20-Year-Old Vehicles Face MoRTH’s Steep Renewal Fees to Curb Pollution

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If you own a 20-year-old vehicles in India, brace yourself — MoRTH (the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) has rolled out a significant policy change. Renewal fees for vehicles that are 20 years old or more have now doubled, as part of a wider effort to fight rising vehicular pollution and promote cleaner alternatives.

This move directly impacts owners of motorcycles, three-wheelers, light motor vehicles, and even imported vehicles. MoRTH’s reasoning is clear: older vehicles contribute disproportionately to air pollution because they were manufactured before stricter emission norms came into effect.

Why MoRTH is Targeting 20-Year-Old Vehicles to Reduce Pollution

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways highlights that 20-year-old vehicle are high pollution contributors, especially those built before Bharat Stage-II emission standards. By increasing renewal fees, the government hopes to reduce the number of outdated vehicles still running on India’s roads.

  • Light motor vehicles: Renewal fees doubled from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000.
  • Imported cars: Renewal fees can now go up to ₹80,000.
  • Imported two-wheelers: Charges are as high as ₹20,000.

For everyday owners, this makes keeping an old vehicle increasingly uneconomical, nudging them towards newer and cleaner alternatives.

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20-Year-Old Vehicles Face MoRTH
Scrappage policy pushes out polluting 20-year-old vehicles

How Higher Renewal Fees Impact Vehicle Owners

For many, the new MoRTH rules will hit the pocket hard:

  • Renewal fees for old motorcycles: ₹2,000 (up from ₹1,000)
  • Renewal fees for three-wheelers: ₹5,000
  • Imported vehicles: Up to ₹80,000 for cars and ₹20,000 for two-wheelers
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These changes (announced in MoRTH’s August 2025 notification) apply nationwide, except in the Delhi-NCR region, where even stricter regulations already exist.

This aligns with the vehicle scrappage policy, which encourages phasing out polluting vehicles. For many owners, scrapping and replacing with newer vehicles may now be cheaper than maintaining 20-year-old ones.

MoRTH’s Vehicle Scrappage Plan and Supreme Court Support

This move is not isolated. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways higher renewal fees tie into the 2021 vehicle scrappage policy, designed to systematically remove 20-year-old vehicle from circulation.

The Supreme Court has also played a role, backing restrictions on older petrol and diesel vehicles to cut emissions and protect urban air quality. Together, MoRTH’s policy and judicial support signal a strong push toward cleaner air and sustainable mobility.

MoRTH doubles costs to curb pollution from old vehicles.

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What Vehicle Owners Should Do Next

If your vehicle is approaching or has crossed the 20-year mark, here are steps you should consider under MoRTH’s guidelines:

  • Check renewal costs under the new rules before deciding whether to keep the vehicle.
  • Explore scrappage benefits or subsidies on cleaner alternatives like EVs or hybrids.
  • Look into public transport or shared mobility, especially in urban areas where traffic and pollution are highest.
  • Stay updated locally, as MoRTH’s policy may be implemented slightly differently across regions.

    Imported and domestic vehicles hit by MoRTH’s fee hike.

MoRTH stresses that these changes are not just financial but environmental, urging owners to rethink long-term sustainability.

The Bigger Picture: MoRTH’s Vision for Cleaner Indian Roads

According to MoRTH, vehicles contribute nearly 40% of urban pollution, with 20-year-old vehicle being among the worst offenders. By making it expensive to renew them, the ministry expects to reduce emissions, clear smog, and improve public health outcomes.

Looking ahead, MoRTH may extend stricter rules beyond 20-year-old vehicle, gradually transforming India’s roads with newer, emission-compliant, and electric models.

For now, the message is clear: keeping 20-year-old vehicle on the road is becoming costlier and less practical. The policy marks a step toward cleaner, healthier cities across India.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is MoRTH increasing renewal fees for 20-year-old vehicles?
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways aims to discourage polluting vehicles from staying on the road and push owners towards cleaner alternatives such as EVs and hybrids.

2. How much are the new renewal fees for 20-year-old vehicles?
For motorcycles: ₹2,000, three-wheelers: ₹5,000, light motor vehicles: ₹10,000, imported cars: up to ₹80,000, and imported two-wheelers: up to ₹20,000.

3. Does this rule apply everywhere in India?
Yes, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways rules are nationwide. However, Delhi-NCR has even stricter rules where petrol vehicles over 15 years and diesel vehicles over 10 years are already banned.

4. How does this connect to India’s vehicle scrappage policy?
The higher fees make scrapping old vehicles more attractive, supporting the 2021 scrappage policy aimed at reducing vehicular emissions.

5. What should vehicle owners do if they cannot afford the higher renewal fees?
Owners can explore subsidies on electric vehicles, shift to public transport, or make use of scrappage incentives to upgrade to cleaner models at a lower cost.

Sources

For more details, read the original coverage at The Logical Indian and NDTV.

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