Government Proposes 30-Day Grace Period for Driving Licence Renewals in New Bill

The Indian government is introducing amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act as part of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026. One major change includes a 30-day grace period for driving licence renewals after expiration, maintaining the validity of the licence during this time frame.

The proposed legislative update, introduced by Commerce and Industry Minister Jitin Prasada, aims to revise 79 central acts across 23 ministries. This includes de-criminalizing 717 provisions to aid ease of doing business and amending 67 provisions to facilitate living ease.

Specific proposals under the Motor Vehicle Act involve allowing state-wide vehicle registration and renewing driving licences from the renewal date, even if applied post-expiry. A longer report time for vehicle registration cancellations is also proposed, alongside financial penalties for violations related to compensation in hit-and-run cases.