A PUC certificate is mandatory for all vehicles in India. However, it is valid for 1 year only for new vehicles. After that, PUC must be renewed every 6 months at authorized emission testing centre. Driving without valid PUC certificate is punishable offence under the Motor Vehicles Act, which is why it is important to check PUC validity from time to time. You can check your PUC certificate validity online using your vehicle details. In this blog, we discuss PUC certificate, how long it is valid, and how can you check validity.
PUC certificate validity
All vehicles in India that run on Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) such as Petrol, Diesel, CNG, or LPG must have a valid PUC certificate. For new vehicle, the PUC certificate is usually provided by the dealer at the time of purchase. This PUC certificate is valid for 1 year from the date of issue. So, if you have bought new bike or car, you do not need to visit PUC testing centre immediately. As vehicle gets older, its pollution levels can change. That is why pollution checks are required at regular intervals. In Delhi, the PUC certificate is valid for 3 months. But, BS-IV and BS-VI compliant vehicles may have different validity period as per current rules.
Renewal of PUC certificate validity
As per BS I to BS VI norms, you should renew PUC certificate for all types of vehicles in India whether it is Petrol, Diesel or any CNG vehicle. A PUC certificate is valid for 6 months, and you should renew it before it expires. After expiry, there is grace period of 7 days to renew it without any penalty. Grace period means the extra time given to renew PUC certificate after it expires. If you do not renew PUC certificate within grace period, late fine will be added when you renew it later. The fine is calculated as a percentage of the PUC charges, as explained below:
- 5% of the PUC charges if you renew your puc certificate after 30 days of grace period.
- 10% of the PUC charges if you renew your puc certificate within 31-90 days of grace period.
- 15% of the PUC charges if you renew your puc certificate within 91-180 days of grace period.
- 20% of the PUC charges if you renew your puc certificate after 181 days of grace period.
How to check your PUC certificate validity online?
You can check your PUC certificate validity online by following these steps:
- Visit Welcome Transport Department (parivahan.gov.in)
- Click on “PUC certificate” tab
- Enter your vehicle’s Registration number and last five digits of your vehicle’s Chassis number. Type the Captcha code also.
- Click on “PUC details” button.
- It will display all the details regarding PUC certificate on screen.
Consequences of not having a PUC certificate
PUC certificate is compulsory for all vehicle owners in India. You must carry valid PUC certificate whenever you drive on the road. If you do not have PUC certificate, or if your PUC has expired, the traffic police can fine you. The fine can go up to ₹10000. Earlier, this fine was only ₹1000, but the rules are now much stricter.
Delhi Transport Department clearly announced that carrying a valid PUC certificate is mandatory. If you are caught without PUC certificate, you have to pay ₹10000, or even face jail for up to 6 months or both. If you break this rule again, the fine can increase to ₹20000. These rules now apply across all states in India.
Not having PUC certificate can also affect your vehicle insurance. Insurance is compulsory for every vehicle in India. As per IRDAI guidelines, insurance companies will not issue or renew motor insurance if the vehicle does not have valid PUC certificate. So, to avoid heavy fines always check your PUC certificate validity and renew it on time before it expires.
FAQs
What is the expiry of PUC certificate?
The PUC certificate is valid for one year from the date of issue
Can I get 2nd PUC certificate?
If your PUC is still valid, you can download a digital copy but, if it has expired, you can get it from any authorized PUC testing center
Why PUC is mandatory for all vehicles?
PUC is mandatory for all vehicles to ensure that they are not emitting excessive pollutants.
Do BS6 vehicles need PUC?
Yes, BS6 vehicles also need PUC.
Dhruv
Hello, can you please provide the source for the grace period?