Road Traffic Act 1988

183 Application to the Crown. E+W+S

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section—

(a) Part I of this Act,

(b) Part II of this Act, except sections 68 to 74 and 77,

(c) Part III of this Act [F1 , except section 103(3)],

(d) Part IV of this Act, and

(e) in this Part, sections 163, 164, 168, 169, 170(1) to (4), 177, 178, 181 and 182,

apply to vehicles and persons in the public service of the Crown.

(2) Sections 49 to 63 and [F2 section 65] of this Act apply—

(a) to vehicles in the public service of the Crown only if they are registered or liable to be registered under [F3 the vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994], and

(b) to trailers in the public service of the Crown only while drawn by vehicles (whether or not in the public service of the Crown) which are required to be so registered.

(3) Where those sections so apply they do so subject to the following modifications—

(a) examinations of such vehicles in pursuance of regulations under section 49 or 61(2)(a) of this Act may be made by or under the directions of examiners authorised by the Secretary of State for the purpose instead of by or under the directions of examiners appointed under section [F4 66A of this Act], F5 . . .

F5 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) Neither section 97(3) nor section 98(3) of this Act, in so far as they prevent such a licence as is there mentioned from authorising a person to drive certain [F6 motor bicycles][F7 and mopeds], applies—

(a) in the case of [F6 motor bicycles][F7 and mopeds]owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used for naval, military or air force purposes, or

(b) in the case of [F6 motor bicycles][F7 and mopeds] so used while being ridden by persons for the time being subject to the orders of a member of the armed forces of the Crown.

(5) Subject to regulations made under subsection (2) of section 101 of this Act, that section (in so far as it prohibits persons under 21 from holding or obtaining a licence to drive motor vehicles or persons under 18 from holding or obtaining a licence to drive medium-sized goods vehicles) does not apply—

(a) in the case of motor vehicles owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used for naval, military or air force purposes, or

(b) in the case of vehicles so used while being driven by persons for the time being subject to the orders of a member of the armed forces of the Crown.

[F8 (6) The functions under Part IV of this Act of traffic commissioners in relation to licences issued to persons [F9 subject to service law (within the meaning of the Armed Forces Act 2006)] to drive large goods vehicles or passenger-carrying vehicles in the public service of the Crown shall be exercised by the prescribed authority]

(7) Section 165 of this Act, in so far as it provides for the production of test certificates and the giving of names and addresses, applies to a person in connection with a vehicle to which section 47 of this Act applies notwithstanding that he or the driver is or was at any material time in the public service of the Crown.

(8) Subsection (1) of section 165 of this Act, in so far as it provides for the production of any certificate mentioned in subsection (2)(c) of that section, applies to a person in connection with a goods vehicle so mentioned notwithstanding that he or the driver is or was at any material time in the public service of the Crown.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 183(1)(c) repealed (E.W.) (1.10.2002) by 2002 c. 30, s. 107, Sch. 7 para. 12, Sch. 8; S.I. 2002/2306, art. 2(g)(i)-(iii)(a)

F2 Words in s. 183(2) substituted (20.5.2018) by The Motorcycles (Type-Approval) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/235), reg. 1(b), Sch. 2 para. 1(6) (with reg. 1(c), Sch. 1 paras. 16, 17)

F3 Words in s. 183(2)(a) substituted (1.9.1994) by 1994 c. 22 ss. 63, 66(1), Sch. 3 para. 24(1) (with s. 57(4))

F4 Words in s. 183(3) substituted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), ss. 48, Sch. 4 para. 77; S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

F5 S. 183(3)(b) and the word "and" preceding it repealed (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), ss. 83, Sch. 8; S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

F6 Words in s. 183(4) substituted (23.7.1996 for specified purposes and otherwise 1.1.1997) by S.I. 1996/1974, reg. 2, Sch. 1 para. 34

F7 Words in s. 183(4) inserted (1.7.1998) by S.I. 1998/1420, reg. 15

F8 S. 183(6) substituted (1.4.1991) by Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Act 1989 (c.22, SIF 107:1), s. 7, Sch. 3 para. 23

F9 Words in s. 183(6) substituted (28.3.2009 for certain purposes, 31.10.2009 so far as not already in force) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), ss. 378(1), 383, Sch. 16 para. 116; S.I. 2009/812, art. 3; S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4 (with transitional provisions in {S.I. 2009/1059})