Registration renewal of vehicles over 15 years old to cost eight times more from April 2022

Owners of vehicles that are over 15 years old will soon have to pay eight times more to renew the registration of their vehicles, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The notification said these rules shall come into force from 1 April 2022, and may be called the Central Motor Vehicles (23rd Amendment) Rules, 2021. The rules are part of the Union government’s overall plan for rolling out the National Automobile Scrappage Policy and phase out old and polluting vehicles. According to the new rules, renewing the registration of a 15-year-old car will cost owners Rs 5,000, comparing to the existing fee of Rs 600. For motorbikes, the renewal charge for vehicles that are over 15 years old will be Rs 1,000, as compared to the existing renewal fee of Rs 300. Similarly, the registration renewal for old imported cars and motorbikes will cost Rs 40,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. For a truck or bus older than 15 years, a fitness renewal certificate will be charged for around Rs 12,500 instead of the present Rs 1,500. For medium goods or passenger motor vehicles, the renewal charges will be Rs 10,000. The notification also said that for each day of delay after the expiry of the fitness certificate, an additional levy of Rs 50 would be charged. If the owners’ delay in applying for the registration renewal, an additional fee of  Rs 500 in the case of commercial vehicles and Rs 300 for private vehicles, would be charged every month. The National Automobile Scrappage Policy is aimed at providing a boost to India’s manufacturing and automotive sectors. It will also help cut down on the fuel import bills of the country and reduce carbon emissions. The policy, which is also aimed at fulfilling the country’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, will generate 50,000 jobs and attract investment of over Rs 10,000 crore in the country.