The Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) is Malaysia's main law for motor vehicles and road traffic. It regulates vehicle registration and driver licensing, sets up compulsory third-party insurance, and defines the core traffic offences — driving without a licence, reckless and dangerous driving, and drink-driving. It is enforced by the Road Transport Department (JPJ), and its penalties were sharply raised by the Road Transport (Amendment) Act 2020, in force from 23 October 2020.
- Act 333 was passed in July 1987, received Royal Assent on 30 August 1987 and commenced on 24 September 1987.
- The Act is organised into five main Parts covering registration and licensing, periodic inspection, foreign vehicles, roads, third-party protection, and offences.
- Section 26(1) prohibits driving a motor vehicle on a road without a valid driving licence.
- The 2020 amendment made causing death by reckless or dangerous driving (s.41) carry 5-10 years' jail and a RM20,000-RM50,000 fine for a first offence.
- The same amendment lowered the legal breath-alcohol limit from 35 to 22 micrograms per 100 ml, matching WHO standards.
Who this applies to: Drivers, motorcyclists, vehicle owners, transport operators, law students, and anyone needing a plain-language reference to Malaysian road-traffic law.
On this page
Almost every JPJ saman, every driving-licence class, and every third-party insurance policy in Malaysia traces back to one statute: the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), in Malay the Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987. It is the country’s principal law for motor vehicles and road traffic, and it is enforced mainly by the Road Transport Department (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan, JPJ). Below is a plain-language map of what each Part governs and what the common offences now cost.
What does the Act actually cover?
Its long title describes an Act to regulate motor vehicles and traffic on roads and other matters relating to roads and vehicles; to provide third-party protection against risks arising from the use of motor vehicles; and to co-ordinate and control the means and facilities for transport and for the construction and adaptation of motor vehicles. In short: it ties together licensing, road use, insurance and enforcement in a single framework.
The Act was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on 10 July 1987 and the Dewan Negara on 17 July 1987, received Royal Assent on 30 August 1987, and commenced on 24 September 1987. JPJ maintains the current consolidated text; the latest reprint is the version amended as at 15 October 2023.
How is the Act structured?
Act 333 is organised into five main Parts (with two inserted sub-Parts), reported as comprising 129 sections and 3 schedules:
| Part | What it governs |
|---|---|
| Part I | Preliminary — interpretation and application |
| Part II | Classification, registration and licensing of motor vehicles and drivers |
| Part IIA | Periodic inspection of motor vehicles |
| Part IIB | Foreign motor vehicles |
| Part III | Roads |
| Part IV | Provisions against third-party risks (compulsory motor insurance) |
| Part V | Offences and miscellaneous provisions |
Part IV is where the Act’s third-party protection purpose becomes concrete: it underpins Malaysia’s compulsory third-party motor-insurance regime.
What are the main offences and their penalties?
Part V defines the core traffic offences. The Road Transport (Amendment) Act 2020 came into operation on 23 October 2020 and substantially increased punishments and disqualification periods for offences under sections 41 to 45A, covering reckless and dangerous driving and driving under the influence. It also introduced a new definition of “micromobility vehicle”. The headline figures, for a first offence:
| Section | Offence | Penalty (first offence, as amended) |
|---|---|---|
| s.26(1) | Driving without a valid licence | Prohibited (penalty pending verification) |
| s.41 | Causing death by reckless or dangerous driving | RM20,000-RM50,000 fine and/or 5-10 years’ jail |
| s.42 | Reckless and dangerous driving | Up to RM5,000-RM10,000 fine and up to 5 years’ jail; disqualification raised to 5 years |
| s.44 | Causing death or serious injury while under the influence | RM50,000-RM100,000 fine and/or up to 15 years’ jail |
For section 41, that first-offence band is a sharp rise from the previous RM5,000-RM20,000 fine and 2-10 years’ jail; a subsequent offence now carries RM50,000-RM100,000 and up to 15 years. Section 44’s subsequent offences run to 15-20 years’ jail and a fine up to RM150,000.
How did drink-driving limits change?
The 2020 amendment lowered the prescribed alcohol limits to World Health Organization standards. The breath-alcohol limit fell from 35 to 22 micrograms per 100 ml, the blood-alcohol limit from 80 to 50 milligrams per 100 ml, and the urine limit from 107 to 67 milligrams per 100 ml. In practice, this means a lower threshold at which a driver is legally over the limit than before October 2020.
What’s next
Before relying on any exact section number, fine, or the compulsory-insurance penalty in a legal matter, check the authoritative Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC/LOM) reprint of Act 333 and JPJ’s official portal for the current licence classes and enforcement rules. Several precise figures on this page — including the section 26(1) and section 90 penalties — remain flagged for verification against the primary statute text.
What is the Road Transport Act 1987?
It is Act 333, Malaysia's principal statute regulating motor vehicles, driver licensing, road traffic and compulsory third-party insurance. It is administered and enforced mainly by the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
Do I need a driving licence under the Act?
Yes. Section 26(1) prohibits any person from driving a motor vehicle on a road without a valid driving licence.
What changed with the 2020 amendment?
The Road Transport (Amendment) Act 2020 came into force on 23 October 2020. It raised penalties and disqualification periods for reckless and dangerous driving and drink-driving (sections 41-45A), lowered the prescribed alcohol limits to WHO standards, and added a definition of 'micromobility vehicle'.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Exact Section 26(1) penalty for driving without a valid licence — aggregators quote 'fine not exceeding RM1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 3 months or both,' but other sources quote RM300-RM2,000. Confirm against the lom.agc.gov.my Act 333 reprint before stating a figure.
- Exact Section 90 penalty for using a vehicle without third-party insurance — secondary sources disagree (RM1,000/3 months vs RM2,000/3 years); verify against the statute.
- Precise structural counts (129 sections and 3 schedules) — cross-check against the current AGC/LOM consolidated reprint (as at 15 October 2023), since amendments add and renumber sections.
- Full exact wording of the DUI prescribed limits (s.45G) and the tiered penalties under s.44/45/45A — reconcile paultan reporting with the amendment's gazetted text.
- Whether the further June 2026 traffic-penalty reform has been enacted and gazetted — keep this page to law currently in force and treat any proposed increases separately.
- Complete authoritative list and citation numbers of all amending Acts — confirm via the AGC 'Amendments' listing for Act 333.
Sources
- Act 333 - Road Transport Department Malaysia (JPJ) — Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) / Road Transport Department Malaysia
- Road Transport Act 1987 — Wikipedia — Wikipedia
- Driving Without a License: What are your potential liabilities? — Thomas Philip Advocates and Solicitors
- Amendments to Road Transport Act in force from 23 October 2020 — Allen & Gledhill
- Road Transport Act amendments detailed — increased fines and longer jail terms — paultan.org
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 14 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |