Archive · 19 Nov 2025
India Boosts Vehicle Fitness Test Fees to Encourage Retirement of Older Vehicles
The Indian government has made vehicle fitness tests much more expensive, especially for older vehicles.
This is to encourage people to take unsafe, old vehicles off the road.
The fees have gone up to 10 times the current rates, and the age limit for higher fees has been lowered from 15 to 10 years.
Even vehicles less than 15 years old will now pay more for the test.
Central government increases vehicle fitness test charges up to 10 times
New fees depend on vehicle age and category, effective immediately
Older vehicles face higher fees to encourage retirement or replacement
Age threshold for higher fees reduced from 15 to 10 years
Fees for vehicles under 15 years also increased
- Who
- The Central government's Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
- What
- Increased vehicle fitness test charges
- When
- Effective immediately, reported on 18 November 2025
- Where
- India
- Why
- To remove older and unsafe vehicles from operations
Government's Stance
Potential Criticism
Government's Goal
Government's Stance
To remove older, unsafe vehicles from operations
Potential Criticism
May disproportionately affect low-income vehicle owners who cannot afford to replace their vehicles
- Oldest vehicle category
- Over 20 years
- Newest vehicle category
- Between 10 to 15 years
- Oldest vehicle fee increase
- Up to 10x
- New fee structure
- Progressively increasing with vehicle age
- Vehicle types affected
- Two-wheelers, three-wheelers, quadricycles, light motor vehicles, and medium & heavy goods/passenger vehicles
