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TypeBare Act JurisdictionCentral Government

Motor Vehicles Act, 1939

Complete Act - all sections

~11 min read
https://sooperkanoon.com/act/133917

Bare act · Research

About this act

Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 is Central state legislation published on SooperKanoon in full. Use this page to read the bare act and jump to judgments that cite it.

Research copy - verify against official government publications before filing or court use.

Act Text

Section1 - Short title, extent and commencement
Section2 - Various Committees, like, National Transport Policy Committee, National Police Commission, Road Safety Committee, Low
Section3 - A Working Group was, therefore, constituted in January, 1984 to review all the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act,
Section4 - The Supreme Court in M. K. Kunhimohammed v. P. A. Ahmedkutty
Section5 - The proposed legislation has been prepared in the light of the above background. Some of the more important provisions
Section6 - The Bill also seeks to provide for more deterrent punishment in Section 7 - the cases of certain offences
Section7 - The Notes on clauses explain the provisions of the Bill
Section8 - Substituted for “a motor cycle without gear” by Act 54 of 1994, S. 4
Section9 - Sub-S
Section10 - Added by Act 54 of 1994, S. 6
Section11 - Sub-S
Section12 - Sub-S
Section13 - Substituted for sub-Cls
Section14 - Currency of licences to drive motor vehicles
Section15 - Inserted, ibid
Section16 - Substituted, ibid, for “forty years”
Section17 - Substituted, ibid, for “forty years”
Section18 - Sub-Cl
Section19 - Power of licensing authority to disqualify from holding a driving licence or revoke such licence
Section20 - Power of Court to disqualify
Section21 - Suspension of driving licence in certain cases
Section22 - Suspension or cancellation of driving licence on conviction
Section23 - Effect of disqualification order
Section24 - Endorsement
Section25 - Transfer of endorsement and issue of driving licence free from endorsement
Section26 - Maintenance of State Registers of Driving Licences
Section27 - Power of Central Government to make rules. - The Central Government may make rules
Section28 - Power of State Government to make rules
Section29 - Necessity for conductor's licence
Section30 - Grant of conductor's licence
Section31 - Disqualifications for the grant of conductor's licence
Section32 - Revocation of a conductor's licence on grounds of disease or disability. - A conductor's licence may at any time be
Section33 - Orders refusing, etc. conductor's licences and appeals therefrom
Section34 - Power of licensing authority to disqualify
Section35 - Power of Court to disqualify
Section36 - Certain provisions of Chapter II to apply to conductor's licence. - The provisions of sub-section
Section37 - Savings. - If any licence to act as a conductor of a stage carriage
Section38 - Power of State Government to make rules
Section39 - Necessity for registration .- No person shall drive any motor vehicle and no owner of a motor vehicle shall cause or
Section40 - Registration, where to be made. - Subject to the provisions of section
Section41 - Registration, how to be made
Section42 - Special provision for registration of motor vehicles of diplomatic officers, etc
Section43 - Temporary registration
Section44 - Production of vehicle at the time of registration. - the registering
Section45 - Refusal of registration or renewal of the certificate of registration. - The registering authority may, by order,
Section46 - Effectiveness is India of registration. - Subject to the provisions of section 47, a motor vehicle registered in
Section47 - Assignment of new registration mark on removal to another State
Section48 - No objection certificate
Section49 - Change of residence or place of business
Section50 - Transfer of ownership
Section51 - Special provisions regarding motor vehicle subject to hire­ purchase agreement, etc
Section52 - Substituted for “Regional Transport Authority” by Act 54 of 1994, S. 25
Section53 - Suspension of registration
Section54 - Cancellation of registration suspended under section 53. - Where the suspension of registration of a vehicle under
Section55 - Cancellation of registration
Section56 - Certificate of fitness of transport vehicles
Section57 - Appeals. - 34[
Section58 - Special provisions in regard to transport vehicles
Section59 - Power to fix the age limit of motor vehicle
Section60 - Registration
Section61 - Application of Chapter to trailers
Section62 - Information regarding stolen and recovered motor vehicle to be furnished by the police to the State Transport
Section63 - Maintenance of State Registers of Motor Vehicles
Section64 - Power of the Central Government to make rules. - The Central Government may make rules to provide for all or any of the
Section65 - Power of the State Government to make rules
Section66 - Necessity for permits
Section67 - Powers to State Government to control road transport
Section68 - Transport Authorities
Section69 - General provision as to applications for permits
Section70 - Application for stage carriage permit
Section71 - Procedure of Regional Transport Authority in considering
Section72 - Grant of stage carriage permit
Section73 - Application for contract carriage permit - An application for a
Section74 - Grant of contract carriage permit
Section75 - Scheme for renting of motorcabs
Section76 - Application for private service vehicle permit
Section77 - Application for goods carriage permit :- An application for a permit to use a motor vehicle for the carriage of goods
Section78 - Consideration of application for goods carriage permit
Section79 - Grant of goods carriage permit
Section80 - Procedure in applying for and granting permits
Section81 - Duration and renewal of permits
Section82 - Transfer of permit
Section83 - Replacement of vehicles. - The holder of a permit may, with the permission of the authority by which the permit was
Section84 - General conditions attaching to all permits. - The following shall be conditions of every permit
Section85 - General form of permits. - Every permit issued under this Act shall be complete in itself and shall contain all the
Section86 - Cancellation and suspension of permits
Section87 - Temporary permits
Section88 - Validation of permits for use outside region in which granted
Section89 - Appeals
Section90 - Revision
Section91 - Restriction hours of work of drivers. - 60[
Section92 - Voidance of contracts restrictive of liability. - Any contract for the conveyance of a passenger in a stage carriage or
Section93 - Agent or canvasser to obtain licence
Section94 - Bar on jurisdiction of Civil Courts. - No Civil Court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any question relating to the
Section95 - Power of State Government to make rules as to stage carriages and contract carriages
Section96 - Power of State Government to make rules for the purposes of this Chapter
Section97 - Definition. - In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, “road transport service” means a service of motor
Section98 - Added by Act. 54 of 1994, S. 52
Section99 - Preparation and publication of proposal regarding road transport
Section100 - Objection to the proposal
Section101 - Operation of additional services by a State transport undertaking in certain circumstances. - Notwithstanding anything
Section102 - Cancellation or modification of scheme
Section103 - Issue of permits to State transport undertakings
Section104 - Restriction on grant of permits in respect of a notified area or
Section105 - Principles and method of determining compensation and payment thereof
Section107 - Power of State Government to make rules
Section108 - Certain powers of State Government exercisable by the Central Government. - The powers conferred on the State
Section109 - Power of State Government to make rules
Section110 - Power of Central Government to make rules
Section112 - Limits of speed
Section113 - Limits of weight and limitations on use
Section114 - Power to have vehicle weighed
Section115 - Power to restrict the use of vehicles. - The State Government or any authority authorised in this behalf by the State
Section116 - Power to erect traffic signs
Section117 - Parking places and halting stations. - The State Government or any authority authorised in this behalf by the State
Section118 - Driving regulations. - The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make regulations* for the
Section119 - Duty to obey traffic signs
Section120 - Vehicles with left hand control. - No person shall drive or cause or allow to be driven in any public place any motor
Section121 - Signals and signalling devices. - The driver of a motor vehicle
Section122 - Leaving vehicle in dangerous position - No person in charge of a motor vehicle shall cause or allow the vehicle or any
Section123 - Riding on running board, etc
Section124 - Prohibition against travelling without pass or ticket. - No person shall enter or remain in any stage carriage for the
Section125 - Obstruction of driver. - No person driving a motor vehicle shall allow any person to stand or sit or to place anything
Section126 - Stationary Vehicles. - No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle
Section127 - Removal of motor vehicles abandoned or left unattended on a public place. - 73[
Section128 - Safety measures for drivers and pillion riders
Section129 - Wearing of protective headgear. - Every person driving or
Section130 - Duty to produce licence and certificate of registration
Section131 - Duty
Section132 - Duty of driver to stop in certain cases
Section133 - Duty of owner of motor vehicle to give information- The owner of a motor vehicle, the driver or conductor of which is
Section134 - Duty of driver in case of accident and injury to a person. - When any person is injured or any property of a third
Section135 - Schemes to be framed for the investigation of accident cases and wayside amenities, etc
Section136 - Inspection of vehicle involved in accident. - When any accident occurs in which a motor vehicle is involved, any person
Section137 - Power of Central Government to make rules. - The Central Government may make rules to provide for all or any of the
Section138 - Power of State Government to make rules
Section139 - Power of Central Government to make rules
Section140 - Liability to pay compensation in certain cases on the principle of no fault. —
Section141 - Provisions as to other right to claim compensation for death or permanent disablement
Section142 - Permanent disablement. - For the purposes of this Chapter, permanent disablement of a person shall be deemed to have
Section143 - Applicability of Chapter to certain claims under Act 8 of 1923. - The provisions of this Chapter shall also apply in
Section144 - Overriding effect. - The provisions of this Chapter shall have effect notwithstanding anything contained in any other
Section145 - Definitions. - In this Chapter,
Section146 - Necessity for insurance against third party risk
Section147 - Requirement of policies and limits of liability
Section148 - Validity of polices of insurance issued in reciprocating
Section149 - Duty of insurers to satisfy judgments and awards against persons insured in respect of third party risks
Section150 - Rights of third parties against insurers on insolvency of the insured
Section151 - Duty to give information as to insurance
Section152 - Settlement between insurers and insured persons
Section153 - Saving in respect of section 150,151 and 152
Section154 - Insolvency of insured persons not to affect liability of insured or claims by third parties. - Where a certificate of
Section155 - Effect of death on certain causes of action. - Notwithstanding anything contained in section 306 of the Indian
Section156 - Effect of certificate of insurance. - When an insurer has issued a certificate of insurance in respect of a contract of
Section157 - Trasnfer of certificate of insurance
Section158 - Production of certain certificates, licence and permit in certain cases. —
Section159 - Production of certificate of insurance
Section160 - Duty to furnish particulars of vehicle involved in accident. - A registering authority or the officer-in-charge of a
Section161 - Special provisions as to compensation in case of hit and run motor accident
Section162 - Refund in certain cases of compensation paid under section 161
Section163 - (2)
Section164 - Power of Central Government to make rules
Section165 - Claims Tribunals
Section166 - Application
Section167 - Option regarding claims for compensation in certain cases. - Notwithstanding anything contained in the Workmen's
Section168 - Corresponding Law. - Section 149 corresponds to section 96 of the Motor Vehicles Act,
Section169 - Procedure and powers of Claims Tribunals
Section170 - Impleading insurer in certain cases. - Where in the course of any inquiry, the Claims Tribunal is satisfied that
Section171 - Award of interest where any claim is allowed. - Where any Claims Tribunal allows a claim for compensation made under
Section172 - Award of compensatory costs in certain cases
Section173 - Appeals
Section174 - Recovery of money from insurer as arrear of land revenue. - Where any amount is due from any person under an award, the
Section175 - Bar on jurisdiction of Civil Courts. - Where any Claims
Section176 - Power of State Government to make rules. - A State Government may make rules for the purpose of carrying into effect
Section177 - (13)
Section178 - Penalty for travelling without pass or ticket and for dereliction of duty on the part of conductor and refusal to ply
Section179 - Disobedience
Section180 - Allowing unauthorised persons to drive vehicles. - Whoever, being the owner or person in charge of a motor vehicle,
Section181 - Driving vehicles in contravention of section 3 or section 4. - Whoever drives a motor vehicle in contravention of
Section182 - Offences relating to licences
Section183 - Driving at excessive speed, etc
Section184 - Driving dangerously - Whoever drives a motor vehicle at a speed or in a manner which is dangerous to the public, having
Section185 - Driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs. - Whoever, while driving, or attempting to
Section186 - Driving when mentally or physically unfit to drive- Whoever
Section187 - Punishment for offeence relating to accident. - Whoever fails to comply with the provisions of clause
Section188 - Punishment for abetment of certain offences. - Whoever abets the commission of an offence under section 184 or section
Section189 - Racing and trials of speed. - Whoever without the written consent of the State Government permits or takes part in a
Section190 - Using vehicle in unsafe condition
Section191 - Sale of vehicle in or alteration of vehicle to condition contravening this Act. - Whoever being an importer of or
Section193 - Punishment
Section194 - Driving vehicle exceeding permissible weight. - 7[
Section195 - Imposition of minimum fine under certain circumstances
Section196 - Driving uninsured vehicle- Whoever drives a motor vehicle or causes or allows a motor vehicle to be driven in
Section197 - Taking vehicle without authority
Section198 - Unauthorised interference with vehicle. - Whoever otherwise than with lawful authority or reasonable excuse enters or
Section199 - Offences by companies
Section200 - Composition of certain offences
Section201 - Penalty for causing obstruction to free flow of traffic
Section202 - Power to arrest without warrant
Section203 - Breath tests. - 11
Section204 - Laboratory test
Section205 - Presumption of unfitness to drive - In any proceeding for an
Section206 - Power of police officer to impound document
Section207 - Power
Section208 - Summary disposal of cases
Section209 - Restriction on conviction - No person prosecuted for an offence punishable under section 183 or section 184 shall be
Section210 - Courts to send intimation about conviction. - Every Court by which any person holding a driving licence is convicted of
Section211 - Power to levy fee. - Any rule which the Central Government or the
Section212 - Publication, commencement
Section213 - Appointment of motor vehicles officers
Section214 - Effect of appeal and revision on orders passed by original authority
Section215 - Road Safety Councils and Committees
Section216 - Power to remove difficulties
Section217 - Repeal and savings

Frequently asked questions

What is the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939?

The Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, is Central state legislation available in full text on SooperKanoon. It is commonly used for legal research alongside judgments that interpret and apply its provisions.

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