Law stated in this book is as updated till 10th December, 2025
Published by : Taxmann Publications (P.) Ltd.
Sales & Marketing : 59/32, New Rohtak Road, New Delhi-110 005 India
Phone : +91-11-45562222
Website : www.taxmann.com
E-mail : sales@taxmann.com
Regd. Office : 21/35, West Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi-110 026 India
Printed at :
Tan Prints (India) Pvt. Ltd.
44 Km. Mile Stone, National Highway, Rohtak Road Village Rohad, Distt. Jhajjar (Haryana) India
E-mail : sales@tanprints.com
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to avoid errors or omissions in this publication. In spite of this, errors may creep in. Any mistake, error or discrepancy noted may be brought to our notice which shall be taken care of in the next edition. It is notified that neither the publisher nor the author or seller will be responsible for any damage or loss of action to any one, of any kind, in any manner, therefrom. It is suggested that to avoid any doubt the reader should cross-check all the facts, law and contents of the publication with original Government publication or notifications.
No part of this book may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means [graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information retrieval systems] or reproduced on any disc, tape, perforated media or other information storage device, etc., without the written permission of the publishers. Breach of this condition is liable for legal action.
For binding mistake, misprints or for missing pages, etc., the publisherās liability is limited to replacement within seven days of purchase by similar edition. All expenses in this connection are to be borne by the purchaser. All disputes are subject to Delhi jurisdiction only.
CARRIAGE BY ROAD ACT, 2007
4.
11.
12.
15.
18.
19. Composition of offences 15
20. Power to make rules 15
21. Power to remove dif culties 16
22. Repeal and saving 16 SUBJECT INDEX 17
INDIAN CARRIAGE OF GOODS BY SEA ACT, 1925
1. Short title and extent 19
2. Application of rules 19
3. Absolute warranty of seaworthiness not to be implied in contracts to which rules apply 20
4. Statement as to application of rules to be included in bills of lading 20
5. Modi cation of Article VI of rules in relation to goods carried in sailing ships and by prescribed routes 20
6. Modi cation of rules 4 and 5 of Article III in relation to bulk cargoes 20
7. Saving and operation 21
SCHEDULE : Rules relating to bills of lading 21
SUBJECT INDEX 27
CARRIAGE BY AIR ACT, 1972
1. Short title, extent and commencement 29
2. De nitions 29
3. Application of Convention to India 30
4. Application of amended Convention to India 30
4A. Application of Montreal Convention to India 31
5. Liability in case of death 31
6. Conversion of francs 33
6A. Conversion of Special Drawing Rights 33
7. Provisions regarding suits against High Contracting Parties who undertake carriage by air 34
8. Application of Act to carriage by air which is not international 34
8A. Power to make rules 35
9. [ Repealed by the Repealing and Amending Act, 1978, w.e.f. 26-11-1978] 35
CONTENTS
PAGE
FIRST SCHEDULE 35
SECOND SCHEDULE 43
THIRD SCHEDULE 51
SUBJECT INDEX 75
MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS ACT, 1993
CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY
1. Short title, extent and commencement 77
2. Definitions 77
CHAPTER II
REGULATION OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION
3. No person to carry on business without registration 80
4. Registration for multimodal transportation 81
5. Cancellation of registration 83
6. Appeal 84
CHAPTER III
MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT DOCUMENT
7. Issue of multimodal transport document 84
8. Multimodal transport document to be regarded as document of title 85
9. Contents of multimodal transport document 85
10. Reservation in the multimodal transport document 86
11. Evidentiary effect of the multimodal transport document 87
12. Responsibility of the consignor 87
CHAPTER IV
RESPONSIBILITIES AND LIABILITIES OF THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT OPERATOR
13. Basis of liability of multimodal transport operator 87
14. Limits of liability when the nature and value of the consignment have not been declared and stage of transport where loss or damage occurred is not known 88
15. Limits of liability when the nature and value of the consignment have not been declared and stage of transport where loss or damage occurred is known
16. Liability of the multimodal transport operator in case of delay in delivery of goods under certain circumstances
17. Assessment of compensation
18. Loss of right of multimodal transport operator to limit liability 91
19. Limit of liability of multimodal transport operator for total loss of goods 92
20. Notice of loss of or damage to goods 92
20A. Period of responsibility 92
CHAPTER V MISCELLANEOUS
21. Special provision for dangerous goods
22. Right of multimodal transport operator to have lien on goods and documents
23. General average
25. Jurisdiction for instituting action
26. Arbitration
27. Delegation of power
28. Multimodal transport contract to be made in accordance with this Act
29. Act of override other enactments
30. Power to make rules
31. [Repealed by the Repealing and Amending Act, 2001, w.e.f. 3-9-2001]
32. Repeal and savings
SCHEDULE [Repealed by the Repealing and Amending Act, 2001, w.e.f. 3-9-2001]
CARRIAGE BY ROAD RULES, 2011
1. Short title 101
2. De nitions
3. Application for grant or renewal of certi cate of registration
4. Conditions for grant of registration
5. Grant or renewal of certi cate of registration
6. Amendments in certi cate of registration
7. Suspension, revocation or cancellation of certi cate of registration
8. Form of register to be maintained by holder of certi cate of registration
9. Fee for appeal
10. Goods forwarding note and goods receipt
11. Procedure and safeguards for carrying goods of dangerous or hazardous nature
12. Liability of common carrier for loss of or damage to any consignment
13.
FORM 1: Application for Registration/Renewal
FORM 2: Certi cate of Registration
FORM 3: Application for Amendment in Registration
FORM 4: Amendment of Certi cate of Registration
FORM 5: Format of Register to be maintained by the Common Carrier
FORM 6: Consolidated Annual Return
FORM 7: Goods Forwarding Note
FORM 8: Goods Receipt
REGISTRATION OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT OPERATORS RULES, 1992
1. Short title and commencement
2. De nitions
3. Registration of Multimodal Transport Operator
4. Procedure for ling applications
5. Powers and functions of the competent authority
6. Renewal of Registration
7. Manner of Appeal
FORM I: Application for Registration as Multimodal Transport Operators under section 4 of the Multimodal Transportation of Goods Act, 1993
FORM II: Certi cate of Registration
FORM III: Form of Application for renewal of Registration
FORM IV: Appeal to be preferred by Multimodal Transport Operator to the Central Government
MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT DOCUMENT RULES,
1. Short title and commencement
2. De nitions
1994
3. Contract for Multimodal Transportation 121 NOTIFICATION
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Carriage by Road Act, 2007
[41 OF 2007]1
An Act to provide for the regulation of common carriers, limiting their liability and declaration of value of goods delivered to them to determine their liability for loss of, or damage to, such goods occasioned by the negligence or criminal acts of themselves, their servants or agents and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-eighth Year of the Republic of India as follows:ā
Short title, extent and commencement.
1. (1) This Act may be called the Carriage by Road Act, 2007.
(2) It extends to the whole of India, except the *State of Jammu and Kashmir.
(3) It shall come into force on such date2 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
Definitions.
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,ā
(a) ācommon carrierā means a person engaged in the business of collecting, storing, forwarding or distributing goods to be carried by goods carriages under a goods receipt or transporting for hire of goods from place to place by motorised transport on road, for all persons undiscriminatingly and includes a goods booking company, contractor, agent, broker and courier agency engaged in the door-to-door transportation of documents, goods or articles utilising the services of a person, either directly or indirectly, to carry or accompany such documents, goods or articles, but does not include the Government;
(b) āconsigneeā means the person named as consignee in the goods forwarding note;
(c) āconsignmentā means documents, goods or articles entrusted by the consignor to the common carrier for carriage, the description or details of which are given in the goods forwarding note;
1. Dated 29-9-2007.
2. With effect from 1-3-2011: Vide Notification No. S.O. 1738(E), dated 15-8-2010 [Corrected by Notification No. S.O. 2001(E), dated 13-8-2010].
*Now Union territory.
S. 2
CARRIAGE BY ROAD ACT, 2007 2
(d) āconsignorā means a person, named as consignor in the goods forwarding note, by whom or on whose behalf the documents, goods or articles covered by such forwarding note are entrusted to the common carrier for carriage thereof;
(e) āgoodsā includesā
(i) containers, pallets or similar articles of transport used to consolidate goods; and
(ii) animals or livestock;
(f) āgoods forwarding noteā means the document executed under section 8;
(g) āgoods receiptā means the receipt issued under section 9;
(h) āpersonā includes any association or body of persons, whether incorporated or not, a road transport booking company, contractor and an agent or a broker carrying on the business of a common carrier;
(i) āprescribedā means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(j) āregistering authorityā means a State Transport Authority or a Regional Transport Authority constituted under section 68 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (59 of 1988);
(k) āregistrationā means the registration granted or renewed under sub-section (5) of section 4.
COMMENTS
SECTION NOTES
2.1 Common Carrier [Section 2(a)]
Common carrier refers to a person or business that is engaged in the motorised road transportation of goods for hire, on a non-discriminatory basis, and includes a variety of parties involved in the transportation process:
A person who collects, stores, forwards, or distributes goods to be carried.
A goods booking company, contractor, agent, broker, or courier agency involved in the door-to-door transportation of goods, documents, or articles using motorized transport.
Importantly, the de nition excludes the Government from being considered a common carrier, even if it provides transportation services.
2.2 Consignee [Section 2(b)]
The consignee is the one named in the goods forwarding note to whom the goods are to be delivered after transport.
2.3 Consignment [Section 2(c)]
Consignment refers to the goods, documents, or articles that are entrusted to a common carrier for transportation the details of which are given on the goods forwarding note.
2.4 Consignor [Section 2(d)]
Consignor is the person who sends or entrusts goods to the common carrier for transportation.
Persons not to engage in business of common carrier without registration.
3. (1) No person shall engage in the business of a common carrier, after the commencement of this Act, unless he has been granted a certificate of registration.
(2) Any person who is engaged, whether wholly or partly, in the business of a common carrier, immediately before the commencement of this Act, shall,ā
(a) apply for a registration within ninety days from the date of such commencement;
(b) cease to engage in such business on the expiry of one hundred and eighty days from the date of such commencement unless he has applied for registration and the certificate of registration has been granted by the registering authority.
COMMENTS
SECTION NOTES
3.1 Requirement for Registration [Section 3(1)]
No person is allowed to engage in the business of a common carrier after commencement of this Act unless: They have been granted a certi cate of registration.
3.2 Penalty for engaging in the business of a common carrier without registration
See Section 18
Offence is compoundable [See Section 19]
CASE LAWS
Mandatory Registration for Common Carriers ā The Bombay High Court directed the State Government to enforce section 3 of the Carriage by Road Act, 2007, mandating that no person or entity may engage in the business of a common carrier, including courier agencies, without obtaining a certificate of registration. It observed that several courier agencies in Maharashtra were operating without registration, violating the Act. The Court further directed that prosecutions under section 18 of the Act be initiated against non-compliant courier agencies and responsible individuals, with such actions to be completed within six weeks. ā Rizwan Mohammad Kasim Khan v. Union of India
AIRONLINE 2019 BOM 1746.
Application for grant or renewal of registration.
4. (1) Any person, who is engaged or intends to engage in the business of a common carrier, shall apply for the grant or renewal of a certificate of registration for carrying on the business of common carrier to the registering authority.
(2) An application under sub-section (1) shall be made, to the registering authority having jurisdiction in the area in which the applicant resides or has his principal place of business stating that the application is for the main office, in such form and manner and accompanied by such fees payable to the registering authority as may be prescribed.
(3) An application for grant or renewal of certificate of registration for the main office shall contain the details of branch office, if any, to be operated outside the
jurisdiction of the State or Union territory in which the main office is to be registered in such form and manner as may be prescribed:
Provided that an application for the purpose to open or close a branch office shall be made to the registering authority having jurisdiction over the main office.
(4) A registering authority shall, before granting or renewing a certificate of registration, satisfy itself that the applicant fulfils such conditions as may be prescribed.
(5) The registering authority may, on receipt of an application under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) and after satisfying itself that the applicant fulfils the requirements of sub-section (4), grant the certificate of registration or renew it, as the case may be, for carrying on the business of a common carrier, in such form and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed:
Provided that no application for the grant or renewal of a certificate of registration shall be refused by the registering authority unless the applicant has been given an opportunity of being heard and the reasons for such refusal are given in writing by the registering authority within sixty days from the date of receipt of such application:
Provided further that if such refusal has not been communicated within sixty days of the date of application, the registering authority shall grant or renew certificate of registration within a further period of thirty days.
(6) A certificate of registration granted or renewed under sub-section (5) shall contain the details of branch offices to be operated in various States and Union territories, and shall be valid for a period of ten years from the date of such grant or renewal, as the case may be:
Provided that in the case of registration in respect of branch offices referred to in sub-section (3), the validity of such registration shall be restricted to the validity of the registration granted in respect of the main office.
(7) The holder of a certificate of registration shallā
(
a) maintain a register in such form and manner as may be prescribed;
(b) for shifting the main office mentioned in the certificate of registration submit an application to the registering authority which granted the certificate of registration:
Provided that such registering authority shall grant or refuse permission for shifting the main office within thirty days from the date of receipt of such application and that no application for shifting the main office shall be refused unless the applicant has been given an opportunity of being heard and reasons for such refusal are given in writing by the registering authority:
Provided further that in case the registering authority has not either granted or refused the permission within thirty days it shall be deemed that the permission for shifting has been granted;
(c) submit to the registering authority under whose jurisdiction the main office is located and the Transport Research Wing of the Ministry or Department of the Central Government dealing with road transport and highways such information and return as may be prescribed within one hundred and twenty days after the thirty-first day of March every year;
CARRIER LAWS WITH RULES ā BARE ACT WITH SECTION NOTES
AUTHOR : Taxmann's Editorial Board
PUBLISHER : Taxmann
DATE OF PUBLICATION : December 2025
EDITION : 2026 Edition
ISBN NO : 9789371265317
NO. OF PAGES : 136
BINDING TYPE : Paperback
Rs. 195
DESCRIPTION
Carrier Laws with Rules [Bare Act with Section Notes] by Taxmann is a consolidated, single-volume statutory reference presenting India's legal framework governing the carriage of goods and transport liability across road, sea, air, and multimodal transportation. Designed as a Bare Act with Section Notes, the book reproduces the complete and updated text of each principal Act, followed by concise section-wise explanatory notes, statutory cross-references, and the full allied Rules along with all prescribed Forms. The 2026 Edition reļ¬ects enhanced editorial structuring, with clearer sequencing of Acts and Rules, comprehensive inclusion of statutory forms, and better integration of procedural aspects such as registration, documentation, liability, limitation, jurisdiction, and enforcement, making it a reliable resource for current legal and compliance use. This book is intended for the following audience:
ā¢ Legal Practitioners & Advocates
ā¢ Transport Operators, Courier Agencies & Logistics Companies
The Present Publication is the 2026 Edition, covering the amended and updated text of the Carrier Laws with Rules, with the following noteworthy features:
ā¢ [Comprehensive Consolidation] Combines all major Indian carrier lawsāroad, sea, air, and multimodalāin a single volume
ā¢ [Bare Act with Section Notes] Concise explanatory notes clarify scope, deļ¬nitions, and compliance implications
ā¢ [Full Rule Coverage] Rules are reproduced in full and placed immediately after their parent Acts
ā¢ [All Prescribed Forms] Includes registration forms, certiļ¬cates, goods forwarding notes, goods receipts, returns, and registers
ā¢ [Updated Legislative Text] Incorporates amendments, notiļ¬cations, and substituted provisions
ā¢ [Pre-amendment Provisions] Earlier versions of amended sections are included in amendment footnotes
