A Vehicle Fitness certificate is non-negotiable if you want to run your vehicle on the roads. The Motor Vehicles Act 1989 requires all vehicles to have an RTO-issued, authentic vehicle fitness certificate. But why? Moreover, how can you apply for a vehicle fitness certificate from the comfort of your home? As someone who is going to buy a new vehicle, you must know all this.
So if you want to learn more about it, keep reading.
What Is a Vehicle Fitness Certificate?
A fitness certificate, often known as an FC, is a document issued by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) that attests to the vehicle’s overall suitability for road use. A Fitness Certificate for a new car is included and is valid for a specified duration.
After that, one must renew the vehicle fitness certificate to conform with The Motor Vehicles Act’s statutes and regulations. The Regional Transport Office is responsible for conducting a comprehensive vehicle check as part of the renewal procedure.
Why Do You Need to Obtain a Vehicle Fitness Certificate?
Since a vehicle fitness certificate acts as a testimony to your vehicle’s good health, you must obtain it for the following reasons –
- Staying clear of hefty non-compliance penalties from the authorities.
- Avoid car seizures.
- Avoid pollution by tracking the amount of smoke your vehicle releases into the air.
- Maintaining your car in top-notch condition.
- Staying clear of traffic accidents or accidents due to the sudden breakdown of your car.
How To Apply for the Vehicle Fitness Certificate?
The RTO has made the application process for obtaining a vehicle fitness certificate streamlined and easy. You can apply for it online from the comfort of your home by following the steps discussed below –
- Visit the official Parivahan site.
- Then, search for ‘Vehicle Related Services.” It should be under the “Online Services” section.
- Next, from the drop-down menu, select your state of residence.
- Subsequently, fill in your vehicle registration number and click “Proceed.”
- Once done, click on “Apply for Fitness Certificate.” A list of instructions will now appear on the screen. Carefully read them, acknowledge them, and click “Proceed.”
- Here, you are required to fill in the correct chassis number of your vehicle and your registered contact number.
- Then, click “Generate OTP” to receive an OTP on your registered number.
- Next, input the OTP and view vehicle details. Thoroughly check the same and fill in any required fields such as application fee data and more.
- Once done, check all the information and click “Payment” to pay the fees using a secured payment gateway.
- After the payment, make a note of the generated application number and download a copy of the receipt.
- With all these documents and others, visit the RTO for a vehicle inspection.
- The RTO will issue the FC only after your vehicle undergoes a thorough vehicle inspection and clears it.
Wrapping Up
The FC certificate for a 4-wheeler and 2-wheeler that’s newly bought is valid for 15 years. After this, you will have to renew it every 5 years. The fees for manual FC range from 200-600 Rs, whereas for automated, it is between 400-1,000 Rs, depending on your vehicle. As an owner it is always important to be aware of all the vital RTO Vehicle information and its details.
Remember: Obtaining an FC certificate is mandatory and good for you in its own ways!
References:
- https://rto.care/news/rto/how-obtain-vehicle-fitness-certificate-and-the-importance-fc#:~:text=The%20Importance%20of%20a%20Vehicle%20Fitness%20Certificate%20Apart,more%20of%20a%20concern%20with%20each%20passing%20day.
- https://www.acko.com/rto/vehicle-fitness-certificate/#what-is-a-fitness-certificate-fc-of-a-vehicle
