And Now There Is No Penalty For Not Carrying Hard Copies Of Your Vehicle Documents!!!

Oh! Looking at traffic police I got to realise that I forgot to carry my car/ bike documents. Made to stop. Worried what reason to pour for letting you go without much hassle?

It was important for you to carry certain documents at all times for they are open to inspection by the authorities anytime.

The following list will show us what are the important documents which you should be carrying while driving your vehicle:

1. Vehicle’s RC Copy/ Registration Certificate Copy – It is one of the most vital documents while inspection of the vehicle.
2. PUC Certificate/ Pollution Under-Control Certificate – It is necessary for vehicles using Indian roads. The certificate states that the gases released from your vehicle meet the standards set by the authorities. Also that the released gases are not harmful or causing pollution.
3. Driving License – Going to grab a vehicle, grab this license too. Driving without a valid license is a punishable offence.
4. Certificate of Insurance – The Motor Vehicle’s Act, 1988 compulsories that every vehicle operating on the roads should have a valid insurance cover. In case you need the insurer’s assistance in facing any breakdown, this certificate is very important for the speedy process of the insurance. So, other than an inspection event, the certificate is also required to avoid these time-intensive troubles.
5. Transfer Documents – This, in case, you have purchased a second-hand vehicle.

However, apart from all these documents’ folders to be carried, one can also travel having soft copies of the same.

And Now There Is No Penalty For Not Carrying Hard Copies Of Your Vehicle!!!

Yes, spacing from all these, the new law, digitizing India, will help people from carrying these crucial documents while travelling. The initiative has also been taken to reduce the administrative overhead of government departments by minimising paper use.

Amendments under Section 139 of the Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1989 and Information Technology Act, 2000 will allow people to have the digital form of the driving licence and the registration copy, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated.[1]

However, it is to be noted that a normal scanned copy of these documents will not be considered.

The new law notes that these original documents should be scanned on DigiLocker i.e. the central government’s application and should be shown when asked by an officer concerned.

The Madras High Court has decided that “Drivers do not need to carry physical copies of driving licence or any other vehicle document as electronic copies are valid.”[2]

Moreover, the e-paper rule said that even in case of a traffic rule violation, there is no necessary to have physical copies of the documents for physical copies can be obtained from the software database.

It is time to go green, eco-friendly and thereby go digitalized, minimising the use of environmental resources and saving a lot of time and energy, saving you from obtaining or applying for the same in case your documents get lost. Practising digital steps will save time, Time-saving will make you explore more, Exploring will make our country develop and grow.[3]

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[1] Dipayan Dutta, Great news! Physical Driving Licenses no longer mandatory: All about Digital DL, Financial Express, Available Here

[2] No need to carry physical copies of driving licence, other vehicle documents: Madras HC, Available Here

[3] Acceptance of Driving Licence, Registration Certificate or other documents presented through DigiLocker or mParivahan platform, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MVLSection), Available Here

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