2025 RTO Rules for Commercial Vehicles

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 Vehicle Registration

  • Must be registered as a transport/commercial vehicle at the local RTO.

  • Requires a roadworthiness certificate, insurance, PUC certificate, and valid address proof.

  • Commercial vehicle number plates are yellow with black text.

2. Driving License Requirements

  • Drivers must have a valid Commercial Driving License (CDL).

  • Must be 18+ (some states require 20+ for heavy vehicles).

  • Badge or public service endorsement may be required for passenger vehicles (e.g., taxis).

3. Vehicle Fitness Certificate (FC)

  • Mandatory for all commercial vehicles.

  • Must be renewed annually or as per RTO rules.

  • A fitness test includes inspection of brakes, lights, emissions, etc.

 4. Road Tax and Permits

  • Commercial vehicles must pay state road tax (varies by state/vehicle type).

  • Permits Required:

    1. National Permit (for inter-state transport)

    2. State Permit (for operations within a state)

    3. Goods Carrier Permit or Passenger Permit

    4. Contract carriage or stage carriage permits (for buses, taxis)

5. Emission Norms & Pollution Control

  • Vehicles must meet BS-VI emission norms.

  • Valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is mandatory.

  • Emissions are tested during FC renewal.

6. Speed Limiter and GPS Installation

  • Speed governors are mandatory for most transport categories.

  • GPS devices are required in certain states for taxis, school buses, and goods carriers (linked to Vahan portal).

7. Overloading & Penalties

  • Overloading is strictly prohibited.

  • Heavy penalties under Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.

  • Repeat offenses may lead to permit cancellation or vehicle seizure.

8. Timing and Zone Restrictions

  • Many cities enforce time-based entry restrictions for goods carriers.

  • Night-only or off-peak movement zones are regulated by the local RTO or traffic police.

9. Annual Inspection & Compliance

  • Vehicles are subject to routine and surprise checks for permit, insurance, and driver credentials.

  • Non-compliance can lead to challans, blacklisting, or impounding.

10. Vahan & Sarathi Integration

  • Vehicle and driver records are maintained in the Vahan and Sarathi databases.

  • Commercial vehicle owners must keep details updated online (e.g., fitness, permit, insurance).