Mobile Phone While Driving Fine in Punjab: Rs 1,000 for a Bike, Rs 3,000 for a Car, Plus 3 Points

Short answer: in Punjab you may not drive while using a hand-held mobile phone. Section 101-A of the Punjab motor vehicles law bans it. The ticket in the law is Rs 1,000 for a motorcycle or rickshaw and Rs 3,000 for a car, van, bus or truck, plus 3 penalty points. The only exception is calling the police, fire brigade, ambulance or another emergency service, or acting in an emergency.

A quick reply on WhatsApp at a signal, a call held between the ear and the shoulder on a bike, a map on the phone in one hand. All three are common on Punjab roads. This guide explains the mobile phone while driving rule in Punjab as the law now stands, what it costs, how the points work, and what the motorway rule adds.

We read the consolidated Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 on the Punjab Code site, the Traffic Police Punjab offences page and NHMP's National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000 on 6 November 2026.

Section 101-A bans driving while using a hand-held phone

Section 101-A says a person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using a hand-held mobile telephone. It also covers "a device which performs an interactive communication function of transmitting and receiving data", which takes in tablets and similar devices.

The words "motor vehicle" include motorcycles and rickshaws, not only cars. So the rule applies to a bike rider holding a phone just as much as to a car driver.

The section was added to the Punjab law by the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2009. It has been the law for years. What changed in 2026 is the ticket amount and the points.

Only two emergency exceptions are allowed

Section 101-A(2) says a driver is not guilty if, at the time, they were doing one of two things. These are the only exceptions in the section.

• Calling an emergency service. Using the phone to call the police, fire brigade, ambulance or another emergency service, such as 15 or 1122.
• Acting in an emergency. Using the phone in response to an emergency.

A call from the office, a delivery app or a family member is not an emergency under these words. Pull over safely before you take it.

The section names a "hand-held" phone. It does not say anything about a phone fixed in a holder or a hands-free kit. It does not allow them in clear words either, so the safest course is to set your map before you start and keep calls short or wait until you stop.

The ticket is Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 with 3 points

The Twelfth Schedule of the Punjab law sets the on the spot ticket for "use of hand-held mobile phone while driving". It was replaced on 7 May 2026 by the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Act 2026, which also brought in penalty points.

The last column is from the Traffic Police Punjab offences page, read the same day. That page has no points and still uses wording on seat belts that the law dropped in February 2026, so it looks older than the law. Where they differ, the law as published on the Punjab Code site is the authority.

Section 101-A itself also sets a fine of Rs 200 to Rs 500, or Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 for a transport vehicle. That is the punishment a court can give under the section. The ticket system in section 116-A uses the Twelfth Schedule amounts above.

Points can cost you your licence for six months

The 3 points matter more than the money for regular offenders. Section 116-A(5-B) says that when a driver's points add up to more than 20 within one year, the licence office must disqualify them from holding a licence for six months. That can be extended by another six months.

Here is how the numbers work for the phone offence alone:

1. Each phone ticket adds 3 points.
2. Seven tickets in a year make 21 points, which is more than 20.
3. At that point the licence office must disqualify you for six months.
4. A repeat offence within one month also costs 5 per cent more than the last fine.
5. A ticket not paid within 10 days goes to court, where a guilty finding doubles the fine.

Other offences add points too, so a driver with a phone habit and a speeding habit reaches 20 much sooner. Our guide to licence points in Punjab covers the full system, and our challan check guide shows how to look up tickets against your vehicle.

On the motorway the phone rule is wider

Motorways follow the federal National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000, enforced by the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP). Part VII of its Eighth Schedule, the rules for driving on a motorway, says: do not use any kind of phone inside a vehicle in any manner which is likely to adversely affect driving concentration.

That rule says "any kind of phone", not only a hand-held one. So on the M-2 or M-3, a phone in a holder that takes your attention can still break the rule. Our guide to motorway driving rules lists the other duties, and our Punjab traffic fines list covers city offences.

Common questions

What is the fine for using a mobile phone while driving in Punjab?

The ticket in the law is Rs 1,000 for a motorcycle or rickshaw and Rs 3,000 for a car or transport vehicle, with 3 penalty points.

Can I use my phone at a red signal in Punjab?

Section 101-A covers using a hand-held phone while driving a motor vehicle. It has no exception for waiting at a signal, so do not pick it up until you have parked.

Is a hands-free call allowed while driving in Punjab?

Section 101-A names hand-held phones only, and is silent on hands-free kits. On motorways, the NHMP rule bans any phone use that harms concentration.

Does the phone rule apply to motorcycle riders?

Yes. A motorcycle is a motor vehicle, and the Twelfth Schedule sets a Rs 1,000 ticket and 3 points for a bike rider using a hand-held phone.

Can I call 1122 while driving?

Yes. Section 101-A(2) says a driver is not guilty if they are calling the police, fire, ambulance or another emergency service, or acting in an emergency.

How many phone tickets lead to a licence suspension?

Seven tickets in one year make 21 points. More than 20 points in a year means a six month disqualification under section 116-A.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 6 November 2026. The rule, exceptions, court fine, ticket amounts, points and payment rules are from sections 101-A and 116-A and the Twelfth Schedule of the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 on the Punjab Code site. The older ticket table is from the Traffic Police Punjab offences page. The motorway rule is from the Eighth Schedule of the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000.