' amounts to driving in a manner dangerous to the public, which lifts the offence into Section 184's much heavier penalty band. It is also the only limb of Section 184 that Section 200 allows to be compounded, so unlike red-light jumping or dangerous driving it can normally still be settled without a court appearance.", "base_fine_text": "First offence under Section 184: imprisonment for not less than 6 months and up to 1 year, or a fine of not less than ₹1,000 and up to ₹5,000, or both. State compounding amounts vary widely within that band — Delhi's schedule pins it at the ₹5,000 ceiling, while Maharashtra grades it by vehicle class at ₹1,000 for a 2/3-wheeler, ₹2,000 for an LMV and ₹4,000 for other vehicles", "base_fine_min": 1000, "base_fine_max": 5000, "repeat_fine_text": "Second or subsequent offence within three years of a previous similar offence: imprisonment up to 2 years, or a fine of ₹10,000, or both — Delhi's schedule shows ₹10,000 for a subsequent offence", "licence_impact": "Section 206(4) obliges the officer to seize the driving licence of a driver believed to have committed a Section 184 offence and forward it to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under Section 19.", "compoundable_online": true, "faqs": [ { "q": "Is using a phone for navigation while driving also an offence?", "a": "The Explanation to Section 184 targets the 'use of handheld communications devices while driving'. What the section penalises is holding and operating the device while driving; a phone fixed in a cradle and not being handled is a different factual situation from a handheld device, and the enforcing officer's case has to rest on handheld use." }, { "q": "Why is a phone challan so much bigger than it used to be?", "a": "Until the 2019 amendment phone use was normally charged under the residual Section 177 (₹500 first offence, ₹1,500 for a repeat). The 2019 Explanation moved handheld device use into Section 184, whose first-offence band is a fine of ₹1,000 to ₹5,000, or imprisonment of six months to a year, or both." }, { "q": "Can a mobile-phone challan be compounded, or must it go to court?", "a": "It can be compounded. Section 200(1) lists 'clause (c) of the Explanation to section 184' among the compoundable offences — the only part of Section 184 that is compoundable — so handheld device use can be settled for the amount the State Government notifies rather than tried in court." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28460§ionno=184&orderno=204", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28452§ionno=177&orderno=194", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28483§ionno=206&orderno=237", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences", "https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s35dec707028b05bcbd3a1db5640f842c5/uploads/2025/04/202504251593727433.pdf", "https://egazzete.mahaonline.gov.in/Forms/GazetteSearch.aspx" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12" }, { "slug": "overspeeding", "name": "Overspeeding", "target_keyword": "overspeeding fine india", "mva_section": "Section 183(1) read with Section 112, Motor Vehicles Act 1988 (substituted by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, w.e.f. 1-9-2019)", "description": "Section 112 empowers the State Government or an authorised authority to fix maximum and minimum speed limits by gazette notification, backed by traffic signs erected under Section 116, and caps them at the maximum fixed by the Central Government. Section 183(1), as substituted in 2019, grades the penalty by vehicle class instead of a single figure, and also catches an employer who causes a person employed by him, or under his control, to drive over the limit. Section 183(3) bars conviction on the opinion of a single witness unless that opinion rests on a mechanical or electronic device — which is why speed-camera and radar evidence matters.", "base_fine_text": "Light motor vehicle: not less than ₹1,000 and up to ₹2,000. Medium or heavy goods or passenger vehicle: not less than ₹2,000 and up to ₹4,000", "base_fine_min": 1000, "base_fine_max": 4000, "repeat_fine_text": "Same money range, but for a second or subsequent offence under Section 183(1) the driving licence of the driver shall be impounded as provided in Section 206(4)", "licence_impact": "For a second or any subsequent overspeeding offence Section 183(1)(iii) requires the driving licence to be impounded. Section 206(4) separately obliges an officer who believes a Section 183 offence has been committed to seize the licence and forward it to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under Section 19; the temporary acknowledgement given in that case does not authorise the holder to drive.", "compoundable_online": true, "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I be fined for overspeeding purely on a police officer's word?", "a": "No. Section 183(3) says no person shall be convicted under Section 183(1) solely on the evidence of one witness that in his opinion the person was driving unlawfully fast, unless that opinion is shown to be based on an estimate obtained by the use of a mechanical or electronic device such as a speed gun or camera." }, { "q": "Why is the overspeeding fine different for a car and a truck?", "a": "The 2019 amendment split Section 183(1) into classes. A light motor vehicle attracts a fine of not less than ₹1,000 and up to ₹2,000, while a medium goods vehicle, medium passenger vehicle, heavy goods vehicle or heavy passenger vehicle attracts not less than ₹2,000 and up to ₹4,000." }, { "q": "Will my licence be suspended for repeat overspeeding?", "a": "It can be. Clause (iii) of Section 183(1) directs that for a second or any subsequent offence the driver's licence shall be impounded under Section 206(4), which routes the licence to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under Section 19." } ], "sources": [ "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28459§ionno=183&orderno=203", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28385§ionno=112&orderno=122", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28483§ionno=206&orderno=237", "https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_30_42_00009_198859_1517807326286§ionId=28477§ionno=200&orderno=231", "https://traffic.delhipolice.gov.in/traffic-offences" ], "last_verified": "2026-08-12" } ] }