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MVA 1988 (Amended 2019)ORIGINALChapter II
Section 24-26
Extent of Driving Licence; Suspension Pending Disqualification; Driving Licence of Persons Residing in India
Licensing of Drivers of Motor Vehicles
Fine: N/ACompoundable: N/AEndorsement: No
BARE ACT PROVISION
Legal Text
Section 24: A driving licence issued under this Act shall be valid throughout India. Section 25: Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, where in pursuance of this Chapter a person is required to surrender his driving licence, the court or authority, as the case may be, shall, after receiving the driving licence, forward it to the licensing authority. Section 26: The Central Government shall maintain a register of driving licences in the prescribed form.
Simplified Explanation
These closing provisions of Chapter II consolidate several administrative matters. Section 24 reinforces the national validity of driving licences — one of the MVA's most practically important provisions, enabling drivers to use a single licence anywhere in India without endorsement. Section 25 establishes the administrative chain for surrendered licences — ensuring they reach the issuing RTO for proper recording rather than being retained by courts. Section 26 mandates the maintenance of a central register of driving licences — the legal basis for the Sarathi national driving licence database maintained by the National Informatics Centre. This central register is the foundation for enforcing national disqualifications, detecting duplicate licences, and enabling digital verification by traffic police and insurance companies.
Historical Context
Section 26's mandate for a central licence register was aspirational when enacted in 1988. It has been progressively realised through the Sarathi portal, which now contains records of over 200 million driving licences across India.Critical Changes
Sarathi portal — the practical realisation of Section 26's central register mandate.
Real-time verification of licence status now possible via mParivahan app.
AIS (Automated Information System) enables instant sharing of licence data with insurers and traffic police.
Practical Scenarios
"A traffic officer in Kerala scanning a driving licence from Bihar — Sarathi database allows instant verification of validity and any disqualification status."
Common Queries
Yes — Section 26 mandates a central register of driving licences, implemented through the Sarathi portal maintained by NIC. This database contains records for all licences issued across India and is accessible to RTOs, traffic police, and insurance companies.