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New Traffic Rules 2026: MV Act and CMVR Changes Tracker
The biggest traffic rule changes of 2026 are the new e-challan rules (in force since 21 January 2026: 45 days to pay or contest, and services blocked while a challan is unpaid), the unpaid toll rule that stops an NOC or fitness renewal, and the vehicle fitness rules of 8 May 2026. The Jan Vishwas Act 2026 also amends the Motor Vehicles Act, but its parts start only on dates the Central Government notifies. This page lists each change with its date, its gazette number and a government source.
- Challan rules
- G.S.R. 48(E), from 21 Jan 2026
- Fitness rules
- G.S.R. 349(E), from 8 May 2026
- Jan Vishwas Act
- Act 8 of 2026, notified dates
- Objections to a draft
- Usually 30 days
- Where to check
- egazette.gov.in
On this page
Tracker: which traffic rule changes are in force?
Each row gives the date, the gazette number (G.S.R. for rules, S.O. for orders and notifications), what changed and where it is published. In force means it applies now. Starts later means it is notified but begins on a later date. Passed means the law is made, but its start date is set separately.
In force
| Date and status | Instrument and what changed |
|---|---|
| 8 May 2026 In force on publication | Central Motor Vehicles (Sixth Amendment) Rules, 2026, G.S.R. 349(E) Fitness rules now cover all motor vehicles. A new, fully built non-transport vehicle is treated as fit for 15 years from registration; a renewed fitness certificate lasts 5 years. Light motor vehicles are tested at an automated testing station where one is working. A geo-tagged video through a government app is needed at renewal. New checks: speed governor, location tracking device, HSRP, reflectors, seat belts. |
| Oct 2025 to Oct 2026 In force for vehicles made after each date | Vehicle safety standards (Lok Sabha reply, 23 Jul 2026) Seat belt reminders for front-facing rear seats in cars (category M1) made from 1 April 2025. Air-conditioned cabins in goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes made from 1 October 2025. Sound warning system (AVAS) for new electric vehicle models made from 1 October 2026. |
| 29 Jun 2026 In force | S.O. 3505(E) The National Road Safety Board is constituted under the National Road Safety Board Rules, 2025. |
| 19 Feb 2026 In force | S.O. 952(E) The cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims is renamed PM-RAHAT. See accident help. |
| 21 Jan 2026 In force on publication | Central Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, G.S.R. 48(E) of 20 Jan 2026 New challan rule 167: 45 days to pay or contest, deemed acceptance, appeal to court, licence and registration work not processed and the vehicle may be detained while a challan is unpaid. The notice reaches you in 3 days electronically or 15 days on paper. Rule 21: five or more offences in a one-year period (from 1 January 2026) is a ground for disqualification. See check and pay a challan. |
| Jan 2026 In force | Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026 (PIB, 20 Jan 2026) An unpaid National Highway user fee (toll) stops an NOC for transfer or for another state, a fitness certificate, and a National Permit. Form 28 asks you to declare unpaid toll. See FASTag and ownership transfer. |
| 11 Nov 2025 In force | Central Motor Vehicles (Seventh Amendment) Rules, 2025, G.S.R. 835(E) E-rickshaws and e-carts brought fully under the central rules (type approval, registration, safety). |
| 3 Nov 2025 In force | G.S.R. 819(E) High security registration plate (HSRP) requirements and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) provisions for new models. See HSRP. |
| 5 May 2025 In force | S.O. 2015(E); guidelines S.O. 2489(E), 4 Jun 2025 Cashless treatment of road accident victims, up to ₹1.5 lakh per victim, across India. |
| 11 Aug 2021 In force | G.S.R. 575(E), rule 167A Electronic enforcement: challans from cameras and other electronic devices, with photo evidence of the offence and the number plate. |
| 1 Sep 2019 In force | Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 Higher penalties (for example ₹1,000 for no helmet or seat belt, ₹5,000 for driving without a licence) and new licence validity periods. |
Notified, starts on a later date
These are already published. They apply to vehicles made on or after the date, so they are mainly for manufacturers. Your current vehicle does not need to change.
| Starts | Instrument and what changes |
|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2027 (new models); 1 Oct 2027 (existing models) Starts later | Vehicle safety standards (Lok Sabha reply, 23 Jul 2026) Anti-lock and endurance braking for buses and goods vehicles (categories M2, M3, N1, N2, N3). |
| 1 Oct 2027 (existing models) Starts later | Vehicle safety standards (same reply) Sound warning system (AVAS) for all electric vehicle models made from this date. |
| 1 Oct 2027 (new models); 1 Jan 2028 (existing models) Starts later | Vehicle safety standards (same reply) Driver assistance systems (ADAS), including vehicle stability, for buses and medium and heavy goods vehicles (M2, M3, N2, N3). |
Drafts that became final
Rules are first published as a draft with a time for objections. These pairs show how long that took for the 2026 changes.
| Draft | Final rules | Time taken |
|---|---|---|
| G.S.R. 723(E), 29 Sep 2025 (challan rules) | G.S.R. 48(E), 20 Jan 2026 | About 4 months |
| G.S.R. 916(E), 23 Dec 2025 (fitness rules) | G.S.R. 349(E), 8 May 2026 | About 4.5 months |
A draft can change before it is final, and some drafts are never made final. Don't act on a draft as if it were the law.
Law passed, start date set separately
| Date and status | Instrument and what changes |
|---|---|
| 8 Apr 2026 Passed · each part starts on a notified date | Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 (Act 8 of 2026) Amends many laws, including the Motor Vehicles Act. For motorists: a 30-day grace period after a licence expires, more time to claim accident compensation, and civil penalties for ticket offences. Details below. |
What does the Jan Vishwas Act 2026 change for drivers?
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 received assent on 7 April 2026 and was published on 8 April 2026. Section 1(2) says it comes into force on dates the Central Government notifies in the Gazette, and that different dates can be set for different laws. For example, its Patents Act part started on 1 June 2026 (S.O. 2846(E)) and its Court-fees Act part on 8 July 2026 (S.O. 3347(E)).
For the Motor Vehicles Act, the government described these changes when the Bill was passed:
- 30-day grace period: a driving licence stays valid for 30 days after it expires. See the grace period box before you rely on it.
- Accident claims: victims can go to the Claims Tribunal up to 12 months after the time limit, if they show sufficient cause.
- Ticket offences on public transport (section 178) become civil violations, with a penalty of up to ₹500.
Until the Motor Vehicles Act part starts, the 2019 rules apply: renew your licence before it expires. The amount on your challan is the one that applies to you.
What do the 2026 changes mean for you?
If you drive
- Check your challans on echallan.parivahan.gov.in and act within 45 days. After that, a challan is treated as accepted.
- An unpaid challan can block your licence renewal and other services, and the vehicle can be flagged Not to be Transacted.
- Five or more offences in a one-year period can lead the licensing authority to disqualify you. It is a decision by the authority, not automatic.
- Renew your licence before it expires; see renewing a licence.
If you own a vehicle
- Clear any unpaid toll before you sell the vehicle or move it to another state: the NOC is not given until you do.
- A new private vehicle is treated as fit for 15 years from registration. After that, each fitness renewal lasts 5 years. See RC renewal.
- Where your RTO area has an automated testing station, a car's fitness test is done there (light motor vehicles).
- If a vehicle is not declared fit within 180 days, it may be treated as an end-of-life vehicle.
If you run commercial vehicles
- A National Permit needs the vehicle to have no unpaid toll.
- Fitness checks now include the speed governor, location tracking device, HSRP, reflectors and seat belts.
- New buses and trucks need anti-lock braking from 2027 and driver assistance systems from October 2027 (new models).
How does a traffic rule become law?
There are two routes. Parliament changes the Motor Vehicles Act. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) changes the Central Motor Vehicles Rules under that Act. States then make their own rules and set many challan amounts.
A change to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules
Ministry / GazetteThe public
- MoRTH publishes draft rules in the Gazette (a G.S.R. number)
- Anyone can send objections and suggestions, usually within 30 days
- The ministry considers them and may change the text
- Final rules are published in the Gazette with a new G.S.R. number
- Does it give a later start date?No: in force on the day it is published
- In force from that date; states and portals put it into practice
A change to the Motor Vehicles Act
Parliament / GovernmentThe public
- A Bill is introduced in Parliament
- Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha pass it
- The President gives assent and the Act is published in the Gazette
- Does the Act start on a notified date?No: in force as the Act says
- The government publishes a commencement notification (an S.O. number) for each part
- That part applies from the notified date
A state can also change things for its own roads: its own motor vehicle rules, its challan (compounding) amounts, and when it starts using a central system. So the same offence can cost a different amount in two states.
How do you check a rule change yourself?
YouOfficial site
- Note the name of the rules and the G.S.R. or S.O. number from the message or report
- Search for it on egazette.gov.in, under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
- Is it a draft?Yes: it is not the law yet; wait for the final rules
- Read the start clause: "shall come into force on…"
- Check your state transport department or traffic police for how they apply it
- A forwarded message saying "new fines from tomorrow" without a gazette number is not reliable. Check the Gazette or this page.
- Never pay a challan from a link in a message. Check it on the official portal by typing the address yourself.
Open the e-Gazette (official) egazette.gov.in
Frequently asked questions
What are the new traffic rules in 2026?
The main ones are the challan rules of 21 January 2026 (45 days to pay or contest), the unpaid toll rule (no NOC, fitness or National Permit), and the fitness rules of 8 May 2026. The Jan Vishwas Act 2026 also changes the Motor Vehicles Act from notified dates.
Is the 30-day grace period for an expired licence in force?
It is in the Jan Vishwas Act 2026, which starts on notified dates. Check the grace period box and renew before your licence expires.
Have traffic fines gone up in 2026?
The penalties in the Act are still those set in 2019 unless a notified change applies. Your state sets the challan amounts it accepts, and these can differ. The challan shows what you owe.
Will five challans in a year cancel my licence?
Not automatically. Since 2026, five or more offences in a one-year period is a ground on which the licensing authority can disqualify a driver.
Is there a points system for driving licences?
We found no notified points system for the whole country. The rule that counts repeat offences is the 2026 ground for disqualification: five or more offences in a one-year period.
What is the difference between a draft and a final rule?
A draft invites objections, usually for 30 days, and is not the law. Only the final rules, published with their own G.S.R. number, apply.
What do G.S.R. and S.O. mean?
They are the series numbers used in the Gazette of India: G.S.R. for rules, S.O. for orders and notifications such as start dates. With the number and date you can find the exact text.
Does my old car need the new safety equipment?
No. Dates such as AVAS from 1 October 2026 or ADAS from 2027 apply to vehicles made on or after those dates.
Why does my state still follow the old challan process?
States put central rules into practice with their own officers and portals, and some move more slowly. The central rules apply; ask your traffic police or transport department how they handle your challan.
Sources
- Gazette of India – Central Motor Vehicles (Sixth Amendment) Rules, 2026, G.S.R. 349(E), 8 May 2026: fitness rules, draft G.S.R. 916(E) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Central Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026 – G.S.R. 48(E), 20 Jan 2026 (Gazette copy, Delhi Traffic Police): rules 21, 167 and 167A, draft G.S.R. 723(E) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026: unpaid user fee (20 Jan 2026) and All India Radio (21 Jan 2026) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Lok Sabha unstarred question 914, 23 Jul 2026 (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways): vehicle safety dates, National Road Safety Board S.O. 3505(E), challan rules of 20 Jan 2026 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Gazette of India – Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 (Act 8 of 2026), 8 Apr 2026: section 1(2) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 (4 Apr 2026): licence grace period, accident claims, section 178 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Gazette – S.O. 2846(E), 1 Jun 2026 and S.O. 3347(E), 23 Jun 2026: commencement of other parts of the Jan Vishwas Act (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Gazette – S.O. 952(E), 19 Feb 2026: PM-RAHAT name (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Year-end review 2025, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (30 Dec 2025): G.S.R. 835(E), G.S.R. 819(E), S.O. 2015(E), S.O. 2489(E) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – electronic enforcement rules, rule 167A (Aug 2021) (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- PIB – provisions of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 in force from 1 Sep 2019 and the 2019 Act's Gazette text (Transport Department, Chhattisgarh) (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
Page history: 26 Oct 2026: first published.