Motor Vehicles Act penalties
Traffic challan fines
Search any offence to see its fine, and what a repeat costs.
Helmet, seat belt and phone
Riding a two-wheeler without a helmet
Licence banFirst offence₹1,000RepeatSame
Section 194D of the Motor Vehicles Act. Your licence can be disqualified for 3 months.
Triple riding, or breaking other two-wheeler safety rules
Licence banFirst offence₹1,000RepeatSame
Section 194C of the Motor Vehicles Act. Your licence can be disqualified for 3 months.
Driving or travelling without a seat belt
First offence₹1,000RepeatSame
Section 194B(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Child under 14 without a seat belt or child seat
First offence₹1,000RepeatSame
Section 194B(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Using a phone while driving
Jail possibleLicence at riskFirst offence₹1,000 to ₹5,000Repeat₹10,000
Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail of 6 months to 1 year is also possible. Repeat within 3 years: up to 2 years. The police can seize your licence and send it to the licensing authority.
Speed and road rules
Overspeeding in a light vehicle, like a car
Licence at riskFirst offence₹1,000 to ₹2,000RepeatLicence impounded
Section 183(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. The police can seize your licence and send it to the licensing authority.
Overspeeding in a medium or heavy vehicle
Licence at riskFirst offence₹2,000 to ₹4,000RepeatLicence impounded
Section 183(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. The police can seize your licence and send it to the licensing authority.
Dangerous driving: red light, stop sign, illegal overtaking or wrong side
Jail possibleLicence at riskUsually goes to courtFirst offence₹1,000 to ₹5,000Repeat₹10,000
Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail of 6 months to 1 year is also possible. Repeat within 3 years: up to 2 years. The police can seize your licence and send it to the licensing authority. This offence usually goes to court, because it can't be settled just by paying.
Drunk driving, or driving under the influence of drugs
Jail possibleLicence at riskUsually goes to courtFirst offence₹10,000Repeat₹15,000
Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 6 months is also possible. Repeat: up to 2 years. The police can seize your licence and send it to the licensing authority. This offence usually goes to court, because it can't be settled just by paying.
Racing or speed trials on a public road
Jail possibleLicence at riskFirst offence₹5,000Repeat₹10,000
Section 189 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 3 months is also possible. Repeat: up to 1 year. The police can seize your licence and send it to the licensing authority.
Not giving way to an ambulance or fire engine
Jail possibleLicence at riskFirst offence₹10,000RepeatSame
Section 194E of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 6 months is also possible. The police can seize your licence and send it to the licensing authority.
Breaking road regulations, like lane, signal or parking rules
Usually goes to courtFirst offence₹500 to ₹1,000RepeatSame
Section 177A of the Motor Vehicles Act. This offence usually goes to court, because it can't be settled just by paying.
Offences after an accident, like not reporting it
Jail possibleUsually goes to courtFirst offence₹5,000Repeat₹10,000
Section 187 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 6 months is also possible. Repeat: up to 1 year. This offence usually goes to court, because it can't be settled just by paying.
Disobeying an officer, or refusing to give information
Jail possibleFirst offenceUp to ₹2,000RepeatSame
Section 179 of the Motor Vehicles Act. False information can also mean jail up to 1 month.
Licence and documents
Driving without a valid driving licence
Jail possibleFirst offence₹5,000RepeatSame
Section 181 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 3 months is also possible.
Letting someone without a licence drive your vehicle
Jail possibleFirst offence₹5,000RepeatSame
Section 180 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 3 months is also possible.
Driving while disqualified from holding a licence
Jail possibleFirst offence₹10,000RepeatSame
Section 182(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 3 months is also possible.
Driving without valid insurance
Jail possibleFirst offence₹2,000Repeat₹4,000
Section 196 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 3 months is also possible.
Driving without valid registration or a fitness certificate
Jail possibleFirst offence₹2,000 to ₹5,000Repeat₹5,000 to ₹10,000
Section 192(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Repeat: jail up to 1 year is also possible.
Driving a transport vehicle without a valid permit
Jail possibleFirst offence₹10,000RepeatSame
Section 192A(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 6 months is also possible, and longer on a repeat.
A minor (under 18) driving
Jail possibleUsually goes to courtFirst offence₹25,000RepeatSame
Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act. The guardian or owner is liable, with jail up to 3 years, unless the minor had a licence for that vehicle. The registration is cancelled for 12 months, and the minor can't get a licence until 25. This offence usually goes to court, because it can't be settled just by paying.
Driving when mentally or physically unfit
First offence₹1,000Repeat₹2,000
Section 186 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Any other offence with no set penalty, like not showing documents
First offenceUp to ₹500RepeatUp to ₹1,500
Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Horn, pollution and vehicle
Honking needlessly or in a no-horn zone, or a silencer cut-out
First offence₹1,000Repeat₹2,000
Section 194F of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Driving a vehicle that breaks pollution, noise or safety standards
Jail possibleLicence banFirst offenceUp to ₹10,000RepeatSame
Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Jail up to 3 months is also possible. Repeat: up to 6 months. Your licence can be disqualified for 3 months.
Illegally altering a vehicle
Jail possibleFirst offence₹5,000RepeatSame
Section 182A(4) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Charged per alteration. Jail up to 6 months is also possible.
Driving an oversized vehicle
First offence₹5,000 to ₹10,000RepeatSame
Section 182B of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Unauthorised interference with a vehicle
First offence₹1,000RepeatSame
Section 198 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Passengers and goods
Carrying extra passengers in a transport vehicle
First offence₹200RepeatSame
Section 194A of the Motor Vehicles Act. Charged per extra passenger.
Overloading a goods vehicle
First offence₹20,000RepeatSame
Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Plus ₹2,000 for each extra tonne.
Load sticking out beyond the vehicle's limits
First offence₹20,000RepeatSame
Section 194(1A) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Plus the cost of off-loading it.
Refusing to stop a goods vehicle or have it weighed
First offence₹40,000RepeatSame
Section 194(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Travelling in a bus without a valid ticket or pass
First offenceUp to ₹500RepeatSame
Section 178(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act.
These are the penalties in the Motor Vehicles Act. States can set their own amounts for many offences, so your challan can be lower or different.
Source: Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019. Last checked November 2026. General information, not legal advice.
How to read these fines
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Ranges
Where the Act gives a range, the authority or court decides the exact amount.
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Repeat offences
Many fines go up if you commit the same offence again. Paying a challan still counts, so the next one is a repeat.
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Your licence
For some offences, the police can seize your licence and send it to the licensing authority.
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Settled in court
Most fines can be settled by paying. A few offences aren’t on that list and usually go to court.
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Questions
Can’t find yours? Contact us and we’ll help.
Why is my challan different from this list?
States can set their own amounts for settling many offences, so a challan can be lower or different. The amount on your challan is the one that applies.
What is the fine for riding without a helmet?
₹1,000 under Section 194D, and the rider can be disqualified from holding a licence for 3 months.
What is the fine for driving without a licence?
₹5,000 under Section 181, and jail of up to 3 months is also possible.
What is the fine for drunk driving?
₹10,000 for a first offence and ₹15,000 for a repeat, under Section 185. Jail is also possible, and these cases usually go to court.
What happens if a minor is caught driving?
The guardian or owner can face a ₹25,000 fine and up to 3 years in jail. The registration is cancelled for 12 months, and the minor can’t get a licence until 25.
Can these amounts go up?
Yes. The Act lets the central government raise fines by up to 10% a year, and lets states apply a multiplier of their own.
Is this an official list?
No. Vahan Radar is an independent service, not a government website. The amounts come from the Motor Vehicles Act, and we can’t change or reduce a fine.