MoRTH Formalises Registration Process For Vintage Vehicles In India

After revealing a draft back in 2019, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has officially formalised the registration of vintage motor vehicles in India. Car collectors can breathe a sigh of relief as the new ruling allows vintage cars in India to live on.

That said, the cars will be eligible for the new rules only if they meet certain parameters. Basically, a vintage motor vehicle is defined as one that is over 50 years old and maintained in its original form without any substantial overhaul. 

According to the new rules, a new registration will cost Rs 20,000, with re-registration at Rs 5,000. The application for registration/re-registration is to be done as per Form 20, accompanied by an insurance policy, fee, bill of entry (imported vehicles), and an old RC in the case of an already registered vehicle. Once that’s done, the state registration authority will issue a certificate of registration as per Form 23A, within 60 days.

Those worried about changing registration numbers need not worry, as vehicles that are already registered can retain their original number. Fresh registrations receive a “VA” series (Unique Registration Mark) that will be assigned as ‘XX (state code) VA (vintage) YY (two-letter series). The registration mark will also have a number from 0001 to 9999 allotted by the state registration authority.

While all this is a good sign for vintage cars, unfortunately, the new rules prohibit driving them on roads for regular or commercial purposes. Enthusiasts can, however, still collect cars and display them for special events or exhibitions. 

In this author’s opinion, these new rules leave a bittersweet feeling. Sure, it allows vintage cars to live on in India, but this might make our chances of seeing one on the road quite bleak. Besides, seeing vintage cars sitting behind a display isn’t quite the same as seeing them driven on the road. What are your thoughts on this ruling? Let us know in the comments below.