The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has raised the renewal fees for motor vehicles older than 20 years in a move aimed at discouraging the use of aging, polluting vehicles. According to the latest notification, the renewal cost for light motor vehicles (LMVs) over 20 years has doubled to ₹10,000 from ₹5,000.
Fee Hike Across Vehicle Categories
The new fee structure applies to multiple categories of vehicles:
- Motorcycles (20+ years): ₹2,000, up from ₹1,000
- Three-wheelers & quadricycles (20+ years): ₹5,000, up from ₹3,500
- Imported two/three-wheelers: ₹20,000
- Imported cars (four or more wheels): ₹80,000
This revision follows a draft amendment issued in February and finalized on August 21.
Context of the Decision
The transport ministry has consistently pushed for phasing out older vehicles to reduce emissions and improve road safety. In October 2021, MoRTH had already revised the registration and renewal fees for motorcycles, three-wheelers, and cars. The latest hike is part of the government’s broader end-of-life vehicle policy that encourages scrapping old vehicles.
Legal Angle: Supreme Court’s Intervention
Interestingly, earlier this month, the Supreme Court directed authorities not to take coercive action against owners of diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi-NCR. The apex court’s stance came after the Delhi government argued that the policy should consider the actual usage of vehicles instead of relying only on their manufacturing year.
Push Towards Cleaner Mobility
By raising the financial burden of renewing registrations for older vehicles, the government aims to nudge citizens toward adopting newer, fuel-efficient, and less polluting options. The move aligns with India’s long-term sustainability goals, including the promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) and ethanol-blended fuels.
