Kerala Road Tax Guide: Rates & Online Payment

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.

How is Road Tax Calculated in Kerala?

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.

Road Tax for Two-Wheelers

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

Road Tax for Four-Wheelers  

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%

Road Tax for Commercial Vehicles

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

Road Tax for Other State Vehicles

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%

How to Pay Road Tax Online in Kerala?

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.

What is the Road Tax Penalty in Kerala?

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.

The Bottom Line

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!

FAQs

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.

Check the Tax Rates in Other States

Andhra Pradesh Road Tax	Manipur Road Tax
Arunachal Pradesh Road Tax	Meghalaya Road Tax
Assam Road Tax	Mizoram Road Tax
Bihar Road Tax	Nagaland Road Tax
Chhattisgarh Road Tax	Odisha Road Tax
Goa Road Tax	Punjab Road Tax
Gujarat Road Tax	Rajasthan Road Tax
Haryana Road Tax	Sikkim Road Tax
Himachal Pradesh Road Tax	Tamil Nadu Road Tax
Jharkhand Road Tax	Telangana Road Tax
Karnataka Road Tax	Tripura Road Tax
Kerala Road Tax	Uttar Pradesh Road Tax
Madhya Pradesh Road Tax	Uttarakhand Road Tax
Maharashtra Road Tax	West Bengal Road Tax