Is PUC Mandatory for Bike Insurance Renewal?

The Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate is an official document that certifies that a particular vehicle complies with the latest vehicle emission standards set by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). It serves as proof that the pollution emitted by a vehicle is within permissible levels and not actively harming the environment.

The PUC certificate is issued after passing an emission test at an authorised centre, usually located in petrol pumps throughout the country. The PUC certificate is a mandatory document that every driver must carry, along with their driving licence, registration certificate, and insurance documents. It can be renewed at an authorised centre by retesting the vehicle.

The details in the pollution certificate for the two-wheeler include the serial number of your PUC, the validity of the PUC, the registration number of your bike, and the date on which the emission has been tested.

The PUC test examines the level of pollutants emitted by a vehicle, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. A sensor is connected to the bike’s exhaust pipe, which measures the level of pollutants emitted. The readings are compared to the emission standards set by the government, and if your bike’s exhaust emissions are within the prescribed limit, you get the PUC certificate.

In India, all vehicle-related regulations, including licensing, vehicle standards, emission and insurance, fall under the purview of the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA), 1988. The Central Motor Vehicles Act (CMVA), 1989, under the MVA consolidates the rules on emission standards across different vehicle categories across different states. It also sets uniform emission standards in India.

According to the CMVR 1989, all vehicles, regardless of type, need to go through an emissions test at any test centre recognised by any state. This law applies to all vehicles, including cars, SUVs, trucks and two-wheelers, including motorcycles and scooters. Once a motorcycle passes the standards, it will receive a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate, valid throughout the country. Only motorbikes with a valid PUC certificate are road legal.

So, is PUC required for a new bike? Yes, but you don’t have to apply for it separately, as the dealership will provide you with the PUC certificate for the new bike. After the PUC expires, you are required to renew the certificate.

The PUC certificate is important not only to individuals but also for the country as a whole. Learn about the significance of the PUC for 2-wheelers and other vehicles:

Helps Control Air Pollution: Vehicular pollution is one of the primary causes of air pollution in large cities around the world. As a developing country with a significant car population, India has witnessed an unprecedented increase in air pollution in major cities in recent years. The vehicular emissions test with PUC certification has become necessary to address this problem.

Encourages Improvement of Vehicles: Since the PUC test requires every vehicle to undergo a regular inspection, it actively promotes the scrapping of older vehicles, the adoption of new technologies and improvements in fuel economy. This constant evolution directly benefits all motorcycle owners.

Improves Everyone’s Health: The rapid degradation of air quality in Indian cities is one of the country’s most concerning problems. Vehicular pollution directly leads to many health issues for urban residents, including respiratory diseases, immunological deficiencies, neurological diseases, and chronic illnesses. Reducing overall air pollution directly promotes the health of everyone.

Helps Avoid Fines and Other Penalties: According to the Motor Vehicles Act, it is compulsory for every two-wheeler to carry a pollution certificate for the two-wheeler while driving on the roads in the country. Non-compliance can lead to monetary fines, penalties, and cancellation of driving licences. The Motor Vehicle Amendment, 2017, allows the authorities to even seize illegal vehicles without a PUC certificate.

Mandatory for Insurance: As per the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s directive in 2017, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) made the PUC certificate a necessity for insurance. All vehicles are now required to have a valid PUC certificate to renew their vehicle insurance.

With this directive, all bike owners must get a valid PUC certificate to renew their bike insurance plans. Having bike insurance is almost a necessity nowadays due to the rising costs of motorcycles and an increase in thefts and losses. This has made the PUC certificate mandatory in practice.

You need to get your bike to a local authorised testing centre to pass the emissions test and get the PUC certificate. You can find an authorised emission centre at any of the petrol pumps. Also you can also locate a PUC centre approved by the government from the Parivahan website of the government. The process consists of the following steps:

Step 1: Take your vehicle to the emissions centre and hand it over to the operators for a pollution check.

Step 2: The operators will prepare your bike and various instruments before running the required tests. For vehicles with a spark-plug engine, the PUC test measures the concentration of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, while for compression-ignition engines, the overall smoke level is measured.

Step 3: The operators will connect a device to your bike’s exhaust pipe. Start your bike and rev the engine as instructed, and wait for the computer screen to show the emission test results.

Step 4: The operators will measure your bike’s test results against the prescribed limits. If it passes the test, the operator will photograph your bike’s licence plate, and you will get a PUC certificate for a two-wheeler. If you fail, you can repair your bike at a service centre and retake the test.

Step 5: Now, the mechanic will then generate a certificate electronically. This PUC certificate will have the levels of emission of the bike. You can visit the centre again to collect the physical certificate or get it online on the official Parivahan portal of the Transport Ministry (MoRTH). Note that you will have to pay the applicable fee to collect your certificate.

To get your PUC certificate online, get your bike tested at an authorised centre and follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to the Parivahan portal and click on ‘Online Services’.

Step 2: Then, click on ‘‘PUC Certificate’.

Step 3: Enter your bike’s registration number and chassis number.

Step 4: Enter the captcha code as shown on screen and click on ‘PUC Details’.

You will be able to view and download your certificate online and take a printout.

Let’s learn about the validity and costs of PUC certificates in India:

Validity Period

A new bike PUC validity period is one year from the date of purchase. Once the new bike’s one-year validity expires, the owner must retest their bike at any authorised test centre and get a new PUC certificate. The new certificate is valid for six months, after which it must be renewed for as long as the bike is usable under current pollution standards.

The validity period for a PUC certificate depends on the type of vehicle and the state where it is used. State transport authorities and Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) determine the validity of PUC certificates. Most states offer a six-month validity for BS III-compliant vehicles and one year validity for BS IV and BS VI vehicles.

While the usual validity for old vehicles is six months, some cities with high pollution levels require more frequent testing and shorter PUC validity. For example, PUC certificates need to be renewed every three months for older vehicles in Delhi.

PUC Test Fees

The pollution certificate test levies a certain charge on vehicles that pass the test. No fees are charged if the vehicle fails the PUC test. The test fee is around ₹60 for petrol two-wheelers and ₹80 to ₹100 for diesel-based two-wheelers in addition to Goods and Services Tax (GST). The fee amount is decided by the respective State Pollution Control Board.

Since having a valid PUC certificate is mandatory in India under the Motor Vehicles Act, non-compliance with this rule can lead to several penalties. For first-time offenders, the penalty for not having a PUC certificate is a ₹1,000 fine if caught by the traffic police. For repeat offences, the fine is around ₹2,000. Note that different states can impose different penalties.

Besides fines, traffic authorities can also seize and impound your bike during routine checks or special drives if it doesn’t have a valid PUC certificate. This leads to additional fines to retrieve your vehicle from impound.

Since 1989, when emission tests were first introduced in India, the country has adopted several new emission standards. The Bharat Stage (BS) is the Indian engine standard created in 2000. The BSIV was introduced in 2017, while the latest BSVI came into force on 1st April 2020. To clear the PUC test, your bike needs to be compliant with these standards.

The following table shows the permissible levels of various pollutants for different types of two-wheeler vehicles as per the latest BSVI:

Here are the different classes of vehicles covered under BS VI:

Class 1: Engine capacity between 50 cm3 and 150 cm3, max speed between 50 km/h and 100 km/h

Class 2.1: Engine capacity below 150 cm3, max speed between 100 km/h and 115 km/h

Class 2.2: Max speed between 115 km/h and 130 km/h

Class 3.1: Max speed between 130 km/h and 140 km/h

Class 3.2: Max speed above 140 km/h

The PUC for a bike is an essential document that riders must carry with them at all times, other than their driving licences, registration certificates and insurance documents. It helps bike owners assess the condition of their two-wheelers and helps contribute towards a cleaner and greener future. The PUC certificate is required for a bike to be road-legal and avoids fines and penalties from traffic authorities.

A bike insurance policy for a new two-wheeler is as important as the PUC certificate to drive legally in India. Before buying a new bike, you should shop for different bike insurance in India and find a plan that provides sufficient coverage.

If you are worried about the cost of repairs, TATA AIG’s Zero Depreciation Bike Insurance is the perfect choice. It’s a simple add-on that ensures you get the full value of repairs during claim settlement.