Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Govt proposes five-year age extension for clean commercial vehicles
The Indian government wants to let some cleaner big vehicles stay on the road for longer.
Right now, trucks and buses that run on electricity, hydrogen, or natural gas can only be used for 12 or 15 years if they have a national permit.
The new plan would give them five extra years, making the limits 17 and 20 years.
This only applies to vehicles with a national permit, not every commercial vehicle.
The government hopes this will encourage people to use cleaner vehicles instead of polluting ones.
The plan also makes it easier to get permission to operate for five years at once instead of renewing every year.
More work will be done on computers, so there will be less paperwork.
There are also new rules for temporary registration of vehicles that are still being built.
People can send their ideas and complaints about the plan for 30 days before it becomes final.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) proposes extending age limits by five years for battery, hydrogen and natural gas commercial vehicles under the national permit system.
Existing age limits of 12 years and 15 years would rise to 17 years and 20 years, but only for vehicles covered by Rule 88 of the national permit rules.
National permit holders could obtain electronic authorisation for up to five years at ₹16,500 per year, or ₹82,500 for the full period.
The draft expands use of the VAHAN portal to auto-fill forms and revises temporary registration rules, including six-month registration for chassis without bodies.
NITI Aayog's 2025 EV report said 6,220 electric trucks were sold in 2024, with high upfront costs and limited financing cited as adoption barriers.
- Who
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) of the Indian government.
- What
- A draft amendment proposing a five-year age limit extension for battery, hydrogen and natural gas commercial vehicles under the national permit system, plus digital permit and registration changes.
- When
- Announced in a recently issued notification, followed by a 30-day public comment period.
- Where
- India, announced in New Delhi.
- Why
- To promote cleaner commercial transport and simplify national permit procedures through greater use of digital processes.
- Proposing body
- Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
- Current age limits
- 12 years and 15 years
- Proposed age limits
- 17 years and 20 years
- Scope
- Battery, hydrogen and natural gas vehicles under Rule 88 of the national permit system
- Permit fee
- ₹16,500 per year; ₹82,500 for a five-year authorisation
- Comment period
- 30 days from publication of the notification
- Electric truck sales in 2024
- 6,220 electric trucks sold, including 280 above 3.5 tonnes (NITI Aayog 2025 EV report)
- Temporary registration for bare chassis
- Six months, extendable by 30 days at a time with fee payment
