Updated to 18 February 2026 (Act No. 1 of 2026 and S.I. No. 54 of 2026)
All effects below are reflected in the most recent Revised Act.
Road Traffic Act 2004
No. 44 of 2004
Contents
Commencement
| Section | Commencement/Effective Date Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
|
Commencement Information |
|---|---|---|
| Ss. 1-15 | 20 January 2005 | Road Traffic Act 2004 (Commencement) (Parts 1 and 2 and Sections 27 and 32) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 8 of 2005), art. 2 |
| Ss. 16-26 | 24 January 2005 | Road Traffic Act 2004 (Commencement) (Parts 3 and 4) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 26 of 2005), art. 2 |
| S. 27 | 20 January 2005 | Road Traffic Act 2004 (Commencement) (Parts 1 and 2 and Sections 27 and 32) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 8 of 2005), art. 2 |
| Ss. 28-31 | 24 January 2005 | Road Traffic Act 2004 (Commencement) (Parts 3 and 4) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 26 of 2005), art. 2 |
| S. 32 | 20 January 2005 | Road Traffic Act 2004 (Commencement) (Parts 1 and 2 and Sections 27 and 32) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 8 of 2005), art. 2 |
| S. 33 | 24 January 2005 | Road Traffic Act 2004 (Commencement) (Parts 3 and 4) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 26 of 2005), art. 2 |
| Ss. 34, 35 | Not yet commenced | Requires commencement order under s. 1(2) |
| S. 36 | 22 December 2004 | Commenced on enactment |
Amendments and other effects
| How Affected | Affecting Provision | Affecting Provision Commencement/Effective Date
Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
|
Commencement Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Act included in collectively cited Road Traffic Acts | s. 1(3) | ||
| References construed | 1/2014, ss. 1(22), 9(2),(3), 25(2) | 1 June 2014 | Local Government Reform Act 2014 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) (No. 3) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 214 of 2014), art. 2 |
| Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts restricted | S.I. No. 477 of 2011, regs. 1(3), 42(22) and sch. 2. | 21 September 2011 | S.I. No. 477 of 2011, reg. 1(3) |
| 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 87, as substituted by 3/2014, ss. 1(2), 23 | 20 March 2014 | Road Traffic Act 2014 (Certain Provisions) (Commencement) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 147 of 2014), art. 2 | |
| Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts extended | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 82 | Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 1(2) | |
| S. 2(1) amended | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 52 | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 4(1) amended | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 33 | 20 May 2024 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) Order 2024 (S.I. No. 197 of 2024), art. 2 |
| S. 5(1) amended | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 6 | Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2) | |
| S. 6 substituted | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 7 | 7 February 2025 | Road Traffic Act 2024 (Commencement) (No. 5) Order 2024 (S.I. No. 616 of 2024), art. 2(b) |
| S. 7(1) amended | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 8(a), (b) | Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2) | |
| S. 7A inserted | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 9 | Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2) | |
| S. 9(1) amended | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 53(a) | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9(2)(a) amended | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 53(b)(i) | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9(2)(a) substituted | 21/2016, ss. 1(2), 22 | 13 April 2017 | Road Traffic Act 2016 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 129 of 2017), art. 4(b) |
| 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 86 | Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 1(2) | ||
| S. 9(2)(b) amended | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 10(a) | Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2) | |
| S. 9(2)(c) substituted | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 10(b) | Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2) | |
| S. 9(2)(d) amended | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 10(c) | 7 February 2025 | Road Traffic Act 2024 (Commencement) (No. 5) Order 2024 (S.I. No. 616 of 2024), art. 2(c) |
| S. 9(2)(e) amended | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 10(d) | Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2) | |
| S. 9(2)(f) amended | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 53(b)(ii) | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9(6) deleted | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 53(c) | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9(9) deleted | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 53(d) | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9(11) amended | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 53(e) | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9(12) amended | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 53(f) | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9(13) inserted | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 53(g) | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9A inserted | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 54 | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 9A(2)(b) amended | 10/2024, ss. 1(2), 11 | Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2) | |
| S. 10 references construed | 1/2014, ss. 1(22), 9(2) | 1 June 2014 | Local Government Reform Act 2014 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) (No. 3) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 214 of 2014), art. 2 |
| S. 10 substituted | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 55 | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 10(1) amended | 1/2014, ss. 1(22), 5(8), sch. 2 pt. 6 | 1 June 2014 | Local Government Reform Act 2014 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) (No. 3) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 214 of 2014), art. 2 |
| S. 10(4)-(8) amended | 1/2014, ss. 1(22), 5(8), sch. 2 pt. 6 | 1 June 2014 | Local Government Reform Act 2014 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) (No. 3) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 214 of 2014), art. 2 |
| S. 10A-10E inserted | 16/2023, ss. 1(2), 56 | 31 July 2023 | Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), art. 2(h) |
| S. 13 repealed | 28/2011, ss. 4(2)(c), 11(2) | 28 October 2011 | Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011 (Commencement) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 542 of 2011), art. 2 |
| 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 70(c) | Not yet commenced. Requires commencement order under s. 1(2) | ||
| S. 15 repealed | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 81(10)(b) | 1 June 2011 | Road Traffic Act 2010 (Certain Provisions) (Commencement) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 255 of 2011), art. 2 |
| S. 18 repealed | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 49(c) | 1 June 2017 | Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 241 of 2017), art. 2 |
| S. 19 repealed | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 49(c) | 1 June 2017 | Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 241 of 2017), art. 2 |
| S. 20 repealed | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 49(c) | 1 June 2017 | Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 241 of 2017), art. 2 |
| S. 27 repealed | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 87(2) | 28 October 2011 | Road Traffic Act 2010 (Certain Provisions) (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 543 of 2011), art. 2 |
| S. 28 repealed | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 83(2) | 1 June 2011 | Road Traffic Act 2010 (Certain Provisions) (Commencement) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 255 of 2011), art. 2 |
| S. 30(2) substituted | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 88 | 1 June 2011 | Road Traffic Act 2010 (Certain Provisions) (Commencement) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 255 of 2011), art. 2 |
| S. 33 repealed | 25/2010, ss. 1(2), 61(9) | 28 October 2011 | Road Traffic Act 2010 (Certain Provisions) (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 543 of 2011), art. 2 |
| S. 36 repealed | 37/2013, ss. 1(2), 4(d) | 6 April 2014 | Taxi Regulation Act 2013 (Commencement) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 163 of 2014), art. 2 |
SIs made under the Act
| Section | SIs made under the Act |
|---|---|
| Ss. 3, 4 | Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits – Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, etc) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 255 of 2022) |
| Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits - Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 75 of 2012) | |
| Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, Etc) Regulations 2008 (S.I. No. 546 of 2008) | |
| Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits - Certain Vehicles) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 9 of 2005) | |
| S. 4 | Road Traffic (Electric Scooters) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 199 of 2024) |