Illegal Car Modifications in India that are 'COP-MAGNETS'

As far as purchasing big-ticket items in India goes, cars are right up there, and modifying your car to better suit your tastes is a trend that’s growing rapidly. Fitting your vehicle with bespoke items is a way for owners to stand out and differentiate themselves from other cars of a similar make and model.

That said, there are aspects of a car that you can legally modify, and those that you can’t. For the latter, there are very sound reasons behind them being illegal, which we will get into in detail. It’s crucial that an owner understands what’s allowed and what’s not when it comes to modifications to their vehicle. Far from being a deterrent, the modifications that aren’t allowed are only illegal to ensure your safety, and that of those around you. It is also worth noting that illegally modifying your car can lead to potentially being fined by local authorities, which is never worth the hassle.

So, what automobile modifications can you consider? What are the changes you should avoid? Our guide to illegal modifications will give you a thorough understanding of the ins-and-outs of car modifications in India.

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Is It Legal To Modify A Car In India?

As per the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, there are guidelines in place for car modifications. These guidelines make it legal to perform certain modifications to your car. It’s important to note that only certain aspects of your car can be legally modified. The Motor Vehicle Act’s Section 52 states that a vehicle’s owner cannot alter the vehicle’s specifications as listed in the certificate of registration. As an example, if the official documents of your car state that it has been registered in the colour white, then it is illegal to change it to any other colour. This rule, however, is not completely black-and-white. If you were to consider changing the colour of your car, you can do so by getting your RTO’s approval and re-applying for the car’s registration to reflect the new colour.

On the other hand, there are certain aspects of a car that can be modified. An example is the engine. Parts of the engine or the engine itself can legally be modified (or even replaced) to use a different fuel or energy source, such as a battery, compressed natural gas, or solar power, if a conversion kit is installed. Even if it is not an engine swap, the components of the engine can be replaced and/or modified. What’s important to keep in mind here is that they need to meet safety standards and emissions regulations, and require your Regional Transport Office (RTO)’s consent. After the modifications have been carried out, your registration certificate needs to be fully updated to reflect the changes.

Factors To Consider Before Modifying Your Car

Carrying out modifications to your car is a great way to personalise it. However, before you start making any modifications to your car, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:
1) Safety should always be a top priority. Especially if you are carrying out performance modifications to your vehicle, always ensure that the changes you make don’t compromise your safety and that of others around you.

2) The Regional Transport Office (RTO) should be your first port of call when making any changes to your car. They have to be consulted with, and any changes you intend on making need to be met with their approval.

3) Your car’s insurance carrier will need to be alerted if you are carrying out extensive modifications to your vehicle. If not adhered to, issues could arise when you need to claim insurance.

4) The modifications to your vehicle will alter its resale value for when you decide to eventually sell the car. Whether it will positively or negatively affect the resale value is dependent on the kind of modifications that are being carried out.

What Are Legal Car Modifications In India?

The list of legal modifications that can be carried out to your car is not short. That said, even within legal modifications, there are limits and restrictions. The following is a list of all the legal car modifications in India:

1) Exterior Modifications

Minor exterior modifications like applying stickers or decals are completely legal in India as they don’t tamper with safety standards. However, if you wish to change the colour of your car altogether, it’s legal only after you obtain approval from your Regional Transport Office. You will also have to ensure that the new colour is accurately reflected in your registration certificate, which can be done by re-applying for it.

2) Tyre Modifications

If you are unhappy with the kind of tyres that your car comes from the factory, it is legal to have them changed to whatever size and specification you want. The only thing that should be kept in mind here is that the tyres should, at the very least, match your previous tyres’ specifications. Be it in terms of the kind of load they can take, the speed rating they come with, or even their width, safety should be a priority here.

Similarly, there are no restrictions on the kind of alloy wheels you can fit to your car. As long as they are structurally sound and can get the job done satisfactorily, all the while enhancing your car’s look, any alloy wheel design and size can be fitted to your car legally.

3) Lighting Modifications

There is a lot of merit in upgrading your car’s headlights (and even the tail-lights, for that matter). Brighter headlights can help visibility at night, and is a great way to improve driving confidence when street lamps aren’t present. The only thing to ensure here is that you adhere to prescribed colour and brightness standards. What this means is that they should be bright enough to light the road ahead clearly, but not so bright that they blind oncoming traffic. Also, replacing halogen lamps with white LEDs is acceptable, but using tints like blue, green, or red for your car’s headlights is illegal. The goal of any modification to your car should also always keep other road users in mind.

4) Interior Modifications

As long as the structural integrity of the vehicle isn’t compromised, there are no limits to the modifications that can be carried out in the interior of a car. This could include fitting a better sound system, a new infotainment screen, new seat covers, or even installing personal artefacts on the dashboard of the vehicle.

Once again though, while interior modifications aren’t restricted, it’s important to keep safety in mind. As an instance, while a steering wheel cover is legal, it shouldn’t tamper with the airbag mechanism found recessed in the steering wheel itself. In the event of an accident, this could put the driver at serious risk of injury.

5) Engine Modifications 

If you are considering a switch to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), the provision to install a CNG kit to your vehicle exists and is legal. All the same, it is important to register this modification with the RTO. Once that is done, you will receive an updated registration certificate for your car.

The Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 also makes it legal to have your engine replaced as long as two conditions are met: the new engine’s specifications must match the original’s, and the RTO’s consent must be taken. Thereafter, the updated engine number must also appear in your registration certificate, and only then can you legally drive your car.

As for upgrades that involve tuning the engine to provide more horsepower and torque, and even improve efficiency, it’s important to remember that your car has been built to meet safety standards and emissions regulations. Any changes you carry out will also need to meet safety standards and emissions. As per section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, the owner of the vehicle needs to report any modifications made to the vehicle within 14 days of making the alteration to the RTO in question. 

Common Illegal Car Modifications And Their Consequences

While there are changes that you can carry out to your vehicle, certain modifications need to be steered clear of completely. In no particular order, they include:

1) Vehicle Structure Modifications

Before a car is legally allowed to drive on public roads, a manufacturer puts the car under numerous checks and tests to ensure that its structural integrity is sound enough to absorb most impacts and protect the car’s occupants. With that in mind, it’s important to avoid making any changes to the chassis or the frame of the car. If not adhered to, this could lead to a serious risk of injury in the case of an accident. Moreover, local authorities have the power to cancel registrations and revoke licences if a car’s original structure has been deemed to have been tampered with.

2) Aftermarket Horns

Fitting an aftermarket horn is perfectly acceptable and within the law. However, government guidelines prohibit car horns that exceed 100 decibels. If found with a horn that doesn’t comply with regulations, then it could lead to fines.

3) Designer Registration Plates

Number plates, whether regular or the VIP variety, need to be inserted onto a high-security registration plate, or an HSRP. This is a non-negotiable rule that has come into effect from April 1, 2019 onwards, as part of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. But what exactly is an HSRP? HSRPs are standardised aluminium plates, hot-stamped with chromium, which feature a 10-digit PIN along with a hologram. They’re designed to enhance the security and the traceability of vehicles. They can be tracked using a laser recognition system and also can be detected by on-road cameras that are ANPR-enabled. Additionally, the fonts and styles used on HSRPs are standardised. Any registration plate that deviates from this format is liable to get the owner fined.

4) Window Tints

Getting completely darkened side windows for your car may be an aesthetically-pleasing look, but they are prohibited in India. As per the law, you can have tints on your windows, but only to a certain extent. The windscreen visibility should be at least 70%, while the side window visibility should be at least 50%.

5) Aftermarket Exhausts

Technically, swapping out your factory-fitted exhaust system for a louder unit is within the law, but there are certain conditions that need to be met. To start, any change to your car's exhaust system needs RTO approval. More importantly, the unit you intend to install needs to have a decibel rating of under 100. So, while aftermarket exhaust units can be a great upgrade in terms of aesthetics and performance, they also need to fall within the approved noise limits.

6) Aftermarket Suspension Systems

Suspension swaps are primarily carried out for two reasons: to alter the ground clearance of a car and/or to improve the ride and handling characteristics. Here, it should be noted that the factory-fitted suspension has been tested and equipped keeping all safety guidelines in mind. It is a crucial component of the car, and forms a direct link to the road, so any modifications to the suspension should only be carried out under expert guidance.

If what you’re after is a simple ride height increase, that is a legal change you can make. It is only allowed up to a certain threshold, though, so it is best to check with your RTO about the legal limit before carrying out any modifications. Keep in mind that increasing or decreasing your ride height could adversely affect the handling characteristics of your car, and unpredictable handling could prove to be dangerous not just for you but also for others on the road.

7) Tinted Headlights

It is legal to switch from halogen lamps to LED units, but having coloured tints put in is prohibited for your car’s headlights.

8) Engine Swaps

Before considering any changes to your engine, it’s important to understand how a car engine works in the first place, and whether you really need more power in the first place. That said, swapping out your car’s existing engine for a bigger (or in certain cases, smaller) displacement is illegal in India. What is within the limits of the law is swapping out your engine for one that matches the original’s specifications, though. With your RTO’s approval, you can carry out an engine change with the same specifications in the event of terminal damage to the original unit. Also worth noting is that your registration will need to be updated to reflect the new engine’s identification number.

Why Some Car Modifications Are Banned
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There are a number of ways to modify your car in India. These modifications can be major or minor, and depending on the impact they have on certain aspects of your car, they are deemed legal or illegal.

The key considerations that go into deciding the legality of a modification done to a car are based on safety concerns, environmental impacts, and reliability. If a particular modification is deemed to be negatively impacting any safety, environmental or reliability aspects, then it is likely to be deemed illegal.

As an instance, swapping your car’s halogen bulbs to LED units for better visibility is legal in India. However, if the LED units are beyond the prescribed brightness limits, or if they have a coloured tint to them, they are deemed illegal. This is because they can be highly distracting and blinding for other road users, and this could lead to accidents.

How To Modify Your Car Legally

It may seem that there are quite a few aspects to avoid while modifying your car, but the fact is that there are a few ways to modify your car to your liking and still have the changes be completely legal.

Getting prior approval from your RTO is one of the best ways to start. For whatever modification you are planning, it’s important to understand whether your safety (and that of others) on the road is not being negatively impacted, and the RTO’s guidelines will help you in navigating the same. Getting a verified expert to consult the subject matter is also a good way to go about modifying your car. They will help you understand what’s possible and what’s outside the regulations.

Car Colour Change RTO Application Process Explained

One of the more common modifications that owners like to make is changing the colour of their cars. Getting the car repainted is not the only step involved in the process, though. Your car’s original colour is a part of the key specifications in your registration form. 

As per the Motor Vehicle Act, changing it to any other colour will require following a few steps:

Step 1) Download the ‘Notice of Alteration to a Motor Vehicle’ form. This form can also be obtained from the RTO. Fill out the form with the precise details of your car’s registration.

Step 2) Head to your RTO, pay the service charges and get the required signatures wherever applicable. Keep in mind that it is at the discretion of the RTO officer to grant you the permission to change your car’s colour.

Step 3) Once you have the approval from the RTO and have your car repainted to the desired colour, you will need to go back to the RTO with your registration certificate. This will now need to be updated by the RTO officer in question. 

Step 4) Lastly, you will also have to notify the insurance company about your car’s updated colour or risk incurring a penalty for supplying inaccurate information.

The Impact Of Car Modifications On Insurance

Car insurance premiums are calculated on the basis of a number of factors like the make, model, specifications, mileage, market price, and so on. When a modification is made to an insured car, it alters the parameters of the premium calculation.

If major changes are made to a car, the insurers are likely to raise the car’s insurance premium. As an example, a car fitted with an aftermarket exhaust system will technically mean it makes more power, making it a greater risk of getting into an accident. While the logic is certainly one-sided, the insurers will likely hike the car’s premium upon this being reported.

On the other hand, cars with better safety features and advanced tech features that reduce the risk of accidents will likely attract lower insurance premiums. 

Conclusion

There are lots of ways to go about modifying a car in India. What’s important to note is that there are quite a few points to keep in mind before considering any modifications. Understanding whether the planned modifications are legal or not is key before undertaking any changes.

What’s clear is that the list of illegal car modifications for India is not unreasonable. The focus is on ensuring that the owners safety and that of other road users is ensured first and foremost, with reliability and environmental concerns also making up the reasoning behind banning certain car modifications.

It’s also clear that there are still plenty of ways to legally customise a car in India to suit one’s tastes and preferences. If the rules and regulations are kept in mind, modifying your car to your liking can be a highly gratifying way to stand out.

FAQs

Q. Can we modify cars in India legally?

Yes, there are lots of changes you can make to your car legally. Examples include changing your tyres, and interior and lighting modifications.

Q. Why is vehicle modification illegal in India?

Certain car modifications in India are illegal owing to their negative impact on safety, environment and reliability grounds.

Q. What kind of car modifications are illegal in India?

Some illegal modifications in India include vehicle structure modifications, designer registration plates, aftermarket suspensions, and tinted headlights.

Q. How much does it cost to modify a car in India?

Car modification costs depend on the component being altered, and can range from as little as ₹100 to multiple lakh.

Q. Are alloy wheels illegal in India?

Alloy wheels are not illegal in India and, in fact, come factory-fitted by some manufacturers.

Q. Is it legal to change car colour in India?

You can change the exterior colour of your car, but only after obtaining an RTO approval and re-applying for the car’s registration.

Q. Is it illegal to change car engines in India?

If the car’s engine is being replaced with another engine with the same specifications, it is not illegal.