Vehicle Fitness Certificate: Download Forms, How to Apply, Status and much more!

Team AckoNov 11, 2024

The Motor Vehicles Act states that every vehicle owner should possess certain mandatory documents, such as Driving Licence, Registration Certificate, bike/car insurance certificate, etc., to legally drive a vehicle in India. A vehicle’s Fitness Certificate (FC) is also one such mandatory document. So, what is FC, and how do you apply for a Fitness Certificate for a vehicle? Read ahead to find out.

Contents

• What is a Fitness Certificate (FC) of a Vehicle?
• Why is a Vehicle Fitness Certificate Important in India?
• How to Apply for a Vehicle Fitness Certificate?
  • Steps to apply for a Fitness Certificate online
  • How to Get Vehicle Fitness Certificate Offline?
• Forms and Documents Required to Obtain a Fitness Certificate
• Fitness Certificate for a Car/4-wheeler
• Fitness Certificate for a Bike/2-wheeler
• Fitness Certificate for Commercial Vehicles
• RTO Fitness Certificate (FC) Charges
• How to Download Vehicle Fitness Certificate?
• How to Get a Duplicate Fitness Certificate?
• How Can you Check the Fitness Certificate Status Online?
• Renewal of Fitness Certificate of Vehicles
• How Much is the Fine for an Expired Fitness Certificate (FC)?
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a Fitness Certificate (FC) of a Vehicle?

A Fitness Certificate or FC is a document that certifies that the vehicle is fit in every aspect to ply on roads. A new vehicle comes with a Fitness Certificate valid for a certain number of years.

After that period, one must renew the FC to comply with the rules and regulations of the Motor Vehicles Act. The renewal process includes a thorough vehicle inspection by the RTO (Regional Transport Office). This is applicable for both car and bike.

Also, read: RTO New Vehicle (Car/Bike) Registration Process Explained!

Why is a Vehicle Fitness Certificate Important in India?

Here are a few points that explain the importance of FC for vehicles in India.

A Fitness Certificate is mandatory for all motor vehicles in India.

All commercial vehicles in India need to have an active FC at all times. Failing to display the document during inspection can attract penalties.

The Fitness Certificate ensures that the vehicle is safe to drive on roads as the vehicle undergoes a thorough inspection to determine its mechanical condition.

Vehicular pollution is on a rapid rise, and old vehicles are one of the significant contributors to the same. FC ensures that the old vehicles that produce harmful emissions and pollute the environment are not certified and thereby not allowed to ply on roads.

Lastly, obtaining a Fitness Certificate can save you from hassles like attracting non-compliance penalties from the authorities.

How to Apply for a Vehicle Fitness Certificate?

Applying for a vehicle FC is straightforward, thanks to the digital setup.

Yes, you have the option to apply for a vehicle Fitness Certificate online along with the traditional offline method.

The following sections will explain the steps involved in both methods.

Steps to apply for a Fitness Certificate online

Here are the steps to perform a vehicle fitness check online:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Parivahan portal.

Step 2: Click on “Vehicle Related Services” from the Online Services section.

Step 3: Select the state of residence from the drop-down list.

Step 4: On the next page, enter the vehicle registration number and click on the “Proceed” button.

Step 5: Select “Apply for Fitness Certificate” and read the instructions. Acknowledge the instructions and click on “Proceed”.

Step 6: Input the vehicle chassis number and the registered mobile number and click on “Generate OTP”.

Step 7: Enter the OTP to view the vehicle details. Verify the same, fill out the vehicle insurance details, and click on the “Payment” button.

Step 8: Pay the applicable fees via the available digital payment modes.

Step 9: An application number will be generated. Also, download the online receipt for future reference.

Step 10: Visit the RTO with your vehicle and relevant documents and complete the vehicle inspection.

The RTO can suggest vehicle repairs if the vehicle does not clear the inspection due to any defects or technical faults.

The FC issuance will not be done until the vehicle clears the inspection.

How to Get Vehicle Fitness Certificate Offline?

Please follow these steps if you wish to apply for a certificate of fitness for your vehicle.

Step 1: Obtain all the necessary application forms from the RTO or via the Parivahan portal.

Step 2: Fill out the forms and compile the required documents.

Step 3: Visit the RTO and submit the application along with the documents.

Step 4: Pay the applicable fees at the fee collection counter.

Step 5: Visit the RTO with your vehicle for inspection on the designated date.

Post clearance of vehicle inspection, the RTO will issue the Fitness Certificate.

Forms and Documents Required to Obtain a Fitness Certificate

Here’s the list of forms and documents you need to apply for a vehicle fitness certificate.

Also, read: List of Mandatory Documents to Ride a Bike in India

Fitness Certificate for a Car/4-wheeler

You can go through the points mentioned below for more details about how to get FC car.

• Private car owners are exempted from paying the fitness fee during new vehicle registration.

• The validity of roadworthiness/fitness of a new car stands at 15 years from the date of vehicle purchase.

• After 15 years, the 4-wheeler Fitness Certificate needs to be renewed every 5 years.

• You can renew the car Fitness Certificate online by following the steps mentioned in this article.

Fitness Certificate for a Bike/2-wheeler

Here are more details about the 2-wheeler Fitness Certificate.

Two-wheeler (private) owners are exempted from paying the fitness fee during the registration process.

A new two-wheeler comes with fitness or roadworthiness valid for 15 years from the vehicle purchase date.

After 15 years, the FC needs to be renewed every 5 years.

The bike Fitness Certificate renewal process can be partially completed online by following the steps mentioned in this article.

Fitness Certificate for Commercial Vehicles

FC is one the most important documents for a commercial vehicle as it determines how safe (from a fitness perspective)  the vehicle is to ply on roads. Here are more insights on the same.

All commercial vehicle owners must pay the fitness fees based on vehicle class during the registration process.

The FC validity stands at 2 years for commercial vehicles up to 8 years old.

After 8 years, the Fitness Certificate needs to be renewed every year.

You can apply for FC renewal online by following the steps mentioned in this article.

RTO Fitness Certificate (FC) Charges

The following table denotes the RTO Fitness Certificate fees, including the cost of the bike/car Fitness Certificate test and FC grant/renewal charges.

How to Download Vehicle Fitness Certificate?

You can follow the steps mentioned in this section to download the Fitness Certificate online.

Step 1: Log on to Parivahan’s official website.

Step 2: Click on “Online Services” and select “Vehicle Related Services” from the drop-down list.

Step 3: Select the state of residence, input your vehicle registration number and click “Proceed”.

Step 4: Select “Download Document” and click on “Print Fitness Certificate”.

Step 5: Input the vehicle registration number and application number.

Step 6: Click on “Verify Details” and follow the instructions to print/download the vehicle Fitness Certificate.

Note that the above steps may not work for all the states. In such a scenario, you can apply for a duplicate copy of the Fitness Certificate by following the steps mentioned in the next section. 

How to Get a Duplicate Fitness Certificate?

The following steps explain the process of obtaining a duplicate Fitness Certificate for the vehicle.

Step 1: Visit the Parivahan portal via the link: https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/.

Step 2: Select “Vehicle Related Services” from the “Online Services” drop-down menu.

Step 3: Select the state and enter the vehicle registration number.

Step 4: Click on “Duplicate Fitness Certificate”.

Step 5: Input the registration and chassis numbers and click “Verify Details”.

Step 6: Verify the details and fill out the online form and click on “Payment”.

Step 7: Complete the payment online and download/print the application letter.

Step 8: The Duplicate FC will be dispatched to your address via post.

How Can you Check the Fitness Certificate Status Online?

Here are the steps to check vehicle fitness status online.

Step 1: Visit the VAHAN vehicle search portal.

Step 2: Log in to your account or create an account if you are a new user.

Step 3: Enter the vehicle registration number and captcha code and click on “Vahan Search”

Step 4: On the next page, you can view the vehicle registration details, including the validity of the vehicle’s Fitness Certificate.

Renewal of Fitness Certificate of Vehicles

Here are the steps to apply for the vehicle Fitness Certificate online.

Step 1: Visit the Parivahan online portal.

Step 2: Select “Vehicle Related Services” from the list of available “Online Services”.

Step 3: Select the state of residence from the drop-down list.

Step 4: Enter your vehicle registration number and click on the “Proceed” button.

Step 5: Select “Apply for Fitness Renewal”, read the instructions and click “Proceed”.

Step 6: Input the vehicle chassis number and registered mobile number, and click on “Generate OTP”.

Step 7: Input the OTP and click on “Verify Details”.

Step 8: Verify the details and fill the form with the required information and click on “Payment”.

Step 9: Pay the applicable fees online through any of the available digital payment modes.

Step 10: Print or download the acknowledgement receipt for future reference.

Visit the RTO with your vehicle on the designated date for fitness inspection and submit the online application. After the test clearance, the RTO will renew the FC of your vehicle.

Alternatively, you can also visit the RTO to renew the vehicle FC offline by following the below-mentioned steps.

Step 1: Obtain the FC renewal forms from the RTO or download them from the Parivahan website.

Step 2: Fill out the application form with the correct information.

Step 3: Submit the application form and documents to the RTO.

Step 4: Pay the applicable FC renewal fees at the cash counter and collect the acknowledgement receipt.

Step 5: Visit the RTO with your vehicle on the designated date for inspection.

If your vehicle clears the inspection, you will receive the renewed Fitness Certificate via post.

How Much is the Fine for an Expired Fitness Certificate (FC)?

Driving a vehicle, especially a commercial or transport vehicle, without a valid Fitness Certificate is a serious offence. The following points throw light on the vehicle Fitness Certificate fine in India.

• The fine for driving a vehicle with an expired FC ranges from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000 for a first-time offence.

• The fine for repeat offences stands at Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000.

• In case of several repeat offences, the driver or owner can also face imprisonment.

• Apart from that, there’s a provision in The Motor Vehicles Act to levy a fine of Rs. 50 per day for the delay in renewing the vehicle Fitness Certificate.

"Secure your vehicle by getting a Vehicle Fitness Certificate, and protect your vacation by getting travel insurance online."

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some of the most common questions and their answers related to the vehicle Fitness Certificate.

Can FC be renewed online?

Yes, FC or Fitness Certificate can be renewed online through the Parivahan website.

What is the fine for expired FC?

The fine for riding a vehicle with an expired FC ranges between Rs. 2000 - Rs. 5000.

Is FC required for two wheeler?

Yes, fitness certificate is essential for two-wheeler as well.

Can I obtain a Fitness Certificate for an old vehicle (older than 15 years)?

Yes, you can apply for the renewal of FC for an old vehicle via the Parivahan portal or by visiting the RTO.

What is the process for vehicle FC renewal after 15 years?

The process for renewing the Fitness Certificate for a car/bike after 15 years involves submitting an application to the RTO and clearing the vehicle inspection. You can follow the steps mentioned in this article to renew the vehicle FC after 15 years.

What is the validity of a commercial vehicle Fitness Certificate?

The validity of the commercial vehicle FC stands at 2 years for vehicles up to 8 years old. The Fitness Certificate validity for commercial vehicles older than 8 years is one year, which means one has to renew the FC every year.

Can I pay the motor vehicle fitness fee online?

You can pay the Fitness Certificate fees online through the Parivahan portal.

How do I find the vehicle chassis and engine number to renew the Fitness Certificate?

You can find the engine and chassis number of your vehicle on the Registration Certificate. You can also find the same on the vehicle. The physical location depends on the make/model and the type of vehicle.

How can I register my phone number to receive the OTP to apply for an FC?

You can visit the Parivahan website and create an account to register your phone number. Registering the mobile number is an essential step as you require an OTP to apply or renew the Fitness Certificate.

What to do if my vehicle fails the Fitness Certificate test?

If the vehicle does not clear the fitness test, the RTO inspector will state the reason for the same. You can rectify the faults or repair the vehicle as per the reasons stated by the RTO. After you have fixed the issues in the vehicle, you can re-apply for the FC.

What is the procedure for the inspection of a vehicle for the issuance of a Fitness Certificate?

The FC vehicle inspection involves a visual inspection of the vehicle and the usage of devices to test specific components. The RTO inspector might also ask you to drive the vehicle to determine any defects.

What is the process for the Fitness Certificate renewal for cars?

You can renew the FC for cars online via the Parivahan portal or by visiting the RTO. You can follow the steps mentioned in this article to renew the Fitness Certificate.

What is the process for the extension of the validity of vehicle FC?

The vehicle Fitness Certificate validity extension process remains the same as the renewal. You can follow the FC renewal steps mentioned in this article.

How long is the Fitness Certificate valid in India?

The Fitness Certificate is valid for 15 years for new private vehicles; after that, the FC must be renewed every 5 years. For commercial vehicles, the FC is valid for 2 years for vehicles up to 8 years old. Commercial vehicles older than 8 years must renew the FC every year.

Disclaimer: The information mentioned on this page is compiled from different websites and may be updated from time to time. Please refer to the respective government websites before making any decisions related to a vehicle’s Fitness Certificate.

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