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Vehicle fitness, FC, and re-registration — when does your car need them?
Personal cars need re-registration after 15 years; commercial vehicles need annual fitness certificates. Here is the math, fees, and the new scrappage policy.
6 May 2026 · 3 min read
Quick frame: The Motor Vehicles Act and Rules require vehicles to remain "road-worthy". Personal vehicles get an initial 15-year registration, then re-register every 5 years. Commercial vehicles need annual or biannual fitness certificates (FC). The 2021 Vehicle Scrappage Policy adds new disincentives for keeping very old vehicles.
Personal vehicles (cars / 2-wheelers)
| Age | Action | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 0-15 years | Original registration valid | ₹0 (already paid) |
| Year 15 | Apply for fitness + re-registration | ₹600-800 + RTO charges |
| Year 15-20 | Re-registered period valid | |
| Year 20 | Re-register again (5-year cycles) | Repeat |
Post-15-year fitness certificate process:
- Vehicle inspected at RTO test centre or accredited Automated Testing Station (ATS)
- Tests: brakes, lights, emission, suspension, steering geometry
- Pass → FC issued, valid 5 years
- Fail → repair specific issues, retest
Commercial vehicles (taxis, autos, trucks)
- Up to 8 years: Annual FC after 2-year initial validity
- 8+ years: Biannual FC (every 6 months)
- Fee ₹600-1,000 per FC
Goods carriers, school buses, taxis must show valid FC during enforcement check; fine ₹10,000 for absence.
Vehicle Scrappage Policy (2021/2022)
For both personal and commercial:
- Voluntary scrappage at any age — get 5-25% rebate on motor vehicle tax for new vehicle bought against scrap certificate
- Mandatory scrappage if FC not renewed:
- Commercial: post 15 years if FC fail twice
- Personal: post 20 years if FC fail twice
- Re-registration fees in some states 8× higher for > 15 years vehicles to discourage old polluting vehicles
Delhi NCR special rules
- Petrol vehicles > 15 years: banned (cannot ply)
- Diesel vehicles > 10 years: banned
Other cities slowly adopting similar rules. Bengaluru, Mumbai considering 15/20-year ban for diesel/petrol.
Pollution Under Control (PUC)
Separate from FC. Required for all vehicles every:
- 6 months for petrol BS-IV and older
- 1 year for petrol BS-VI
- 6 months for diesel BS-IV and older
- 1 year for diesel BS-VI
Fee ₹50-150. Available at most petrol stations.
Documents for FC / re-registration
- Form 38 (application)
- RC original
- Insurance
- PUC
- Aadhaar
- Pollution test pass
- Tax receipt
- Vehicle photos (front, side, chassis stamping)
Common mistakes
- Forgetting FC on inter-state move (FC is state-issued, must transfer NOC)
- Letting FC lapse → daily fine accumulates till renewal
- Not keeping scrappage certificate after disposing of vehicle (needed for tax rebate on new one)
- Driving 16-year-old petrol in Delhi NCR → impounding + ₹10,000 fine
FAQ
Q: Can I extend RC of my 14-year-old car beyond 15 years? A: Yes — apply for re-registration in the 14th year (1 year before expiry). RTO inspects, charges 8× the original registration fee in many states.
Q: NOC for inter-state vehicle transfer? A: Yes — get NOC from origin RTO, then re-register at destination RTO. Pay road tax in new state minus refund of unused old tax. Process takes 30-60 days.
Q: Electric vehicle re-registration? A: Same 15-year first cycle; many states give 100% road tax exemption on EVs, so renewal cost is low. Battery health is not yet part of FC test (expected 2027+).