Pending Toll Payments? NOC, Fitness Renewal and National Permit Now at Risk As Centre Tightens Highway Toll Rules

Toll Tax New Rules: Vehicle owners using national highways will now face stricter checks if they have unpaid toll charges. The Centre has linked pending toll payments with key vehicle-related services, making it mandatory to clear dues before availing certain certificates and permits.

What Has The Government Changed

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified the Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026. These amendments modify the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, with a focus on strengthening electronic toll collection and preventing toll evasion.

Under the new rules, vehicles with outstanding toll payments recorded through electronic toll systems will not be eligible for several mandatory services.

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Services Linked To Toll Clearance

The ministry has made it clear that a clean toll record is now compulsory for the following:

No Objection Certificate (NOC): Vehicle owners will not get an NOC if toll dues are pending. The NOC is required for selling a vehicle or transferring it to another state.

Fitness Certificate renewal: The Certificate of Fitness will not be renewed until all unpaid toll charges are cleared. The government clarified that “unpaid user fee” refers to toll amounts recorded electronically but not paid under the National Highways Act, 1956.

National Permit for commercial vehicles: Commercial vehicles will not be issued or allowed to retain a National Permit unless there are zero toll dues against the vehicle.

Push Towards Digital Toll Systems

Officials said the move is part of long-term plans to shift to a multi-lane free flow toll system. In this system, vehicles will not stop at toll plazas. Tolls will be automatically deducted as vehicles pass through highway checkpoints. The stricter rules are meant to ensure that vehicle owners cannot avoid payments in a barrier-free setup.

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Changes Made To Form 28

To support the new system, the government has amended Form 28, which is used for NOC applications. Vehicle owners will now have to declare that there are no pending toll dues. Parts of the form can also be generated electronically through an online portal, reducing paperwork and speeding up the process.

Why This Matters

The ministry said the changes will help improve toll compliance, boost revenue collection and reduce congestion at toll plazas. For vehicle owners, it means keeping toll payments up to date will now be essential to avoid delays in documentation and permits.