Road Tax in Karnataka in 2025: Complete Guide on Calculation, Rates & Online Payment

Karnataka is the sixth-largest state by area in the country. It is also a manufacturing hub of some of India's largest public sector industries and is a leader in IT. Bustling with life, the state of Karnataka has to continuously maintain its road network to keep up with the logistical needs and the rise in traffic density due to the influx of people visiting the state or moving here.

To cope with these expenses, the government collects taxes from everyone who intends to use the state's road network. The Karnataka Road Tax payment, once done, allows you 15 years of stress-free driving on the state's roads.

As per The Motor Vehicles Act 1988, paying road tax is mandatory, similar to other mandatory rules like buying a bike or car insurance, holding a valid DL, etc.

The RTOs collect the road taxes in Karnataka and are then utilised by the Karnataka Government to improve/maintain roads in the state.

The department is responsible for 29,072.58 km of State Highways and 55,428.85 km of Major District Roads.

The Karnataka government determines tax slabs for various vehicles after considering multiple factors such as: 

The road tax slab in Karnataka for Two-wheelers is as follows:

The table below mentions the Karnataka Road tax for three-wheelers:

The road tax slab in the State of Karnataka for Four-wheelers is mentioned in the following table:

The road tax levied by Karnataka is the highest in the country. Unlike most states, Karnataka has a uniform tax slab for commercial and private vehicles.

The following table details the road tax for commercial vehicles registered in Karnataka.

If your vehicle is registered under a different state, the Karnataka Government allows you to drive anywhere within its border for 30 days (without paying a road tax). If you wish to drive the vehicle in Karnataka any longer, you will need to pay the road tax based on the duration of your stay, as mentioned in the following table.

You can do road tax online payment in Karnataka via the Parivahan portal or while visiting the local RTO to register your vehicle.

To do online road tax payment in Karnataka, you can follow the steps listed below: 

If you are unable to do road tax payment online, you can do so in-person by following the steps listed below:

If you decide to pay road tax online via the local RTO, you will be required to carry the following documents:

You can drive an out-of-state vehicle in Karnataka for up to a year without paying road taxes. No interest is charged if you pay within the grace period (30 days).

The Karnataka transport department has intensified its enforcement against vehicles registered outside the state. According to the laws, any outside vehicle must comply with the road taxes of Karnataka if it has been operational in the state for more than one year. Thus, to monitor this law and ensure that the vehicles operating in Bangalore and other parts of the state comply with the road taxes, the government has implemented stricter vehicle checking. 

This repercussion of not adhering to the laws involves paying hefty fines and getting the vehicles seized that are not registered with the Karnataka RTO and are still operational in the state. According to the latest news, the Karnataka state government till date has collected over Rs.40.2 crores in taxes from other state vehicles. More than 300 vehicles have been seized for the same. The data indicates how the Karnataka government has been trying to implement fairer road tax rules for all the vehicles operational within the state.  

According to the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, purchasing a third-party motor insurance policy in India is mandatory. Moreover, having a valid motor insurance policy will help vehicle owners in case of road accidents or other mishaps. For further information, visit ACKO. You can also learn about the different motor insurance plans mentioned in the table below.

This sums up the guide for Karnataka road tax. We hope that this blog familiarises you with how the Karnataka road tax is calculated, the various classification of vehicles and why this road tax is levied. While it is true that Karnataka has one of the highest road taxes in the country, this, in turn, results in better infrastructure and roads for those residing here.

Apart from road tax, having a valid motor insurance is also mandatory as per law. It is essential to keep your family and yourself safe by purchasing an insurance policy that gives the best coverage. ACKO offers wide-ranging insurance plans with a variety of add-ons to choose from. A car/bike insurance will safeguard you from potential financial losses, should the need arise!