The government has proposed extending the prescribed age limit for battery-operated, hydrogen-powered and natural gas-powered vehicles by five years. The proposal is part of draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
The draft rules were published on August 10, with the ministry inviting objections and suggestions from stakeholders within 30 days. The proposed changes will come into effect only after they are finalised and published in the Official Gazette.
Five-Year Extension Proposed for Alternative-Fuel Vehicles
Under the proposed amendments, the permissible age limit for battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-powered vehicles would be extended by five years. However, the draft notification does not specify the revised maximum age applicable to each vehicle category.
The move could offer greater operational flexibility to fleets using alternative-fuel vehicles while supporting the government’s broader efforts to promote cleaner mobility technologies.
National Permits to Move Online
The draft also proposes digitising the national permit authorisation process. Applicants would be able to obtain national permit authorisations electronically for periods of up to five years at a time.
The proposed fee is ₹16,500 per year of authorisation, which would be deposited into the national permit account. Applications through Form 46 would be submitted electronically, while national permit authorisations in Form 47 would also be issued digitally.
Changes Proposed for Temporary Registration
MoRTH has proposed changes to the validity period of temporary vehicle registrations.
For chassis without a body, temporary registration would remain valid for six months from the date of issue. If the chassis remains at a workshop for body fitting beyond six months, or due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the owner’s control, the registering authority may extend the validity by 30 days at a time.
For fully built vehicles being converted into adapted vehicles, or vehicles being registered in a state different from the state where the dealer is located, temporary registration would be valid for 45 days.
Automotive Component Manufacturers May Get Trade Certificates
The draft amendments also propose bringing eligible automotive component manufacturers under provisions governing trade certificates.
To qualify, manufacturers would need approval from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and must be involved in research and development aimed at developing new products for the automotive industry.
More Vehicle Documentation to Go Digital
Several proposed changes are aimed at increasing the use of digital documentation and reducing manual data entry in vehicle-related processes.
Under the draft, information in certain applications could be automatically retrieved from the VAHAN portal once a dealership authorisation certificate or vehicle registration number is provided.
The revised forms would also capture details such as GST registration number, PAN, Udyam Aadhaar and Corporate Identification Number for dealers, wherever applicable.
For vehicle owners, the proposed changes to Form 20 would require an Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Documents related to hire-purchase, lease and hypothecation arrangements would also record relevant agreement or loan account numbers.
The proposed changes to Form 48 would require details of the vehicle’s valid registration, insurance, Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate and fitness certificate. The form would also include pending challan information and details of any previously held national permit.
The government has invited stakeholders to submit objections and suggestions on the draft amendments before the proposed changes are finalised and notified in the Official Gazette.
