Traffic Rules 2026: Big Change! Driving License May Be Cancelled After 5 Mistakes, Check Details Here

The central government has taken a historic step to strengthen the country’s road safety system and change the reckless attitude of drivers. The traffic rules have been radically changed under the ‘Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules 2026’. Till now, only in case of major accidents or crimes, there was a risk of cancellation of the license, but under the new rules, even a repetition of minor mistakes can take away your driving license.

The main aim of the government is to change the behavior of drivers by threatening them with punishment and reduce the number of road accidents. The details of the new rules are discussed below.

New equation for license cancellation

According to the new rules, if a driver violates the traffic law 5 times in a year, the authorities will have full power to cancel or suspend his driving license. This system is being moved from ‘event-based’ to ‘behavioral-based’ or behavioral control.

For which mistakes will the danger increase?

The government has identified a total of 24 types of traffic offences that can lead to the cancellation of your license. Among these, there is no distinction between ‘minor’ or small mistakes and ‘major’ or big mistakes. Each mistake will be given equal importance. The main ones that will be monitored are:

Violating the speed limit or overspeeding.
Not wearing a seat belt or helmet.
Talking on a mobile phone while driving.
Disobeying a red light.
Driving in the wrong direction (Wrong Side Driving).
Driving on the road without valid documents.
Strict surveillance of technology and the role of the RTO

Even if the police are not standing on the road, your mistakes will now be caught digitally. Drivers will be monitored through ANPR cameras, CCTV and e-challan. This information will be submitted directly to the ‘Vahan’ and ‘Sarathi’ portals.

Whenever a driver makes the fifth mistake, an alert will automatically reach the RTO.
Before the license is cancelled, a ‘Show Cause Notice’ will be sent to the driver, giving him an opportunity to defend himself.
Depending on the situation, the RTO can issue a warning, suspend the license for a few days or cancel it for life.

Strictness regarding toll tax and NOC

The government has tightened not only traffic rules, but also to prevent toll tax evasion. If your vehicle has any toll payment outstanding, then you will have to face big problems:

NOC will be blocked: If there is any outstanding toll, the vehicle will not be able to get a ‘No Objection Certificate’. As a result, you will not be able to sell the vehicle or transfer it to another state.

Fitness and permit problems: The fitness certificate of old private cars or commercial vehicles will not be renewed. It will also be impossible to get permits for commercial vehicles.

It has been said that these strict steps have been taken to reduce road accidents and create a seamless toll system in the future.