PUC certificate: validity, fine and how to get one

Not sure when yours runs out? Check it with our PUC validity checker — it takes ten seconds.

What a PUC certificate is

A PUC certificate shows that your vehicle's exhaust was tested and found within the emission limits for its fuel and emission norm (BS-III, BS-IV, BS-VI). It's required for every petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG and hybrid vehicle on Indian roads — cars, motorcycles and scooters alike. Electric vehicles don't need one.

How long a PUC is valid

Vehicle	When
New vehicle	First PUC due 1 year after first registration
BS-IV or BS-VI	Each PUC valid for 12 months
BS-III and older	Each PUC valid for 6 months

This comes from Rule 115(7) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 — the Kerala High Court has confirmed the 12-month validity for BS-IV and BS-VI vehicles. Some states have issued shorter validity in practice, so trust the "valid till" date printed on your certificate. The government has also proposed longer validity for new BS-VI vehicles; until that's notified, the periods above apply.

Most vehicles registered between April 2017 and March 2020 are BS-IV, and most from April 2020 are BS-VI. Your RC lists the norm.

What happens if your PUC lapses

• Fine: up to ₹10,000 and/or up to 3 months' jail under Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act. In practice many states challan ₹1,000 for a first offence.
• No fuel in some cities: Delhi has enforced "no PUC, no fuel" at petrol pumps.
• Insurance renewal: the IRDAI has asked insurers to check for a valid PUC when you renew your motor insurance.

How to get a PUC

1. Go to any authorised PUC centre — most petrol pumps have one.
2. The operator connects a probe to the exhaust (and runs the engine at set speeds for diesels). It takes about five minutes.
3. Pay the fee — usually ₹60–₹150 depending on your state and vehicle.
4. You get a printed certificate with your number plate, the readings and the "valid till" date. The record is also uploaded to the national database.

If your vehicle fails, get it serviced (often an air filter, spark plug, injector or oxygen sensor issue) and test again.

How to check your PUC online

PUC records are uploaded to the government's VAHAN database, so you can see them on the Parivahan website or in the mParivahan app. When you add your vehicle to MotorBabu by its number plate, it reads your PUC date from the registration records, reminds you before it expires — and after you renew, it finds the new date by itself.