Motor Vehicles Act Section 39 — Necessity for registration

Summary

No person may drive a motor vehicle, and no owner may cause or allow the vehicle to be driven, in any public place or any other place, unless the vehicle is registered under this Chapter, the registration certificate has not been suspended or cancelled, and the vehicle displays its registration mark in the prescribed manner.

The exception to this rule is that the section does not apply to a motor vehicle in the possession of a dealer, subject to conditions that the Central Government may prescribe.

Official Text

No person shall drive any motor vehicle and no owner of a motor vehicle shall cause or permit the vehicle to be driven in any public place or in any other place unless the vehicle is registered in accordance with this Chapter and the certificate of registration of the vehicle has not been suspended or cancelled and the vehicle carries a registration mark displayed in the prescribed manner:

Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to a motor vehicle in possession of a dealer subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

Referred to by

• Motor Vehicles Act §42 — Special provision for registration of motor vehicles of diplomatic officers, etc
• Motor Vehicles Act §56 — Certificate of fitness of transport vehicles
• Motor Vehicles Act §60 — Registration of vehicles belonging to the Central Government
• Motor Vehicles Act §192 — Using vehicle without registration
• Motor Vehicles Act §207 — Power to detain vehicles used without certificate of registration permit, etc

Related Judgments

• UNITED INDIA INSURANCE CO. LTD. vs SUSHIL KUMAR GODARA — Supreme Court of India (2021)
• COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCIAL TAXES, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA vs MIS K.T.C. AUTOMOBILES — Supreme Court of India (2016)
• REGIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY & ANR. vs SHAJU ETC — Supreme Court of India (2022)
• NATWAR PARIKH AND CO. LID. vs STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ORS — Supreme Court of India (2005)