Procedure in applying for and granting permits
Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 deals with procedure in applying for and granting permits. An application for a permit of any kind may be made at any time. The Act came into force on 01 Jul 1989.
(1) An application for a permit of any kind may be made at any time.
(2) A 1[Regional Transport Authority, State Transport Authority or any prescribed authority referred to in sub-section (1) of section 66] shall not ordinarily refuse to grant an application for permit of any kind made at any time under this Act:
Provided that the 1[Regional Transport Authority, State Transport Authority or any prescribed authority referred to in sub-section (1) of section 66] may summarily refuse the application if the grant of any permit in accordance with the application would have the effect of increasing the number of stage carriages as fixed and specified in a notification in the Official Gazette under clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 71 or of contract carriages as fixed and specified in a notification in the Official Gazette under clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 74:
Provided further that where a 2[Regional Transport Authority, State Transport Authority or any prescribed authority referred to in sub-section (1) of section 66] refuses an application for the grant of a permit of any kind under this Act, it shall give to the applicant in writing its reasons for the refusal of the same and an opportunity of being heard in the matter.
(3) An application to vary the conditions of any permit, other than a temporary permit, by the inclusion of a new route or routes of a new area or by altering the route or routes or area covered by it, or in the case of a stage carriage permit by increasing the number of trips above the specified maximum or by the variation, extension or curtailment of the route or routes or the area specified in the permit shall be treated as an application for the grant of a new permit:
Provided that it shall not be necessary so to treat an application made by the holder of stage carriage permit who provides the only service on any route to increase the frequency of the service so provided without any increase in the number of vehicles:
Provided further that,--
(i) in the case of variation, the termini shall not be altered and the distance covered by the variation shall not exceed twenty-four kilometres;
(ii) in the case of extension, the distance covered by extension shall not exceed twenty-four kilometres from the termini,
and any such variation or extension within such limits shall be made only after the transport authority is satisfied that such variation will serve the convenience of the public and that it is not expedient to grant a separate permit in respect of the original route as so varied or extended or any part thereof.
(4) A 2[Regional Transport Authority, State Transport Authority or any prescribed authority referred to in sub-section (1) of section 66] may, before such date as may be specified by it in this behalf, replace any permit granted by it before the said date by a fresh permit conforming to the provisions of section 72 or section 74 or section 76 or section 79, as the case may be, and the fresh permit shall be valid for the same route or routes or the same area for which the replaced permit was valid:
Provided that no condition other than a condition which was already attached to the replaced permit or which could have been attached thereto under the law in force when that permit was granted shall be attached to the fresh permit except with the consent in writing of the holder of the permit.
(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 81, a permit issued under the provisions of sub-section (4) shall be effective without renewal for the remainder of the period during which the replaced permit would have been so effective.
Section 80, The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Act 59 of 1988).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
This section refers to
- s. 66 Necessity for permits
- s. 71 Procedure of Regional Transport Authority in considering application for stage carriage permit
- s. 72 Grant of stage carriage permits
- s. 74 Grant of contract carriage permit
- s. 76 Application for private service vehicle permit
- s. 79 Grant of goods carriage permit
- s. 81 Duration and renewal of permits
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… Mere reading of the said condition would go to show that the request of the respondent before us definitely has not been considered in the light of Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. By keeping the legal obligation in perspective, the writ petition has been ordered by the impugned judgment. 4. Learned Senior Government Pleader contends that under Section 72 of the Act, the transport authority has the power and discretion to consider granting stage carriage …
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… by Shri Mool Singh wherein challenge is given to the direction passed by the learned Single Bench in the writ petition of Shri Mool Singh quashing the extension of route granted to the writ petitioner on the ground that the same exceeds the mandatory outer limit of 24 Kms. as per second proviso to sub-section (3) of Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the said direction of the learned Single Bench is absolutely justified because had the extended route permit issued to Mool Singh been sustained, it would amount to clear violation of the statutory provision and the interpretation thereof made by the learned Single Bench in the writ …
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… by Shri Mool Singh wherein challenge is given to the direction passed by the learned Single Bench in the writ petition of Shri Mool Singh quashing the extension of route granted to the writ petitioner on the ground that the same exceeds the mandatory outer limit of 24 Kms. as per second proviso to sub-section (3) of Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the said direction of the learned Single Bench is absolutely justified because had the extended route permit issued to Mool Singh been sustained, it would amount to clear violation of the statutory provision and the interpretation thereof made by the learned Single Bench in the writ …
Questions about Section 80
What does Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act deal with?
Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act is headed "Procedure in applying for and granting permits". An application for a permit of any kind may be made at any time.
How do I find court cases under Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: MV Act 80, section 80 MV Act, section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.
What should I read with Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 66 (Necessity for permits), section 71 (Procedure of Regional Transport Authority in considering application for stage carriage permit), section 72 (Grant of stage carriage permits), section 74 (Grant of contract carriage permit), and on 3 further provisions, so none of them can safely be read on its own. 3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.
When did Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act come into force?
Section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act, cited as MV Act 80, came into force on 01 Jul 1989, having been enacted on 14 Oct 1988. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 2. Definitions1948 words
- 88. Validation of permits for use outside region in which granted1560 words
- 51. Special provisions regarding motor vehicle subject to hire-purchase agreement, etc1199 words
- 150. Duty of insurers to satisfy judgments and awards against persons insured in respect of third party risks1102 words
- 96. Power of State Government to make rules for the purposes of this Chapter995 words
- 72. Grant of stage carriage permits868 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.