Government Orders Reduction in Fitness Test Fees for Old Vehicles

The government has issued an order reducing the fitness test fees for old vehicles to ease the financial and administrative burden faced by vehicle owners following amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Act. To support ordinary vehicle owners, the state has decided to cut by up to 50 percent the increased fitness certificate fees for transport vehicles that are more than 10, 15, and 20 years old. This move is expected to provide significant financial relief to thousands of vehicle owners.

The order also introduces a major change concerning government-owned vehicles. The state government assessed that the central directive mandating the scrapping of all government vehicles older than 15 years would severely impact the functioning of essential departments such as the police, fire force, forest, and health services. Scrapping vehicles that have low mileage and remain in good condition would result in a loss of crores of rupees to the public exchequer. In view of this, the registration validity of government vehicles that meet fitness standards and possess valid emission certificates has been extended from 15 years to 20 years.

This amendment has been implemented by inserting a new Rule 98A in the Kerala Motor Vehicles Act, 1989. Under this rule, vehicles owned by the state government, municipal corporations, municipalities, panchayats, public sector undertakings, and autonomous bodies will be eligible for renewal for an additional five years after completing 15 years of service. However, vehicles that fail the mandatory fitness test must be scrapped through government-approved dismantling centers. Special categories, including armoured vehicles used for national security and law-and-order purposes, have been exempted from this requirement.

The reduction in fitness fees for private transport vehicles is expected to lower travel costs for the public and reduce the cost of goods transportation. Extending the operational life of government vehicles will also help save substantial public funds that would otherwise be spent on purchasing new vehicles, allowing the savings to be redirected toward development activities.

To address technical issues on the central vehicle portal, the Motor Vehicles Department will issue special laminated RC cards for these vehicles. Additionally, to ensure insurance coverage, all such vehicles have been brought under the Kerala State Insurance Department. The government stated that these measures are part of its broader vision to manage old vehicles in an environmentally responsible manner.

GO ORDER: G.O.(P)No.3/2026/TRANS