Mumbai is one of the most crowded cities in our country. To manage busy roads and traffic, traffic inspectors and constables are posted on multiple checkpoints. Therefore, if you are driving in Mumbai, chances are high that you will be pulled over and asked to show your licence. If you fail to produce a valid licence, a challan will be issued against the vehicle. The penalty charges applicable in the state of Maharashtra are also applicable in Mumbai. More details on how to avoid getting a licence challan in Mumbai are provided in this article.
What is a Licence Challan?
Licence challan refers to the challan issued for driving without a licence. It contains details such as car number, penalty charges, date of issuance, reason for issuance, and more. Carrying all the documents including licence, Registration Certificate (RC), and a valid insurance is a must while driving any vehicle.
The challan is also issued if your licence has expired or if you are using someone else’s licence. Moreover, you must follow all the traffic rules ardently and avoid violations such as overspeeding, reckless driving, not following signals, etc. The challan type and amount vary as per the traffic violation.
Following all the traffic rules is also important because it determines your safety while driving. Driving with all the precautions also helps you safeguard the safety of others.
What is the Fine for Driving Without a License Challan in Mumbai?
Driving without a licence is a major traffic violation. The penalty for the same varies from one state to another. Initially, only Rs. 500 was charged by the traffic inspectors across the country for breaking this rule. However, the traffic rules have become more stringent in recent times. The below table shows the exact fees charged by the traffic police for driving without a licence in Mumbai:
| Offence | Fine |
| First time offender | Rs. 5000 |
| Repeat offender | Rs. 10,000 |
For repeat offenders, the traffic police may also decide to impound or seize the vehicle. If you are found violating other rules while driving without a licence, you could also be sentenced to jail for up to 3 months. Driving without a licence also nullifies any claims for insurance to cover the cost of damages. Your insurance premium will also be higher in the future if you keep violating traffic rules.
How to Pay Challan for Driving Without License Challan in Mumbai?
The traffic police has installed CCTV cameras, sensors, and speed guns at important junctures of roads and highways. Therefore, an e-challan can be issued for your vehicle even if you are not pulled up by the traffic police for breaking any rule.
If you get stopped by the traffic inspector and are found driving without a licence, a licence challan will be issued immediately. You can choose to pay the fine in-person to clear the challan then and there. If you don’t have any source to pay the challan, you can request the traffic police to let you pay the challan online. Follow these steps to pay an e-challan issued against your vehicle:
- Step 1: Multiple online platforms are available for the payment of e-challan in India. One of the most common platforms used by the citizens is the eParivahan website.
- Step 2: You just have to visit this website and click on the ‘Check Challan Status’ link. Upon clicking on this link, you will be directed to a new page where you can enter your challan number and proceed to pay against it.
- Step 3: In case you are unaware of the challan number, you can simply enter your vehicle number and check the pending challan against it. Here, all the challan issued against your vehicle including those cleared and still pending will be displayed on the screen.
- Step 4: Now, select the challan you want to pay against, and pay the fees via net banking, UPI, credit card, or debit card. Once the payment is successful, you must save or download the receipt for future reference.
You can also clear your e-challans via Spinny’s official website or app now. Just download the app or visit the website to initiate the process. Now, enter your vehicle number or challan number and pay the fees online via credit card, debit card, UPI, or net banking. The receipt will be available in PDF format which you can download for your reference. It is also possible to clear multiple challan at once using this method.
Once a challan is issued against your vehicle, you must clear it within 90 days. Failing to do so might trigger legal action such as court summons against you. Your vehicle can be seized and heavy penalties can be issued against your vehicle.
E-challans can be issued against your vehicle for breaking traffic rules even if you were not driving it. Therefore, it is recommended that you keep checking the challan online from time to time. Also, avoid lending your vehicle to those relatives and friends who are habitual of breaking traffic rules.
How to Avoid Getting a Challan for Driving Without a Licence Challan in Mumbai?
Here are a few ways to avoid getting a challan for driving without a licence in Mumbai:
Follow All the Traffic Rules
Drivers mostly get pulled over by the traffic police for violating a traffic rule. They first ask you to show your licence to verify if you have acquired a valid driving licence or not. Therefore, you must not only carry the driving licence along with other documents but must also follow all the traffic rules ardently. This will help you avoid challan while driving in Mumbai.
Check if You Have a Valid Licence
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) issues different types of licences for different vehicles. Therefore, the licence for two wheelers and four wheeler vehicles are different. Moreover, the class of the vehicle also determines the licence type.
For example, the licence for heavy vehicles such as trucks, containers, etc. are different as compared to the licence for light vehicles such as cars or jeeps. You are also liable for a challan if you are found using a vehicle licence which is not applicable for your vehicle. Therefore, you must always have a licence which is valid for your vehicle.
You must also check whether your vehicle licence has expired or not. Expired licences also lead to licence challans, especially when more than a month has passed after the expiry.
Challenge Your Challan in Lok Adalat
Lok Adalat is organised to settle trivial crimes and traffic violation cases. You can challenge your licence challan in Lok Adalat if you feel that the challan has been wrongly issued against your vehicle.
You must produce the necessary evidence such as photos or videos for validating your claim. This is the very reason why most people install a dashcam on their vehicle.
If multiple challan have been issued against your vehicle, you can also request for a discount from the court. The challan issued against your name must be of non-serious nature for availing this discount. You can present your case yourself in Lok Adalat and therefore, there is no need to hire a lawyer to fight your case.
Conclusion
These were some of the situations that may arise while driving without a driving licence in Mumbai. Following the traffic rules is the key but you must also get a valid driving licence for your vehicle. Ensure that you know all the traffic rules and try to follow them sincerely. Also, renew your licence before it expires to avoid any penalty in the future.
FAQs about Driving Without a Challan
Q. How much penalty should I pay for driving without a licence in Mumbai?
The penalty for the first offence is Rs. 5000. If you are found later driving without a licence a fine of Rs. 10,000 will be imposed on your vehicle.
Q. What happens if I don’t clear the traffic challans in Mumbai?
If you don’t clear a challan even after 90 days of issuance, a legal notice can be sent to you. You will have to pay hefty penalties for not clearing the challan. Additionally, if you have committed a serious traffic offence, you may be imprisoned or your licence and vehicle will be seized by the traffic police.
Q. How to check pending RTO challan in Mumbai?
Visit the official site of eParivahan and enter your vehicle number to check the pending challan. You may also download Spinny’s app to check the pending challan against your vehicle.
Q. How much is the fine for driving with an expired licence in Mumbai?
The fee for driving with an expired licence is the same as driving without a licence i.e. Rs. 5000.
Q. How to reduce traffic challan in Mumbai?
You can request the judge to reduce your traffic fine in Lok Adalat. If your traffic violation is of non-serious nature such as not wearing a helmet/seatbelt, overspeeding, etc. you may get a discount. You can also get a discount by clearing multiple challans at once in the RTO.
