Tamil Nadu Road Tax Guide: Rates & Online Payment

Despite heavy traffic congestion, roads in Tamil Nadu are well-maintained throughout the State. From the Western Ghats to tea plantations and beaches along the coast, driving in Tamil Nadu is enjoyable when one is compliant with the State’s regulations.

If you’re a resident or planning to move to the State, it is crucial for you to know the working of the Tamil Nadu road tax system. We’ve compiled a guide for you to understand and pay road taxes online hassle-free and within minutes!

How is Road Tax Calculated in Tamil Nadu?

Each State chooses different parameters and rules to levy road taxes. In Tamil Nadu, the motor vehicle tax is calculated based on the vehicle’s type, purpose, age, displacement/engine capacity, seating capacity and fuel type.

Road Tax for Two-Wheelers

Vehicle’s Age	Rate of Taxation
0-1 year	7.75%
1-2 years	7.5%
2-3 years	7.25%
3-4 years	7%
4-5 years	6.75%
5-6 years	6.5%
6-7 years	6.25%
7-8 years	6%
8-9 years	5.75%
9-10 years	5.5%
10-11 years	5.25%
11-12 years	5%

Road Tax for Four-Wheelers  

Vehicle’s Age	Vehicles priced up to  ₹10 Lakh (% of car cost)	Vehicles priced more than  ₹10 Lakh (% of car cost)
0 (new motor vehicle)	10%	15%
0-1 year	8.75%	13.75%
1-2 years	8.5%	13.5%
2-3 years	8.25%	13.25%
3-4 years	8%	13%
4-5 years	7.75%	12.75%
5-6 years	7.5%	12.5%
6-7 years	7.25%	12.25%
7-8 years	7%	12%
8-9 years	6.75%	11.75%
9-10 years	6.5%	11.5%
10-11 years	6.25%	11.25%
11-12 years	6%	11%

Road Tax for Commercial Vehicles

Laden Payload (Kg)	Taxation (₹)
Up to 3,000 Kg	₹600
3,000-5,500 Kg	₹950
5,500-9,000 Kg	₹1,500
9,000-12,000 Kg	₹1,900
12,000-13,000 Kg	₹2,100
13,000-15,000 Kg	₹2,500
More than 15,000 Kg	₹2,300 + (₹50 for each 250 Kg beyond 15,000 Kg)

Tamil Nadu Road Tax: For Other State Vehicles

If you transfer your motor vehicle from some other State to Tamil Nadu, you are required to re-register at your nearest RTO and pay the road tax. The amount of road tax will depend on the size and type of your vehicle. 

We recommend keeping the following documents handy:

• Registration certificate of the vehicle
• Insurance certificate of the vehicle
• Valid ID proof of the owner/driver
• Address proof of the owner/driver

How to Pay Road Tax Online in Tamil Nadu?

Paying road tax online in Tamil Nadu is quite simple using the Vahan 4.0 portal. To get started, read these steps and pay up within minutes!

Visit the Vahan Citizen Services Portal.

Enter your vehicle’s registration number, State, and RTO. 

Click on ‘I accept’ followed by ‘Proceed.’

Click on ‘Pay Your Tax.’

Enter your registration number.

Now you can pay your road tax through the payment gateway that appears on your screen.

Once you’ve made your payment successfully, you can print or download the receipt.

What is the Road Tax Penalty in Tamil Nadu?

If you’ve failed to pay your road tax within the stipulated time, you will be faced with a fine proportional to the amount of road tax due.

If taxes remain unpaid for more than 4 weeks from the date they were due, 100% of the overall penalty may be imposed and your car may also be seized.

The Bottom Line

As we conclude this guide to pay your road tax online in Tamil Nadu, 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 Tamil Nadu?

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 Tamil Nadu?

You can check the road tax status in Tamil Nadu 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 Tamil Nadu?

Two and four-wheeled electric vehicles are exempted from paying road tax in Tamil Nadu.

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