Made under section 212, MV Act 1988
Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 — All Rules
The complete contents of the CMVR — 193 rules across 8 chapters, with the official heading of each. Filter by rule number or keyword; every rule has its own link, so #rule-81 jumps straight to the fee schedule.
Where this list comes from, and what it misses
Headings are transcribed verbatim from the official contents table of a published consolidation of the CMVR — nothing is paraphrased.
That consolidation ends at rule 164. Rules numbered above 164 were added by later amendments and are not listed here yet. The Rules are also amended several times a year, so individual rule text may have changed since — check the recent amendments page, and confirm against the e-Gazette before relying on any rule formally.
Chapter I — Preliminary
Rules 1–2
Chapter II — Licensing Of Drivers Of Motor Vehicles
Rules 3–32
- 3General
- 4Evidence as to the correctness of address and age
- 5Medical certificate
- 6Exemption from production of medical certificate
- 7Affixing of photograph to medical certificate
- 8Minimum educational qualification for driving transport vehicles
- 9Educational qualifications for drivers of goods carriages carrying dangerous or hazardous goods
- 10Application for learner’s licence
- 11Preliminary test
- 12Consent of parent or guardians, in the case of application by minor
- 13Form of learner’s licence
- 14Application for a driving licence
- 15Driving test
- 16Form of driving licence
- 17Addition to driving licence
- 18Renewal of driving licence
- 19Refund of fee
- 20Driving licence to drive motor vehicle belonging to the Defence Department
- 21Powers of licensing authority to disqualify
- 22Endorsement by Courts
- 23State Register of driving licences
- 24Driving schools and establishments
- 25Duration of a licence and renewal thereof
- 26Issue of duplicate licence
- 27General conditions to be observed by the holder of a licence
- 28Power of the licensing authority to suspend or revoke licence
- 29Appeal
- 30Procedure for appeal
- 31Syllabus for imparting instructions in driving of motor vehicles
- 32Fees
Chapter III — Registration Of Motor Vehicles
Rules 33–81
- 33Condition for exemption from registration
- 34Trade certificate
- 35Grant or renewal of trade certificate
- 36Refund
- 37Period of validity
- 38Issue of duplicate certificate
- 39Use of trade registration mark and number
- 40Restrictions on use of trade certificate or trade registration mark and number
- 41Purposes for which motor vehicle with trade certificate may be used
- 42Delivery of vehicle subject to registration
- 43Register of trade certificate
- 44Suspension or cancellation of trade certificate
- 45Appeal
- 46Procedure for appeal
- 47Application for registration of motor vehicles
- 48Issue of certificate of registration
- 49Registration records to be kept by the registering authority
- 50Form and manner of display of registration marks on the motor vehicles
- 51Size of letters and numerals of the registration mark
- 52Renewal of certificate of registration
- 53Issue of duplicate certificate of registration
- 54Assignment of new registration mark
- 55Transfer of ownership
- 56Transfer of ownership on death of owner of the vehicle
- 57Transfer of ownership of vehicle purchased in public auction
- 58No objection certificate
- 59Change in residence
- 60Endorsement of hire-purchase agreements, etc
- 61Termination of hire-purchase agreements, etc
- 62Validity of certificate of fitness
- 63Regulation and control of authorised testing stations
- 64Duration of letter of authority
- 65General conditions to be observed by the holder of letter of authority
- 66Issue of duplicate letter of authority
- 67Supervision of authorised testing stations
- 68Power of registering authority or Regional Transport Authority to call for information
- 69Power of registering authority to suspend or cancel the letter of authority or forfeit security deposit
- 70Appeal
- 71Procedure for appeal
- 72Voluntary surrender of letter of authority
- 73Tax clearance certificate to be submitted to the testing station
- 74Assignment of registration marks to the vehicles belonging to the Central Government used for defence purposes
- 75State register of motor vehicles
- 76Registration of vehicles of diplomatic and consular officers
- 76AApplication of rules 76 to 80 to organisations notified under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947
- 76BRegistration of vehicles of home-based non-diplomatic officials of diplomatic missions or consular posts
- 77Exhibition of registration mark
- 78Assignment of new registration mark on removal of vehicle to another State
- 79Suspension and cancellation of registration of vehicle registered under rule
- 80Transfer or disposal of motor vehicle registered under rule 76
- 81Fees
Chapter IV — Control Of Transport Vehicles
Rules 82–90
- 82Tourist permits
- 83Authorisation fee
- 84Right of operation
- 85Additional conditions of tourist permit
- 85AThe following shall be the additional conditions of every tourist permit in respect of motor cabs
- 86Application for national permit
- 87Form, contents and duration of authorisation
- 88Age of motor vehicle for the purpose of national permit
- 89[Omitted]
- 90Additional conditions for national permit
Chapter V — Construction, Equipment And Maintenance Of
Rules 91–137
- 91Definitions
- 92General
- 93Overall dimension of motor vehicles
- 93AOverall dimension for agricultural tractors
- 93BOverall dimension for power tillers
- 94Condition of tyres
- 95Size and ply rating of tyres
- 95ASize and ply rating of tyres for agricultural tractor
- 95BSize and ply rating of tyres for power tillers
- 96Brakes
- 96ABrakes for construction equipment vehicle
- 96BHigh Speed Braking Requirements
- 96CBrakes for agricultural tractor
- 96DBraking requirements for power tillers
- 97Brakes for trailers
- 98Steering gears
- 98ASteering gears for construction equipment vehicles
- 98BSteering Gears for agricultural tractors
- 98CSteering gear for power tillers
- 99Forward and backward motion
- 100Safety glass
- 101Windscreen wiper
- 102Signalling devices, direction indicators and stop lights
- 103Position of the indicator
- 104Fitment of reflectors
- 104AFitment of reflectors on construction equipment vehicles
- 104BFitment of reflectors for agricultural tractors
- 104CFitment of reflectors on power tillers
- 105Lamps
- 106Deflection of lights
- 107Top lights
- 107AImplement lights for construction equipment vehicle
- 108Use of red or white light
- 108AUse of red or white light on construction equipment vehicles
- 109Parking light
- 110Lamps on three-wheelers
- 111Prohibition of spot lights, etc
- 112Exhaust gases
- 113Location of exhaust pipes
- 114Exhaust pipes of public service vehicles
- 115Emission of smoke, vapour, etc. from motor vehicles
- 115BMass emission standards for Compressed Natural Gas Driven vehicles
- 115CMass emission standards for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (hereinafter in this rule referred to as LPG) driven vehicles
- 116Test for smoke emission level and carbon monoxide level for motor vehicles
- 117Speedometer
- 118Speed governor
- 119Horns
- 120Silencers
- 121Painting of motor vehicles
- 122Embossment of the chassis number and engine number or in the case of battery operated vehicles, motor number and month of manufacture
- 123Safety devices in motor cycle
- 124Safety standards of components
- 124ASafety standards of components for agricultural tractors
- 124BSafety Standards of components for power tillers
- 125Safety belt, collapsible steering column, autodipper and padded dash boards
- 125ASafety belt, etc., for construction equipment vehicles
- 125BSpecial requirements for transport vehicles that are driven on hills
- 125CBody building and approval
- 126Prototype of every motor vehicle to be subject to test
- 126BPrototype of every construction equipment vehicle to be subject to test
- 127Quality certificate by manufacturer
- 128Tourist vehicles other than motor cabs, etc
- 128ASpecial provision for M3 category of vehicles
- 129Transportation of goods of dangerous or hazardous nature to human life
- 129ASpark arrester
- 130Manner of display of class labels
- 131Responsibility of the consignor for safe transport of dangerous or hazardous goods
- 132Responsibility of the transporter or owner of goods carriage
- 133Responsibility of the driver
- 134Emergency information panel
- 135Driver to be instructed
- 136Driver to report to the police station about accident
- 137Class labels
Chapter VI — Control Of Traffic
Rules 138–139
Chapter VII — Insurance Of Motor Vehicles Against Third Party
Rules 140–163
- 140Definitions
- 141Certificate of insurance
- 142Cover notes
- 143Issue of certificates and cover notes
- 144Transfer of certificate of insurance
- 145Exclusion of advertising matter
- 146Certificates or cover notes lost, destroyed, torn, soiled, defaced or mutilated
- 147Records to be maintained by authorised insurers
- 148Records of exempted vehicles
- 149Supply of information
- 150Furnishing of copies of reports to Claims Tribunal
- 151Establishment of fund
- 152Amount of the fund
- 153Investment of the fund
- 154Securities held as a deposit in the fund
- 155Deposit procedure
- 156Interest on deposits
- 157Withdrawal
- 158Settlement of claims
- 159List of foreign insurers
- 160Guarantor of foreign insurer
- 161Endorsement of certificate of foreign insurance
- 162Validity of certificate of foreign insurance
- 163Maintenance of records by the guarantor
Chapter VIII — Offences, Penalties And Procedure
Rules 164–164
- 164Offences for the purpose of section 208
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989?
They are the subordinate legislation made under section 212 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Act creates the framework and the offences; the Rules carry the working detail — application forms, licensing and registration procedure, fee schedules, construction and emission standards, and the insurance machinery.
Which rule prescribes RTO fees?
Rule 81 contains the schedule of fees for RTO services. It is amended frequently — the Central Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Rules, 2025 and the Fifth Amendment Rules, 2025 both revised entries in this table, and a note was added confirming the fees are exclusive of GST.
Which rules cover transfer of ownership and hypothecation?
Rule 55 covers transfer of ownership (Forms 29 and 30), rule 58 covers the No Objection Certificate (Form 28), rule 60 covers recording a hire-purchase or hypothecation agreement (Form 34), and rule 61 covers terminating one (Form 35).
How do I cite a specific rule?
Cite the rule number together with the instrument — for example, "rule 61(1) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989". If you are relying on a recent change, also cite the amending notification by its G.S.R. number and date, because rule text changes several times a year.
Are all rules listed here?
This index covers the 193 rules in the consolidation we transcribed, which runs to rule 164. Rules numbered above 164 have been added by later amendments and are not yet included. For anything you intend to rely on formally, check the current text on the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways site or the e-Gazette.
MV Act 1988 — All Sections
The parent Act these rules are made under.
RTO Forms 28–35
Which CMVR rule prescribes each form.