Road Traffic Act 1961 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 2 · Licensing of Drivers and Riders
42. Disqualification for offences
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A court may ban a person convicted of a driving offence from holding or getting a driving licence. It may do the same for an offence in a road dispute, if it thinks the offender should stop driving. The ban may last for life or any period, and cover only the vehicle class involved. The ban may be appealed.
Summary · Drafted with AI, checked against the official text on 30 Sep 2026.
Last amended by an amending law of 2021.
Where a person (called in this section the offender) is convicted of —
an offence under this Act or any other written law in connection with the driving of a motor vehicle; or
an offence under this Act or any other written law and —
at the time of the commission of the offence, the offender was the driver or was in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place;
the person against whom the offence was committed was the driver of another vehicle on the road or public place, a passenger in that other vehicle or a pedestrian on the road or public place;
the court convicting the offender of the offence is satisfied that the commission of the offence arose from or was connected with a dispute between the offender and that other person over the use of the road or public place; and
having regard to the circumstances under which the offence was committed and the behaviour of the offender, the court is of the opinion that it is undesirable for the offender to continue to be allowed to drive a motor vehicle,the court may, in addition to imposing on the offender the punishment provided for such offence, make an order disqualifying the offender from holding or obtaining a driving licence for life or for any period that the court thinks fit.
Subsection (1) is subject to any provision in this Act expressly providing otherwise.
If the court thinks fit, any disqualification imposed under this section may be limited to the driving of a motor vehicle of the same class or description as the motor vehicle in relation to which the offence was committed.
motor vehicle
“motor vehicle” means a vehicle that —(a)is propelled wholly or partly by a motor or by any means other than human or animal power; and(b)is used or intended to be used on any road;
A person who, by virtue of an order of a court, is disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence may appeal against the order in the same manner as against a conviction, and the court may if it thinks fit, pending the appeal, suspend the operation of the order.
driving licence
“driving licence” means a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under the provisions of Part 2;