Altering vehicle colours can lead to imprisonment
The process to change the colour of a vehicle, officials said, was to apply for permission and pay a fee. Upon approval, the owner can change the colour
Hyderabad: In a recent case, the Jubilee Hills police booked a motorist for re-painting his high-end car without permission from the RTA. There is indeed a section in the Motor Vehicles Act that enjoins vehicle owners to apply for permission to repaint their vehicle in a different colour.
Motorist Sujeeth Vasanth had coated his car in a shiny teal and gold finish. Police booked cases against both the car owner and ‘Wrap Team’ at Road No. 12 Banjara Hills, which did the coating job, on tampering charges.
According to the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, altering the colour of a vehicle without official approval is a violation of the law.
A senior police officer said that both vehicle owners and the establishment executing the job will face legal consequences if they violate regulations. Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which states that no owner of a motor vehicle shall alter the vehicle in such a way that the particulars contained in the certificate of registration are changed with those originally specified by the manufacturer.
Along with Section 52, Section 182A (1) of the Motor Vehicles Act stipulates that anyone who alters a vehicle’s colour can face penalties, with either a fine of up to Rs.1 lakh or imprisonment of up to one year, or both.
The process to change the colour of a vehicle, officials said, was to apply for permission and pay a fee. Upon approval, the owner can change the colour.
Sources also said that changing the vehicle colour could cause trouble with the insurers if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
According to Purshotham Reddy, RTO, “It is illegal to change the colour of the vehicle without taking permission. Authorities will slap a fine between Rs.1,000 and Rs.5,000 if the colour of the vehicle is different from the one mentioned in the RC.”
