India

My driving licence was suspended. How do I appeal?

30 days
Appeal deadline
Section 97
Motor Vehicles Act
State Transport
First appeal body
Appellate Tribu
Second appeal option
The Short Answer

You can appeal a driving licence suspension to the State Transport Authority or the Motor Vehicle Appellate Tribunal within 30 days of the suspension order.

What the Law Says

The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 governs appeals against driving licence suspensions in India. The law provides a clear statutory right to challenge such orders before designated authorities.

Under Section 97 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, any person aggrieved by an order suspending or cancelling their driving licence may appeal to the State Transport Authority (STA) within 30 days from the date of the order.

If dissatisfied with the STA’s decision, a further appeal lies before the Motor Vehicle Appellate Tribunal (MVAT), also within 30 days of the STA’s order.

The appeal must be filed in the prescribed Form MV-32 (as per the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989), accompanied by the required fee and supporting documents such as the suspension order, licence copy, and grounds of appeal.

Statutory Text

Any person aggrieved by an order made under section 96 may, within thirty days from the date of such order, prefer an appeal to the State Transport Authority.

— Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, s. 97 — Appeal against order of suspension or cancellation of driving licence

What to Do

1

Obtain a certified copy of the suspension order from the concerned Regional Transport Office (RTO).

2

Prepare your appeal in Form MV-32, stating factual and legal grounds for challenging the suspension.

3

Submit the appeal along with supporting documents and fee to the State Transport Authority within 30 days.

4

If the STA dismisses your appeal, file a second appeal before the Motor Vehicle Appellate Tribunal within another 30 days.

5

Attend all hearings and keep copies of all submissions and acknowledgements.

Sources

statuteMotor Vehicles Act, 1988, s. 97 — Appeal against order of suspension or cancellation of driving licencestatuteCentral Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 — Rule 89 and Form MV-32

Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.