
Along with body physical fitness, the vehicle’s fitness equally matters when it comes to driving it on the road. But what is vehicle fitness?
Vehicle fitness means your vehicle is in good condition and can be safely driven on public roads. To be considered as fit, the vehicle has to meet certain standards and criteria, such as the compliance of a motor vehicle with safety, pollution, and other criteria determined by the relevant authorities.
Vehicles that pass their fitness test get the Vehicle Fitness Certificate (FC). To obtain this certificate, you must have valid insurance for your car.
To know more about getting the car fitness certificate, read this comprehensive guide. It will explore the purpose, eligibility, and steps to obtain a vehicle fitness certificate.
What is the Purpose of a Car Fitness Certificate?
The fitness certificate of the car is primarily designed to certify that your vehicle is fit and safe to drive on the road. This fitness is evaluated after thoroughly checking your vehicle’s age, mechanical condition, pollution emission level, and other parameters.
What is the Validity and Eligibility to Obtain the Vehicle Fitness Certificate?
- Personal cars have to obtain the Vehicle Fitness Certificate after the completion of years specified by your regional transport authority. A new car is fit for operating on the Indian roads for 15 years from the date of vehicle purchase. And after 15 years, it needs to be renewed every 5 years. However, in Delhi, the validity of diesel cars is 10 years.
- The FC validity of 8-year-old commercial cars in India is 2 years. But, after 8 years, the Fitness Certificate needs to be renewed every year.
- Updated and valid motor insurance (third-party, comprehensive, zero depreciation car insurance, etc.) purchased from a reliable company like Tata AIG.
- All necessary road taxes should be paid.
How to Get a Car Fitness Certificate in India?
To get a certificate of fitness for your car in India, you should follow these steps:
Step 1: Preparation
To start with the online application process, you must ensure that your car is well maintained and eligible and meets all the safety and emission standards.
Step 2: Gather Essential Documents
You are required to gather these essential documents with updated information, such as
- Valid vehicle registration certificate
- Valid insurance certificate
- Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate
- Tax payment receipts
- Proof of identity and address
- Road tax receipt
- The chassis number of the car
- Passport-size photograph of the car owner
Step 3: Vehicle Inspection and Testing
When you apply for the fitness certificate, a certified vehicle inspector will inspect your vehicle and its components to ensure they meet the safety guidelines. They will access safety features like headlights, indicators, seatbelts, and more. After that, your car will be tested using a pollution testing machine to check its emission level.
Step 4: Fees
Here are the RTO fees you need to pay in order to obtain a Vehicle car fitness certificate:
Vehicle Category | Fees |
Medium and heavy motor vehicles | ₹600 for manual transmission and ₹1,000 for automatic transmission |
Light motor vehicles or three-wheelers | Rs. 400 for manual transmission and ₹600 for automatic transmission |
Note: It may vary depending on the region and your car type.
Step 5: Wait for Outcome
After you have paid the fees and the assessment has been done, you have to wait for the outcome. The outcome can fall under any of the following categories:
Condition | Outcome | Next Step | |
1 | If your vehicle meets all the required standards | Passed | You will be issued a Fitness Certificate. |
2 | If there are minor issues that need to be addressed | Conditional Pass | You will need to fix these issues within a specified period and then get a retest |
3 | If your vehicle fails to meet the required standards | Failed | You will need to complete the necessary repairs and then reappear for the test. |
How to Apply for an Online Car Fitness Certificate?
- Visit the official Parivahan portal.
- Look for the online service, then click on vehicle-related services.
- Enter your city and then the registration number of your vehicle.
- Select “Apply for Fitness Certificate”
- Enter the vehicle chassis number and the registered mobile number.
- Enter the generated OTP.
- Check your car details and click on the “Payment” button.
- Pay applicable fees
- Next, download the online-generated application.
- Then, carry all these documents and submit them to the RTO and on completion of the inspection, a fitness certificate will be issued.
Note: In the offline process, you may have to go to the nearest RTO office to fill out Form 20 and submit it with the sales certificate. All other processes remain the same.
Validity and Renewal
The issued certificate will be valid for typically one year. It may vary according to the use and type of the vehicle. Once it is about to expire, you have to renew it by following the same process.
Conclusion
Obtaining and maintaining the Vehicle Fitness Certificate is essential to ensure the safety of drivers and other road users. If you fail to obtain it, you will face legal consequences like paying hefty penalties or vehicle impoundment. Thus, it is recommended to update the vehicle fitness standards and requirements and have it either online or offline.