Vintage Car Registration Process

• To qualify as a vintage vehicle, the 2-wheeler or 4-wheeler must be over 50 years of age and must be well-maintained in its original condition. You can not do any internal or external overhauls/modifications to the vehicle.

• Vintage motor vehicles can not be regularly driven on public Indian roads for private or commercial purposes. They can only be taken to exhibitions or the occasional drive.

• The vintage vehicle registration process is mandatory. The registration fee is ₹20,000 for a fresh registration and ₹5,000 for a re-registration. The registration will be valid for 10 years.

• Vintage motor vehicles in India must have special number plates with VA lettering.

• Vintage vehicles that are already registered with valid registration documents can retain their original registration number/registration mark on a re-registration.

Since there were no pre-existing rules in place across different states for vintage vehicle registration, the new set of rules offers a more streamlined approach. Here is what you need to know about the vintage vehicle registration process in India:

• Registration for vintage vehicles can be done either at your nearest RTO or on the Parivahan portal.

• You need Form 20 to apply for registrations/re-registrations.

• Other documents needed include motor insurance for four-wheelers or two-wheelers, Bill of Entry (for imported vehicles), the vehicle’s old registration certificate (if available) and lastly, the applicable registration fee.

• Once these documents have been submitted and the fee paid, your State Registering Authority, per Form 23A, will issue your Registration Certificate (RC) within 60 days.

• Your old registration certificate (if you have one) after registration will be cancelled and can only be retained for historical purposes.

• If your vintage vehicle was never registered, the RTO will issue a fresh registration.

• For re-registrations, you may need to visit the RTO if you wish to retain your old registration number, as the Vahan portal does not yet offer this option.

Vintage vehicles will be allotted special number plates to differentiate them from regular vehicles. The registration mark – registration number displayed on the number Plate for fresh registrations will follow the “XX VA YY *” format.

• XX stands for state code.

• VA denotes that it is a vintage vehicle.

• YY is a two-letter series.

• (*) is a 4-digit number combination between 0001 and 9999 (allotted by the state registering authority).

• Vehicles that already have a registration number can retain their vintage vehicle registration number. You must have the original registration documents to do this.

• Vintage vehicles must also follow Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR), 1989. Therefore,

• The licence plates must have black-coloured writing on a white background.

• The number plates must be displayed at the front and back of the vehicle in high-security registration plate (HSRP) format.

According to the new rule, RTOs will be using age as the sole qualifying factor. Your vehicle must be maintained in its original form without alterations, upgrades or modifications in its engine, chassis and outer body shell.

Your vehicle must meet the stated criteria or will be disqualified by the Vintage Motor Vehicle State or Union Territory Committee – whichever has been appointed.

You are permitted to buy a vintage vehicle or sell your vintage vehicle in India. However, you and the buyer/seller must inform your respective state transport authorities (RTOs) of the transfer of ownership 90 days before the sale or purchase.

For usage, your vintage car can not be driven for regular use for private or commercial purposes. You can only take them to exhibitions, the occasional drive or for refuelling and maintenance.

Vintage vehicles must have at least third-party motor insurance. So, if you own a vintage car, you must buy car insurance from an IRDAI-approved general insurer like Tata AIG to ensure legal compliance. Here is how you can do that:

• Visit our Car Insurance page.

• Enter your vehicle registration number and click Get Price.

• Fill out the insurance application form that appears on the screen.

• Upload the required KYC documents – ID proof, address proof, bank details, etc.

• Select any add-ons you want if you are opting for a comprehensive plan. These are not mandatory, and this step can be skipped if desired.

• Submit your car insurance application form and pay the fees, i.e., the insurance premium.

• After verifying and approving your insurance application, we will send a PDF copy of your car insurance policy to your registered email.

When deciding the premium amount for a vintage car, we look at several factors. Since the actual calculation can be quite complex, we recommend using a car insurance calculator. Here are some key factors that will affect your vintage car insurance premiums:

Current Value of the Car: The vintage car’s Insured Declared Value (IDV) is the first thing we will check when determining premium rates.

Since the IDV for vintage vehicles can be tricky to assess on your own, you must get it done by an independent expert on your behalf.

Age of the Car: The higher the car’s age the higher the insurance premium. You must also possess all the relevant documents to present to us to prove your vintage car’s age.

Potential Repair/Maintenance Costs: Vintage cars are heritage property and the cost of repairs/maintenance will be higher than a normal car. Hence, we will determine the potential repairs and maintenance costs when deciding on premiums.

Mileage Covered: The higher the distance/mileage covered by the car, the higher the insurance premiums. Therefore, your vintage car’s mileage will determine whether your overall premium will be high or low.

Availability of Spare Parts: Getting spare parts for vintage vehicles can be challenging. You may even have to import parts if they are unavailable in India.

This can increase repair/replacement costs, which is a key factor in determining your premiums.

According to the new rules put forth by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), vintage cars must be re-registered at RTOs, have a special number plate and can no longer be used for private or commercial purposes.

They must also have valid insurance for four-wheelers from a verified insurer like Tata AIG.

If you own a vintage car and have yet to get a vintage car registration or insurance, we encourage you to do both processes as soon as possible to ensure legal compliance and to avoid attracting any fines from concerned authorities.