God’s Own Country, the State of Kerala, offers a joyous driving experience amidst its breathtaking landscapes. Whether you’re driving along the coastline or the scenic hills, Kerala’s road network is well-maintained throughout.
If you reside in Kerala or plan to drive through this state, it’s essential to acquaint yourself with the Kerala road tax system and ensure timely payment of your due taxes. Kerala follows a lifetime taxation system, allowing you to conveniently pay your road tax during vehicle registration, enabling you to hit the road stress-free!
Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you understand and pay your road taxes online in Kerala seamlessly, within a matter of minutes.
Each State chooses different parameters and rules to levy road taxes. In Kerala, the motor vehicle tax is calculated based on factors like the vehicle’s seating capacity, intended use, and place of registration.
Class of two-wheeler | Applicable one-time tax |
New motorcycles priced up to ₹1 Lakh, other than electric vehicles | 10% of purchase value |
Purchase value between ₹1 Lakh and ₹2 Lakh | 12% of the purchase value |
Purchase value above ₹2 Lakh | 21% of the purchase value |
Vehicle Class | Tax Percentage of Total Vehicle Cost |
Private vehicles and motor cars (personal use, NTV) of purchase value up to ₹5 Lakh | 9% |
Vehicles costing between ₹5 Lakh and ₹10 Lakh | 11% |
Vehicles costing between ₹10 Lakh and ₹15 Lakh | 13% |
Vehicles costing between ₹15 Lakh and ₹20 Lakh | 16% |
Vehicles costing over ₹20 Lakh | 21% |
Vehicle | 5-year Tax |
Motorcycles, mechanically powered two-wheelers | ₹900 |
Three-wheelers, rickshaws, mechanically-operated tricycles | ₹900 |
New auto-rickshaws | ₹2,500 |
Old taxis | ₹7,000 |
Tourism taxis | ₹8,500 |
Motor cars less than 750 kgs in weight | ₹6,400 |
Age in Years | Tax in Percentage of Purchase Value |
< 1 year | 100% |
1 to 2 years | 93% |
2 to 3 years | 87% |
3 to 4 years | 80% |
4 to 5 years | 73% |
5 to 6 years | 67% |
6 to 7 years | 60% |
7 to 8 years | 53% |
8 to 9 years | 47% |
9 to 10 years | 40% |
10 to 11 years | 33% |
11 to 12 years | 27% |
12 to 13 years | 20% |
13 to 14 years | 13% |
14 to 15 years | 7% |
Paying road tax online in Kerala is quite simple using the Vahan 4.0 portal. To get started, read these steps and pay up within minutes!
Step 1 : Visit the Kerala Motor Vehicles Department website.
Step 2 : Click on the ‘Vehicles’ tab.
Step 3 : On the page displayed, click on the ‘eTax – Online Tax Payment’ option.
Step 4 : Provide the last five digits of your chassis number and the vehicle number in the fields.
Step 5 : Your vehicle’s details will appear. Enter your Aadhar number, mobile number and email.
Step 6 : Click ‘Next.’
Step 7 : Your tax details will be displayed.
Step 8 : Make the payment through your preferred payment method. Once you’ve made your payment successfully, you can print or download the receipt.
If you’ve failed to pay your road tax within the stipulated time, you will be faced with a fine of ₹100. If you’re a repeat offender, you will be fined ₹200.
As we conclude this guide to pay your road tax online in Kerala, we’re certain that you’re equipped with all the necessary information to do so seamlessly. However, if you get confused at any step along the way, feel free to come back to this blog and read through the steps again!
Q. How often do I need to pay road tax in Kerala?
You need to pay the road tax only once when you purchase a new vehicle. If you delay the payment beyond the specified window, you may incur penalties. If you transfer your vehicle from one State to another, you need to re-register your vehicle and pay the road tax in the new State.
Q. Which State in India has the highest amount of road tax?
Karnataka charges the highest amount of road tax in India.
Q. Is the road tax refund process online?
Unfortunately, the road tax refund process is not online. If you wish to apply for a road tax refund, you need to visit the nearest RTO and complete the process of applying for a road tax refund.
Q. Where can I check the status of road tax in Kerala?
You can check the road tax status in Kerala on the Parivahan website. You only require the registration number of your vehicle to check and pay road tax online.
Q. What vehicles are exempted from paying road tax in Kerala?
Road tax is exempted in case of vehicles owned and operated by physically disabled people and vehicles used for agricultural purposes.