The government has announced new rules that will block vehicle transfers, fitness certificate renewals, and national permit approvals if there are pending toll dues on National Highways. The move aims to improve toll fee compliance and reduce fee evasion.
What Are the New Rules?
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways notified the Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026 on Tuesday. These rules link unpaid toll fees to vehicle related services like:
- Inter-state vehicle ownership transfer
- Fitness certificate renewal
- Issuance of National Permits for commercial vehicles
Under the new rules, an ‘unpaid user fee’ is defined as the fee recorded by the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system but not yet paid by the vehicle owner.
Key Changes
- No NOC Without Clearing Toll Dues
- A No Objection Certificate (NOC) will not be issued for transferring a vehicle to another state until all pending toll dues are cleared.
- Fitness Certificate Renewal Blocked
- Renewal or generation of a Certificate of Fitness will be denied if unpaid toll fees exist.
- National Permits for Commercial Vehicles
- Vehicles must have no pending toll dues to obtain or renew a National Permit.
- Changes to Form 28
- Applicants must now declare any pending toll fees while applying for NOC.
- Part of Form 28 can now be filled online, promoting digital and hassle-free processes.
Why This Reform?
The Ministry stated that these changes will:
- Support the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system, allowing barrier-free tolling.
- Ensure transparent, technology-driven toll collection.
- Help the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) maintain and develop highways sustainably.
Conclusion:
With these new rules, the government aims to strengthen toll fee compliance, encourage digital payment systems, and ensure that vehicle services are only processed after clearing pending dues. Vehicle owners are advised to check and clear toll dues to avoid delays in transfers, fitness renewals, or permit issuance.
