A PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate shows your vehicle passed an emission test at an authorised centre. A new vehicle doesn't need one for the first year after registration. After that, a certificate for a BS-IV or BS-VI vehicle lasts one year, and for older vehicles six months. You can see your latest certificate on the Parivahan PUC portal with your registration number and the last five characters of your chassis number. Driving without a valid one can cost up to ₹10,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act, and you need a valid one to renew your insurance.
Last checked 19 October 2026 against the Gazette of India, Lok Sabha answers, the Parivahan PUC portal and the Odisha transport department, listed at the end of this page. Enforcement is done by each state, so fees and fines can differ where you live.
What a PUC certificate is
Rule 115 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 sets emission limits for vehicles. Sub-rule (7) says that after one year from the date a vehicle was first registered, it must carry a valid "Pollution under Control" certificate from an agency the state government has authorised.
Since the 2021 amendment (G.S.R. 410(E), 14 June 2021), the certificate has the same layout in every state, called Form 59. The result is generated from the National Register of Motor Vehicles after the owner's mobile number is verified. The form shows:
- the date and time of the test, and a "Validity upto" date;
- the certificate number, registration number, date of registration and month of manufacture;
- the emission norm (for example BS-IV or BS-VI), the fuel and the fee;
- the measured values against the limits, a photo of the vehicle with its number plate, and a QR code;
- only the last four digits of the owner's mobile number.
The form says it is system generated through the national register and does not need a signature. If the vehicle fails, or the engine warning light (MIL) stays on after starting, the centre gives a rejection slip (Form 59-A) instead, and you are advised to get the vehicle serviced and tested again.
PUC validity by vehicle type
| Vehicle | When you need PUC | Each certificate lasts |
|---|---|---|
| New vehicle (any fuel, any emission norm) | Not needed until one year after the date of first registration | Then follow the row for its emission norm |
| BS-IV or BS-VI vehicle | From one year after first registration | One year |
| BS-III or older vehicle | From one year after first registration | Six months |
| Battery operated (electric) vehicle | Rule 115 emission standards do not apply | Not covered |
The six-month period is in rule 115(7) itself. A proviso added in February 2012 gave BS-IV vehicles twelve months, as the transport ministry told the Lok Sabha in 2013. The Odisha transport department lists one year for both BS-IV and BS-VI vehicles. Your emission norm is printed on the certificate. Whatever the table says, the date that counts is the "Validity upto" date on your own certificate.
A change is proposed, not yet in force
On 22 July 2026 the transport ministry published a draft amendment (G.S.R. 664(E)) that would replace these periods with:
| Vehicle | Proposed validity |
|---|---|
| BS-I, BS-II and BS-III | 3 months |
| BS-IV | 6 months |
| BS-VI private (non-transport) vehicle | 3 years up to 6 years from first registration, then 1 year up to 10 years, then 6 months |
| BS-VI transport vehicle | 2 years up to 6 years from first registration, then 1 year up to 10 years, then 6 months |
Under the draft, the new periods would apply to an existing certificate only at its first renewal after the rules take effect. A renewal within ten days before expiry would start from the old expiry date. A draft is open for public comments and can change before it becomes final. As of 19 October 2026 we found no final notification, so the current periods above still apply. We will update this page when that changes.
How to get a PUC certificate
- Find an authorised centre. The Parivahan PUC portal has a PUC Centre List by state.
- Check your mobile number on Vahan. The certificate is generated only after the owner's mobile number is verified. The form itself asks owners to link their mobile number to the vehicle at vahan.parivahan.gov.in.
- Get the test done. The operator puts a probe in the exhaust and records the reading. The portal now asks centres to record a video of each test showing the number plate and the probe in place.
- Pay the fee and collect the certificate. States set the fee. Odisha, for example, lists ₹60 for two and three wheelers, ₹100 for light motor vehicles and ₹150 for medium and heavy vehicles, plus GST. The fee you paid is printed on the certificate.
There is no way to get a certificate online without the test. Online, you can only see, save or print one that a centre has already issued.
Check or download your PUC online
The official service is the Parivahan PUC portal, puc.parivahan.gov.in (the old address vahan.parivahan.gov.in/puc opens the same site).
- Open puc.parivahan.gov.in/puc and choose PUC Certificate in the menu.
- Enter your vehicle's registration number, the last five characters of the chassis number (printed on your RC), and the text shown in the image.
- Tap PUC Details. You see the latest certificate for that vehicle, including its validity date.
- To keep a copy, use the print or download option on the result if it shows one, or your browser's Print and then Save as PDF.
For older certificates, choose PUC Certificate History. It asks for your vehicle number and sends a one-time password (OTP) to the mobile number registered with the vehicle.
If the portal finds nothing, check the number and chassis characters first. Keep the printout the centre gave you either way.
Fines for no PUC or an expired PUC
Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act covers driving a vehicle that breaks the rules on road safety, noise and air pollution. The 2019 amendment changed its penalty to:
- imprisonment of up to three months, or a fine of up to ₹10,000, or both; and
- disqualification from holding a driving licence for three months.
The fine you actually pay is decided by your state. Section 190(2) is one of the offences states can compound (settle with a fixed amount) under section 200, and each state sets its own amounts. Odisha, for example, lists ₹10,000 for a first offence and ₹10,000 for later offences.
The 2021 rules add one more step. A police officer (Sub-Inspector or above) or a motor vehicles inspector who believes a vehicle is breaking the limits can direct you, in writing or electronically, to get it tested. If you don't do so within seven days, or the vehicle fails, the owner is liable for the section 190(2) penalty. If the owner still doesn't comply, the registering authority can suspend the vehicle's RC and any permit until a valid PUC certificate is generated.
The PUC portal's menu also has an online payment service for vehicle owners whose PUC has expired (Check Fine Details, by registration number) and a Download Fine Receipts option.
If your PUC has expired
- Get it tested before you drive much more. Any authorised centre can test the vehicle and issue a new certificate. We found no grace period in the rule: the certificate is valid up to the date printed on it.
- If it fails, you get a rejection slip. Get the vehicle serviced and go back for a retest.
- Renewing insurance soon? IRDAI says a valid PUC certificate is mandatory on the date you renew a motor policy. Get the test done first.
- RTO work coming up? Parivahan lists a PUC certificate among the documents for renewing an RC.
- Check your state's rules. States add their own. Delhi, for example, has issued directions on the PUC portal about not issuing certificates to vehicles without the third registration mark.
For the full set of documents to carry when you drive, see car documents in India: what to carry and when they expire. For other renewal dates and deadlines through the year, see India holidays and deadlines.
Keep track of your PUC date with DocIt
A six-month or one-year certificate is easy to forget. If you want your phone to remind you:
- Save the certificate: scan the printout with automatic edge detection and crop, or import the photo or PDF. Name it "PUC certificate" or pick its type.
- Check the date: DocIt reads the expiry date when it can. Add or check it before you save.
- See it at a glance: the certificate shows Valid, Expiring or Renew now, and sits with your RC and insurance in the Essentials checklist.
- Get a reminder: your phone reminds you 30, 7 and 1 day before it expires, once you turn reminders on.
DocIt does not fetch anything from Parivahan or check the government's database. It only knows what you save. A copy in DocIt is for your own records: if an officer asks, show the certificate the centre gave you or the record on the official portal.
The same reminders work for your licence, RC and insurance. See how on the document expiry reminder page.
DocIt is free on Google Play for Android phones. Your documents are encrypted on this phone, with no sign-up and no ads.
Questions
What is a PUC certificate?
A Pollution Under Control certificate. It shows that your vehicle passed an exhaust emission test at a centre authorised by the state government, and the date it is valid up to. Since 2021 every state issues it in the same format (Form 59), generated from the national vehicle register with a QR code.
How long is PUC valid?
Under rule 115(7), a certificate for a BS-IV or BS-VI vehicle is valid for one year, and for older vehicles six months. A new vehicle needs its first one only after a year from registration. Always go by the "Validity upto" date printed on your certificate.
Is PUC required for a new vehicle?
Not in the first year. Rule 115(7) asks for a valid PUC certificate after one year from the date the vehicle was first registered. Note that date somewhere you will see it.
Is PUC required for a bike?
Yes. Rule 115(7) applies to motor vehicles in general, two wheelers included, from one year after first registration. Rule 115 emission standards do not apply to battery operated vehicles.
What documents are required for a PUC certificate?
Take the vehicle itself to the centre. The certificate is generated from the national register using your registration number, after the owner's mobile number is verified, so make sure the mobile number linked to the vehicle on Vahan is current.
What is the fine for an expired PUC?
The Motor Vehicles Act, section 190(2), allows imprisonment of up to three months, a fine of up to ₹10,000, or both, and disqualification from holding a licence for three months. States set the amount actually collected. Odisha, for example, lists ₹10,000 for the first and later offences.
How do I renew an expired PUC?
Get the vehicle tested again at any authorised PUC centre. There is no online renewal without a test. If it passes, the centre issues a new certificate.
Is there any PUC validity after the expiry date?
We found no grace period in the current rule. The certificate is valid up to the date printed on it. A draft from July 2026 would let a renewal made in the last ten days before expiry start from the old expiry date, but that draft is not law yet.
Sources
All checked on 19 October 2026. "Archived copy" means the official page did not load from our checker that day and we read the Internet Archive's copy of it.
- Gazette of India, G.S.R. 410(E), 14 June 2021: Central Motor Vehicles (Thirteenth Amendment) Rules, 2021, Form 59 and Form 59-A (PDF)
- Gazette of India, G.S.R. 664(E), 22 July 2026: draft amendment to rule 115(7), proposed PUC validity periods (PDF)
- Lok Sabha unstarred question 4559, 22 April 2013: PUC validity under rule 115(7) (archived copy, PDF)
- Lok Sabha unstarred question 1774, 5 March 2015: PUC needed one year after first registration (archived copy, PDF)
- The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, Gazette of India, sections 72 and 86 (PDF)
- Parivahan PUC portal: PUC Certificate, History, fine details, centre list, state notifications
- Odisha Transport: pollution testing fee and validity of PUC certificate
- Odisha Transport: penalty under section 190(2)
- IRDAI Policyholder: motor insurance FAQs (PUC on renewal)
- Parivahan: renewal of registration certificate