Vehicle · fines
How much is the traffic fine?
Pick your vehicle and the offences. You see the amount in the Act, first time or repeat, and whether it can be paid off or goes to court.
Last updated: Reviewed by IndiaDigital editorsSources
- Riding without a helmet₹1,000Section 194D · can be compoundedLicence can be disqualified for 3 months
Your state may charge less
States set compounding amounts (section 200) and may multiply fines (section 210A). The amount on your eChallan is what you pay. Reported state changes:
- Gujarat (September 2019): Cut about 17 compounding amounts by 50 to 90%; helmet and seat belt reported at ₹500. From news reports of the notification; confirm locally.
- Karnataka (September 2019): Reduced about two dozen compounding amounts by 30 to 90%; overspeeding, drunk driving and racing left as in the Act. From news reports of the notification; confirm locally.
- Kerala (October 2019): Helmet and seat belt compounding halved to ₹500; drunk driving stays ₹10,000. From news reports of the notification; confirm locally.
- Uttarakhand (September 2019): Many compounding amounts halved; driving without a licence reported at ₹2,500. From news reports of the notification; confirm locally.
- Maharashtra (about December 2021): Revised compounding list; helmet reported at ₹500. From news reports of the notification; confirm locally.
How it works
- Amounts are from the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 in the Gazette of India, in force from 1 September 2019.
- States set their own compounding amounts (the amount you pay to settle a challan without court) under section 200, and some have cut many of them. Your state’s challan can be lower than the Act’s figure. Drunk driving and dangerous driving (other than phone use) cannot be compounded.
- Where the Act gives a range, a court decides the amount. Some offences also bring jail or licence suspension.
Questions people ask
Why is my challan different from this?
Because your state may have notified lower compounding amounts, or a multiplier (section 210A). The amount on your eChallan is what you pay.
How do I check or pay a challan?
On echallan.parivahan.gov.in with the challan, vehicle or DL number, or in the mParivahan app. Court challans are paid on vcourts.gov.in. Beware of SMS links asking for payment.
Do fines go up every year?
The Act allows the Centre to raise them by up to 10% each year (section 199B) by notification. We found no such notification as of 2 November 2026.
Sources
Last checked:
- Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, Gazette of India Act 32 of 2019; penalty sections in force from 1 September 2019.
- PIB: summary of the 2019 amendments
- eChallan: check and pay challan