Expired Driving Licence Cannot Be Treated As Valid: Supreme Court

Expired Driving Licence Cannot Be Treated As Valid: Supreme Court The Supreme Court has ruled that a driving licence becomes invalid immediately after expiry without renewal. The Supreme Court has ruled that a driving licence does not remain valid beyond its expiry date unless it is renewed, making it clear that an expired licence cannot be treated as automatically extended under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, as amended. A bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and S.V. N Bhatti said that following the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, a licence holder becomes legally unfit to drive from the very next day after the licence expires if it is not renewed. The court noted that this results in a “legal disability" to drive. Recommended Stories Explaining the law, the bench said the amended provisions no longer allow any grace period after expiry. Earlier, before the 2019 amendment, the law permitted an automatic extension of 30 days from the date of expiry. That provision, the court said, no longer exists. “The first proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 15, gives a window to a person for renewal of his existing licence, which starts one year prior to the date of the expiry of the licence and continues for one year post-expiry. The theory that once a licence is renewed, even after a gap, the renewal would operate from a back date implying that the licence was continuing and valid even for and during the interregnum cannot be countenanced," the bench observed. The ruling came in a judgment delivered on December 18, 2025, in which the Supreme Court allowed an appeal filed by the Telangana State Level Police Recruitment Board. The appeal challenged a 2023 decision of the Telangana High Court that had allowed certain candidates to apply for the post of driver even though their licences had expired within the two years preceding the recruitment notification. The candidates had later renewed their licences after a gap. Setting aside the High Court’s order, the Supreme Court held that the requirement of possessing a valid driving licence continuously for the two years preceding the recruitment notification was reasonable and lawful. The bench also rejected the argument that passing a driving test could compensate for the lack of a continuously valid licence. “The driving test is by way of abundant caution to verify and ensure that the candidate is in regular practice of driving. It cannot be construed as waiving the requirement of having a valid driving licence continuously for a period of two years prior to the dates of the notifications," the court said. The judgment clarifies the legal position on licence validity and reinforces stricter compliance with renewal rules under the amended law. Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Latest India News along with detailed National Updates . Explore the latest updates on World News , Politics , City News , Explainers , and Expert Opinion . Follow News18 on Google . Join the fun, play games on...

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