PUC Pollution Certificate

The PUC Certificate is one of the important documents you must have to lawfully drive/ride a car/bike, or any vehicle for that matter, in India. In order to comply with the rules, laws and regulations of the Motor Vehicles Act, every motor vehicle in India must pass the PUC test.

Meaning of PUC Pollution Certificate

The PUC Certificate is an acronym that stands for "Pollution Under Control Certificate". It is a legal requirement for all car and bike owners in India. The pollution certificate for vehicle certifies that you are legally permitted to ride/drive a vehicle in India in accordance with environmental norms. In other words, it is a document that certifies that the vehicle's emission levels are within the government's allowable limits.

The PUC Certificate is issued by authorized emission testing centres located throughout the country. An emission test certificate is issued after a thorough inspection of the vehicle's exhaust gas, and the test findings are noted in the vehicle pollution certificate.

Importance of the PUC Certificate

As a validation, a PUC certificate is necessary. It certifies that you can legally use the vehicle on the road. The PUC Certificate verifies the proportion of carbon emissions or the quantity of pollution to which your vehicle may contribute.

The Motor Vehicle Act of 1988 requires the government of India to have a PUC Certificate. If your car lacks a valid certificate, you will be fined Rs 1000 (and Rs. 2000 for each successive offence.)

Furthermore, the IRDAI requires a valid PUC certificate to renew your automobile insurance coverage. Hence, a PUC certificate is a vital document that you should always carry with you when driving your vehicle.

What does PUC Certificate Contain?

A PUC Certificate for a car or bike has the following information:

  • Serial Number of the PUC Certificate
  • Vehicle registration number
  • Date of PUC Test
  • Validity
  • Reading of PUC Test

Cost of the PUC Certificate

When you purchase a new car, you will be given a PUC certificate with a one-year validity period. Following that, your vehicle will be subjected to the PUC test on a regular basis, with a renewed certificate given each time.

  • The renewed certificate is valid for six months. If an unfavourable reading is obtained during the PUC exam, the certificate's validity will be determined based on that reading.
  • The PUC test is really inexpensive. It ranges from Rs. 60 to Rs. 100, depending on the vehicle being tested and the type of fuel used.
  • If cars emit greater amounts of pollution than the specified limits, the testing centre will notify the RTO, Deputy RTO, or Assistant RTO within one day of the violation.

Test Criteria for PUC Certificate

All cars examined for PUC should fall within the following parameters.

Manufactured Year

CO (Carbon Monoxide) % and Hydrocarbon in PPM

PUC certificate for new bike and car manufactured before 31st March 2000. 2 and 4 strokes.

4.5; 9000

Pollution certificate for new car and bike bought after 31st March 2000. Two strokes.

3.5; 6000

PUC for new bikes and cars manufactured after 31st March. Four strokes.

3.5; 4500

PUC for the new car is manufactured according to the Pre Bharat Stage 2 Norms.

3; 1500

Pollution certificate for a car that is manufactured according to the Pre Bharat Stage 2 or Stage 3 subsequent norms.

0.5; 750

PUC testing is available at any authorized gas station or independent testing facility. The certificates are also issued at the testing site.

Rules of the PUC Certificate

By the end of 2017, the Supreme Court agreed with the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) recommendations aimed at combating air pollution in the country. 

The Supreme Court Bench of Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Madan B Lokur declared that for insurance renewal to be effective, the PUC Certificate must be linked with the individual's automobile insurance policy. The bench stated unequivocally that automobiles that do not comply with these requirements would not be allowed to renew their insurance coverage.

The Supreme Court's decision was historic, as there had been reports of widespread noncompliance with the PUC certification program. About 23% of automobiles in Delhi underwent PUC testing, according to data.

How to Get the PUC Certificate?

Read below to know about how to get the PUC Certificate

a) Car pollution certificate online process

The following are the steps to obtain an online pollution certificate for car.

Step 1: Go to the Parivahan website's VAHAN portal.

Step 2: Choose "PUC Certificate."

Step 3: Input the car registration number, chassis number (last five digits), and verification code.

Step 4: Choose "PUC Information."

Step 5: Print or save your pollution certificate.

b) Car pollution certificate offline

Below are the steps to obtaining an offline pollution certificate for new car.

Step 1: Drive your car (two or four wheels) to the nearest emission testing station.

Step 2: The operator of the testing facility will analyze the exhaust emission by inserting the testing device into the vehicle's exhaust pipe.

Step 3: Using the emission readings, the operator will generate the PUC certificate.

Step 4: Pay the required fees and obtain the pollution certificate.

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