PUC Certificate for Car

As per the Motor Vehicle rules in India, every car owner must carry a certain set of documents while driving a car on public roads. These include a Driving Licence (DL), Registration Certificate (RC), Tax Token, Car Insurance Policy, and a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate.

While you can get your driving licence, registration certificate, and tax token from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) of your area, you will need to apply for a four-wheeler insurance policy and PUCC or pollution certificate separately. To get a car insurance policy for your new car, you can contact your car dealer, or you can visit the website of a motor insurance company, such as Tata AIG.

On the other hand, pollution certificates for new cars are awarded at various petrol pumps and emission testing centres. A new car’s pollution validity is generally one year, after which it has to be renewed.

A Pollution Under Control Certificate or PUCC for vehicles is a document awarded to those vehicles whose emission levels are within the permissible limits prescribed under the Central Motor Vehicles Act of 1988. The PUCC of a vehicle is issued after examining and verifying its emission level at an emission testing centre authorised by the Government.

The idea behind the issuance of PUCC is to identify the vehicles emitting harmful gases into the atmosphere and curb air pollution by banning or penalising them. A PUC certificate confirms that the carbon emissions from a vehicle are within the permissible limits, and they do not go beyond a specific percentage.

A vehicle’s PUC certificate contains the following information:

• The registration number of the vehicle
• Serial number of the PUC certificate
• Date of the emission test
• The expiry date of the PUC certificate
• Emission readings of the vehicle

As per the Motor Vehicles Act, every vehicle owner in India must carry a PUC certificate. If a vehicle is found to be running without a valid pollution certificate, the vehicle owner may have to pay a penalty of up to ₹2,000 or face imprisonment of up to 3 months or both. In extreme cases, the traffic authority may seize the vehicle running without a valid PUCC.

No matter if you’ve purchased a new car or driving an old one, having a PUCC is mandatory. Let’s look at the three crucial reasons why you should get a pollution certificate for your new car or the existing one:

• It is a legal obligation to drive a car in India

As we have mentioned earlier, a PUCC is a mandatory document to drive a vehicle in India. In case someone is found to be driving a car without a Pollution Under Control Certificate, he or she may be prosecuted under the law.

As per section 190 (2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, a person driving a vehicle without a pollution certificate may have to pay a penalty of ₹1,000 for a first-time offence. For subsequent or repeat offences, the driver or the owner may have to pay a fine of ₹ 2,000 every time. Besides, he or she may also face imprisonment of up to 3 months.

• You owe a responsibility towards the environment

The primary objective of the Government behind the introduction of the PUCC for vehicles is not to collect fines from its citizens but to make them aware of the environmental concerns. Emissions from cars contain carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide, both of which are poisonous gases. These gases, when mixed with the environment, can form a deadly combo and create a lot of air pollution.

As a responsible citizen, you must ensure that your vehicle is not contributing to the rising air pollution in our country. And the best way to do this is by getting the pollution under control certificate for your cars and two-wheelers.

• It is mandatory for car insurance renewal

A third-party car insurance policy is another mandatory document that you will need to drive your car on the roads. Driving an uninsured car can attract heavy fines and penalties. You can also procure a comprehensive car insurance policy to financially protect your car from theft and road accidents.

Car insurance policies generally come with a validity of one year, after which you need to renew them. And as per the latest Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) guidelines, a PUC certificate is essential for the renewal of a four-wheeler insurance policy. It means that if you don’t obtain a PUC for your car, you won’t be able to renew your car insurance policy.

The PUC for a new vehicle is provided by the dealer, and it comes with a validity of one year. Post that, you can get a new pollution certificate by visiting an authorised auto emission testing centre. Below are the steps in which you can get the pollution certificate for new cars as well as old ones:

1. Find a PUC testing centre near you by visiting the Parivahan Seva website.

2. Take your car to the PUC testing centre and ask the testing executive to scan the exhaust pipe of your car. He or she will record the emission readings of your car on his or her computer.

3. If the emission levels of your car are within the permissible limits, you will be provided with a Pollution Under Control certificate containing your vehicle’s emission readings.

4. Pay the requisite fee to the testing executive and collect your PUC certificate.

Every time you take your car out for a drive, ensure that all the documents are in order. While obtaining a driving licence, tax token, and registration certificate is a one-time activity, you will need to renew your car insurance policy and pollution certificate every year. Previously, for comparatively old vehicles, the PUC certificate validity used to end after every 6 months.

To purchase or renew the four-wheeler insurance plan for your car, visit Tata AIG. Here, you can compare car insurance and then choose the best one as per your requirements.