Govt Proposes 5-Year Extension in Age Limit for EV, Hydrogen and CNG Vehicles

Published August 18, 2026

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed extending the permissible age limit for electric, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-powered commercial vehicles by five years. The proposal is part of draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, aimed at simplifying transport regulations and promoting cleaner mobility.

Under the proposed changes, vehicles covered by the national permit system could get an additional five years of permitted operation. The existing age limits of 12 years for regular goods carriages and 15 years for multi-axle vehicles could rise to 17 years and 20 years, respectively, for battery-operated, hydrogen and natural gas-powered vehicles.

Also Read – Unified Bharat e-Charge (UBC) Explained: India's Answer to the EV Charging App Problem

The proposed extension is limited to vehicles covered under the relevant provisions of Rule 88 and would not apply to all commercial vehicles. The move could provide greater flexibility to fleet operators and improve the financial viability of cleaner commercial vehicles by allowing them to remain in service for a longer period.

The draft rules also propose making the national permit system fully digital. Applicants could opt for electronic national permit authorisations for up to five years at a time. The proposed fee is Rs 16,500 per year, meaning a five-year authorisation would cost Rs 82,500.

MoRTH has also proposed greater use of the VAHAN database to reduce paperwork and manual data entry during vehicle-related applications and registrations.

The draft notification was published on August 10, with the government inviting objections and suggestions from stakeholders for 30 days. The proposed changes will come into effect only after they are finalised and published in the Official Gazette.

Also Read – Supreme Court Extends Third-Party Insurance for New Cars to 4 Years, Two-Wheelers to 6 Years

Image Source: Generated using Gemini

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