Motor Vehicles Act Section 4 — Age limit in connection with driving of motor vehicles

Summary

Sub-section (1) states that no one under the age of eighteen years is allowed to drive a motor vehicle in any public place. However, there is an exception: a person who has reached the age of sixteen years may drive a motor cycle with an engine capacity not exceeding 50cc in a public place.

Sub-section (2) says that, subject to the provisions of section 18, no one under the age of twenty years is allowed to drive a transport vehicle in any public place.

Sub-section (3) provides that a learner's licence or driving licence cannot be issued to any person to drive a vehicle of the class for which they have applied, unless that person is eligible to drive that class of vehicle under this section.

Official Text

(1) No person under the age of eighteen years shall drive a motor vehicle in any public place:

Provided that 5[a motor cycle with engine capacity not exceeding 50cc] may be driven in a public place by a person after attaining the age of sixteen years.

(2) Subject to the provisions of section 18, no person under the age of twenty years shall drive a transport vehicle in any public place.

(3) No learner’s licence or driving licence shall be issued to any person to drive a vehicle of the class to which he has made an application unless he is eligible to drive that class of vehicle under this section.

Sections referred to

• Motor Vehicles Act §18 — Driving licences to drive motor vehicles, belonging to the Central Government

Referred to by

• Motor Vehicles Act §5 — Responsibility of owners of motor vehicles for contravention of sections 3 and 4
• Motor Vehicles Act §8 — Grant of learner’s licence
• Motor Vehicles Act §180 — Allowing unauthorised persons to drive vehicles
• Motor Vehicles Act §181 — Driving vehicles in contravention of section 3 or section 4
• Motor Vehicles Act §199A — Offences by juveniles
• Motor Vehicles Act §207 — Power to detain vehicles used without certificate of registration permit, etc

Related Judgments

• S. RAJASEEKARAN vs UNION OF INDIA & ORS — Supreme Court of India (2014)
• IFFCO TOKIO GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LTD. vs PEARL BEVERAGES LTD — Supreme Court of India (2021)
• BISHAN DEVI & ORS. vs SIRBAKSH SINGH & ANR — Supreme Court of India (1979)