Vehicle owners who paid the fee before November 17 and failed to bring the vehicles for test before the declaration too will have to pay the revised fee, according to an order issued by the Kerala MVD.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Vehicle owners in Kerala feel the pinch of yet another ‘price hike’ after the Centre increased fitness test fees of vehicles up to 10 times, introducing a three-tier classification system. After the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways jacked up the fees by amending the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (Fifth Amendment) recently, the Kerala Motor Vehicles department (MVD) has enforced the revised rates for fitness tests, effective November 17.
Vehicle owners who paid the fee before November 17 and failed to bring the vehicles for test before the declaration too will have to pay the revised fee, according to an order issued by the Kerala MVD.
The revised fees are expected to speed up the ‘retirement’ of ageing vehicles, said officials.
As per the notification issued by the Centre on November 11, the revised fee slabs will now apply to vehicles from the age of 10 years onwards, instead of the earlier 15-year threshold. The revised fee structure puts vehicles into three categories: 10–15 years, 15–20 years and above 20 years, with charges exponentially increasing in higher categories. For instance, vehicles in the heavy-duty category, such as trucks and buses, that have crossed 20 years will have to pay ₹25,000 for a fitness test now, a substantial jump from the earlier ₹800.
Heavy-duty vehicles in 10–15 years and 15–20 years categories will have to pay ₹5,000 and ₹12,500, respectively.
The revised rate for medium commercial vehicles that have crossed 20 years is ₹20,000, against the previous ₹800; and ₹5,000 and ₹10,000 for these in the first two age categories.
So is the case with cars, which, having crossed 20 years, will now cost ₹15,000 in fee to undergo fitness test, against the previous ₹600.
The fee for autorickshaw in the third category has been fixed at ₹7,000, a significant jump from the earlier ₹600.
Owners of cars and autorickshaws in the 15-20-year category will have to pay ₹7,500 and ₹3,500, respectively. For two-wheelers above 20 years, it is ₹2,000, and ₹1,000 for motorcycles in the 15-20 year category.
Published – November 21, 2025 11:52 am IST
