Top News

If you have any outstanding tolls owed on your vehicle it will soon be very difficult to obtain most necessary government services. As part of its latest changes to the Motor Vehicle Rules the Government of India is implementing the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (Second Amendment) 2026. In addition they have also stated that an individual will be denied access to many of the services associated with owning a motor vehicle until all of their outstanding tolls are paid. The goal is to reinforce the processes for collecting tolls on national highways as well as to stop people from trying to avoid paying their tolls. Under the amended rules the government has introduced a new definition of “unpaid user fee.” This refers to toll charges for using a National Highway section where the Electronic Toll Collection system has recorded the vehicle’s passage but the fee has not been received as required under the National Highways Act 1956. The amendments directly link the payment of pending toll dues with important vehicle-related services. As per the new provisions a No Objection Certificate will not be issued for transfer of vehicle ownership or for moving a vehicle from one state to another unless all unpaid toll fees are cleared. Similarly vehicles with outstanding toll dues will not be allowed to renew or obtain a Certificate of Fitness. For commercial vehicles applying for a National Permit the rules now make it mandatory that there should be no unpaid toll charges against the vehicle. “Under the amended rules a new definition of ‘unpaid user fee’ has been introduced and it refers to the user fee payable for the use of a National Highway section where Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system has recorded the vehicle’s passage but the applicable fee has not been received in accordance with the National Highways Act 1956” Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said. The ministry has also updated Form 28 which is used to apply for a No Objection Certificate. Applicants will now have to declare whether any unpaid toll demand is pending against their vehicle and provide related details. To promote digital processes the amended rules allow parts of Form 28 to be issued electronically through the designated online portal. Form 28 is a crucial document required for transferring a vehicle to another state or district and confirms that there are no pending dues or legal issues. The ministry said these changes will also support toll collection once the Multi-Lane Free Flow system is fully implemented. The MLFF system is designed to enable barrier-less tolling across the National Highway network reducing congestion and improving travel efficiency.