Keeping your vehicles beyond 20 years is going to cost you more as the road transport ministry has issued a draft notification proposing a steep hike in renewal of their registration. The move is aimed at disincentivising people to keep vehicles that were manufactured before the BS-II emission norms came into force. The ministry has proposed that renewal of registration of over 20-year-old motorcycles and cars would cost INR 2,000 and INR 10,000 respectively.

With focus on phasing out commercial medium and heavy vehicles that are over 15 years old, the draft rule has proposed renewal fees to INR 12,000 and INR 18,000 respectively. For renewing registration of such vehicles over 20 years would be doubled to INR 24,000 and INR 36,000 respectively.

While the proposed changes would impact vehicle owners across the country, this will have no effect in Delhi-NCR where it's mandatory to scrap 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles because of the court's order.

The road transport ministry in October 2021 had increased the registration and renewal fee of motorcycles, three-wheelers and cars, but had left out medium and heavy passenger and goods vehicles. "We have not touched the renewal fees for private vehicles after they complete 15 years. While we have proposed revised fees for 15-year-old commercial vehicles, we have sought to increase the renewal charge for the ones which were registered 20 years back," said a transport ministry official.

Similarly, the ministry has proposed to double the fee for fitness tests of both private commercial vehicles that are over 20 years old.

All India Motor Transport Congress said it has opposed "sudden and excessive hike" in the fitness test fees. It said the fee for fitness test ranged between INR 500 and INR 1,500 for most vehicles, with heavy transport vehicles paying a maximum of INR 3,000. But in the draft notification, it has been more than doubled, with commercial motorcycles now requiring to pay INR 1,000 for 8-15 year old and INR 2,000 after 15 years. Similarly, fitness tests for three-wheelers and heavy vehicles have been proposed between INR 7,000 and INR 25,000. It has sought withdrawal of the draft notification.