Seat Belt Law in Punjab 2026: Front Passenger Must Wear One Too, on Every Road, Rs 2,000 Fine

Short answer: in Punjab the driver and the person in the front passenger seat must both wear a seat belt, on every road, not only on main roads. Two changes to the law in 2026 did this. In February the words "on a notified road" were removed, and in May the front passenger was added. The fine in the law is Rs 2,000 for a car up to 2,000 cc, Rs 3,000 for a bigger car or a heavy vehicle, plus 2 penalty points. Rear seat passengers are not covered by the Punjab section.

For years many drivers in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi wore the belt only on a few main roads, because the old rule applied only to "notified" roads. That is no longer the law. This guide sets out the Punjab seat belt law as it stands on 6 November 2026, who must wear one, who is exempt, and what a ticket costs.

We read the consolidated Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 on the Punjab Code site and the Traffic Police Punjab offences page on 6 November 2026.

The driver and the front passenger must wear a seat belt

Section 89-B of the Punjab law says a person driving a motor car, motor cab, light transport vehicle or heavy transport vehicle, and any person in the front passenger seat, shall fasten a seat belt. Both front seats are now covered.

The front passenger part was added by the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Act 2026, published in the Punjab Gazette on 7 May 2026. Before that, only the driver had to wear the belt under this section.

The section does not mention rear seat passengers. So, under Punjab law, a person in the back seat is not required to wear one. Wearing one is still safer wherever a rear belt is fitted.

The rule now applies on every road in Punjab

The Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2026, published on 19 February 2026, removed the words "on a notified road" from section 89-B. Until then the rule applied only on roads the government had notified for it.

Now there is no such limit. The belt is required in a city street, on a district road and on a provincial highway alike. Here is how the rule changed in 2026:

On motorways and national highways a federal law applies. The Eighth Schedule of the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000 says a driver shall not drive a vehicle without seat belts. Our guide to motorway driving rules covers the rest of that list.

Four cases are exempt under the law

Section 89-B(2) lists the cases where the rule does not apply. If none of them fits you, you must wear the belt.

• Medical exemption. The driver holds a medical exemption certificate from a qualified medical practitioner.
• No belt fitted. The maker did not fit a seat belt in the vehicle.
• Some vehicle types. Two and three wheelers, delivery vans, emergency vehicles and goods vehicles.
• Reversing. The driver is reversing the vehicle.

Section 89-B(3) also lets the government exempt a class of vehicles or people, and charge a fee for it. We did not find any such exemption notice on the Punjab Code page.

Note that the medical exemption is written for "the person who is driving". The section does not say the same about the front passenger, so a passenger with a medical reason should carry a doctor's letter and ask the traffic police before relying on it.

The fine is Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 with 2 points

The Twelfth Schedule of the Punjab law, replaced in full on 7 May 2026, sets the ticket for "non-fastening of seat belt while driving". The amounts depend on the vehicle:

1. Car or jeep up to 2,000 cc: Rs 2,000.
2. Car or jeep above 2,000 cc: Rs 3,000.
3. Motor cab or delivery van: Rs 2,000.
4. Light transport vehicle: Rs 2,000.
5. Heavy transport vehicle: Rs 3,000.

Each ticket also adds 2 penalty points. More than 20 points in one year means a six month disqualification, as our guide to Punjab licence points explains.

The Traffic Police Punjab offences page shows different, higher figures: Rs 5,000 for a car, and Rs 10,000 for a luxury car and for public service and transport vehicles. That page still says "on a notified road", the wording removed in February 2026, so it looks older than the law. The law is the authority where they differ. Our wider Punjab traffic fines list covers other offences.

The ticket must be paid within 10 days through a bank app or other approved channel. If it is not, the case goes to court, and a court can double the fine.

Common questions

Is the seat belt compulsory for the front passenger in Punjab?

Yes, since the Second Amendment Act of 7 May 2026. Section 89-B now covers any person in the front passenger seat as well as the driver.

Do rear seat passengers have to wear a seat belt in Punjab?

Not under section 89-B. It names the driver and the front passenger only. It is still safer to wear one if your car has rear belts.

Is the seat belt needed on small city roads?

Yes. The words "on a notified road" were removed on 19 February 2026, so the rule applies on every road in Punjab.

What is the seat belt fine in Punjab?

The law sets Rs 2,000 for a car up to 2,000 cc and Rs 3,000 for a bigger car or a heavy transport vehicle, with 2 points. The traffic police page still shows older, higher figures.

Do rickshaw and goods vehicle drivers need a seat belt?

No. Two and three wheelers, delivery vans, emergency vehicles and goods vehicles are exempt under section 89-B(2).

Can I avoid the fine with a medical reason?

Only if you are the driver and hold a medical exemption certificate from a qualified medical practitioner. Carry it in the car.

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, the 2026 changes, the exemptions, the ticket amounts and the payment rules are from sections 89-B and 116-A and the Twelfth Schedule of the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 on the Punjab Code site, with its footnotes on the Amendment Act of 19 February 2026 and the Second Amendment Act of 7 May 2026. The older ticket table is from the Traffic Police Punjab offences page. The motorway rule is from the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000 published by NHMP.