PUC Renewal

PUC Renewal
A new car or bike's PUC is valid for a year. After that, the PUC certificate needs to be renewed every six months to one year, depending on the car's age.
You also get a grace period of seven days from the day of the expiration of the pollution certificate. You will have to renew the PUC certificate of the vehicle within that time, or you will have to pay heavy fines.
The penalty for driving without a valid vehicle pollution certificate is 1,000 rupees. This amount is only for first-time offenders. If the police catches you a second time, you must pay 2000 rupees.
It is advisable to renew your PUC certificate before it lapses.
- The PUC Certificate, often referred to as the pollution certificate, is a mandatory document for every vehicle owner in India.
- This certificate states that you can legally ride/drive a vehicle in India with respect to meeting environmental standards.
- It is a validation document that states that the vehicle’s emission levels are within the permissible levels set by the government.
- All vehicles on Indian roads are required to possess a valid PUC certificate under the Central Motor Vehicles Rule 1989.
- Usually, a new vehicle is exempt from PUC in the first year. Following this, the vehicle has to undergo mandatory PUC tests at regular intervals to get a validity certificate.
- A PUC certificate is usually valid for a year from the date of issue.
- Failure to produce a PUC certificate can invite a fine of up to Rs 10,000 or six months of imprisonment or both under the Motor Vehicle Act.
- The vehicle owner may also be disqualified from holding their licence for three months.
- If the vehicle is found to be emitting fumes beyond the prescribed limit, despite possessing a valid PUC certificate, the certificate will be cancelled. The vehicle owner will have to obtain a new PUC certificate within seven days.
- The PUC certificate rule is applicable to CNG-powered vehiclesin addition to petrol and diesel vehicles.