Whether you have violated a traffic rule purposely or by mistake, it is mandatory to pay a traffic challan. If you think you can get away with a traffic challan, then you must know that you are inviting trouble for yourself. There is no way you can dodge this obligation. Not paying a traffic challan on time is also a punishable offense that can attract legal action against you.
Though no cops or local authority has the right to recover a fine from you forcibly, however, other measures can be taken against you, such as suspension of license, additional fines/penalties, etc. To avoid these circumstances, it is best to obey traffic rules and pay your traffic challan on time, as the penalty amount has become hefty across the country. Also, if you believe that a wrong challan is issued to you, then you can contest it and file a complaint against it.
Many people in India want to pay their challan but are not aware of the process. In this the article, we will guide you on how to pay an e-challan pending in court and the consequences of not paying a traffic challan on time.
What happens if you don’t pay your traffic challan in India?
In case you do not pay the traffic challan within the specified time (that usually ranges between 15 to 60 days from the date it was issued), there are a few things that can happen. Some of them are listed below:
- At first, a traffic police officer or a police constable will visit at violator’s registered home address to collect the challan amount.
- If the person is unavailable at home or is unable/refuses to pay the traffic challan amount, then a court summon will be issued against the violator. Following this, he/she will be asked to appear in court to clarify the reason for breaching the traffic law. Also, in court, it is up to the judge’s discretion on how much fine should be imposed against the violator. So, it is advisable to attend the court session and present your case diligently. A person can also plead to the judge for a reduction in traffic challan amount.
- In case, the person fails to appear in court and pay the challan amount, then as a last the resort, his driver’s license will be suspended until the due amount will be paid in full.
In some cases, during on-spot challan, a traffic police offer can seize a driver’s documents (RC) or bond a vehicle. So, the violator needs to go to the court to retrieve it. If the person fails to appear in court, a non-bailable warrant can be issued against them, along with heavy penalties and even imprisonment.
How to pay a traffic challan in India?
One can avoid the above consequences by paying their e-challan in a specified time. Below listed are some of the options through which a person can pay off their traffic challan.
Pay Online: Visit the Parivahan e-challan portal of your state to get challan details and make payments. One can use various digital apps/methods to make the payment, such as PhonePe, Paytm, and credit and debit cards.
Visit a court: If a traffic challan was not paid on the spot or within the stipulated time, it will be sent to the court or virtual court to make the settlement. Individuals have to visit the court to make the payment.
Pay it to the on-duty traffic police officer: One can complete the payment of their traffic challan directly through a traffic police officer, which is always the best and the easiest way.
Visit traffic police station: One can clear their traffic challan dues by visiting their nearest traffic police station. For this, a person has to carry their necessary documents and ask the assigned officer to check their challan amount and the same in cash upfront.
Latest Update:
As per the latest reports, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) is working on a format where a traffic challan amount can be recovered from an individual’s respective vehicle insurance. According to this project, if a person fails to pay off their traffic challan in time, then the amount can be recovered at the time of insurance renewal. Currently, the government is working on linking pending e-challans with insurance. The project will be initially administered in Delhi as a trial, and only after a successful trial it will be implemented across the country.
What happens if you do not pay a Traffic Challan in Delhi?
People in Delhi are given a grace period of 60 days, within which they are expected to make their traffic challan payment. The challan payment can be done either online or offline in Delhi. And, it is crucial to settle the traffic challan as early as possible to avoid any further legal actions.
In Delhi, if you fail to submit the e-challan on time, your challan is likely to go to court or virtual court. Following this, the vehicle owner needs to appear in court to pay fines and give clarification for not paying the challan on time. Even an on-spot challan can be sent to the court by the traffic police, if not paid within 60 days.
What happens if you do not pay a Traffic Challan in Mumbai?
In Mumbai, it is extremely difficult to avoid paying a traffic challan. The Government is all set to implement strict rules for vehicle owners who are intentionally trying to dodge a bullet by not making a challan payment for violating traffic laws. As per the latest update, the Maharashtra State Government will be penalizing traffic offenders with 10X the penalty amount of the original fine imposed, if not paid even after the deadline.
For example, if a person is issued with a traffic challan of Rs. 1,000 for a particular offense, and is not making the payment even after the deadline, he/she is bound to pay a new fine of Rs 10,000.
The Maharashtra traffic police now have also urged RTO to stop issuing transfer certificates to vehicles with unpaid challans. So, if a person wants to sell their vehicle, they have to settle their challan payments beforehand.
What happens if you do not pay a Traffic Challan in Odisha?
People in Odisha are required to make the traffic challan payment within 15 days from the date it is issued. Non-payment of the traffic e-challan in a stipulated time will lead to the Prosecution report (PR) being sent to the district court.
Following this, the vehicle owner will have to go to court to make the challan payment. In Odisha, if you do not pay your e-challan in a given time, a few vehicle services like Hypothecation Addition or Termination, Transfer of Ownership, and more are blocked till disposal of the e-Challan.
What happens if you do not pay a Traffic Challan in Kerala?
For people who do not pay the traffic fine in a given time in Kerala, there can be serious consequences. According to Kerala traffic rules and regulations, at first, a police constable will try to collect the unpaid challan amount from the offender’s registered address. If this fails, they might receive a summon notice that orders them to appear in a court of law and give clarification for not making a challan settlement on time. It is important to take action at this point to avoid getting into more trouble. If a person fails to show up in court they
will likely be charged with further penalties, including more fines and suspension of driver’s license for up to one year or more.
What happens if you do not pay a Traffic Challan in UP?
People in Uttar Pradesh are given a grace period of 60 days to pay the traffic challan from the date it is issued. One can complete their challan settlement using the Parivahan website, visit the traffic police department, or through the UP traffic police challan online payment system.
Strict action is taken against people who don’t pay the traffic fines within the given period. It is usually taken to a court of law for further legal action. And after that, the vehicle owner is required to appear in court to make the challan payment.
What happens if you do not pay a Traffic Challan in Chandigarh?
The time limit to pay an e-challan in Chandigarh is 60 days after its issuance. In Chandigarh, if you do not pay your traffic challan on time, the traffic police are authorized to take legal action against you, which might include suspending your driving license, impounding your vehicle, or even imprisonment. To avoid this, it is best to make the challan payment as soon as possible.
According to Chandigarh (Punjab/Haryana) traffic laws, at first, an officer or constable from the Traffic Police department will pay a visit to your registered home address to collect the penalty amount. If they don’t find anyone at home, the offender will be issued summon and asked to appear in court. If the defaulter still fails to attend the court hearing strict actions will be taken against them.