Road tax in India in Different States

Road Tax in India is different, in, well, different states, and if you're planning to buy a new or a used vehicle, you should be aware of the tax policies in your state. Here, we have a detailed breakdown of RTO charges in different states of India. Before we begin with the road taxes, first let's take a look at the documents required to get your car registered.

Also Read: Is It Cheaper To Own A Car Than Regularly Use Taxi Services?

Documents for Car Registration

To register your car, you’ll need to submit a few documents. These documents are listed below:

1. Address Proof: You’ll have to submit a copy (or two) of a valid address proof in order to register your car. A valid address proof includes any one of the following-
   1. Electricity Bill
   2. Water Bill
   3. Voter ID Card
   4. Aadhar UID Card
   5. Bank Account Statement from a Nationalized Bank. The bank account should be at least six months old.
   6. Passport
   7. Landline Telephone Bill (BSNL or MTNL only)
   8. LIC Policy Copy
2. ID Proof:
   1. Passport
   2. Aadhar UID Card
   3. Voter ID Card
   4. Driving License
   5. PAN Card

Also Read: 10 States With Longest Roads In India For A Hair-Raising Weekend Getaway

RTO Fees or Road Tax in India in Different States

Road Tax Fees in New Delhi

If you’re registering a vehicle in New Delhi, you’d have to pay varying charges depending upon whether you’re registering a private car for yourself or one for your company’s official use. Apart from that, there are different tax brackets for cars of different values.

Road Tax Fees in Uttar Pradesh

Road taxes in Uttar Pradesh are different from those in New Delhi. Not only that, but the rates are lower as well in UP. Take a look below to know the exact tax brackets for different vehicles, segregated according to their price.

Road Tax Fees in Haryana

The state of Haryana levies road tax based on the ex-showroom value of the car purchased. The tax structure is extremely simple to understand. Below is the exact breakdown of the tax structure.

Road Tax Fees in Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, the Road Tax structure is much more detailed than most of the other states. Refer below for a complete understanding of the structure.

Road Tax Fees in Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh Road Tax structure is quite simple. If your vehicle costs less than or equal to Rs. 10 Lakh (ex-Showroom), you’ll have to pay 12% of the car’s value as tax. If it costs more than that, the tax becomes 14% of the car’s ex-showroom price.

Road Tax Fees in Telangana

The road tax structure for the state of Telangana is almost the same as for Andhra Pradesh, but without the additional tax for 2nd car being registered under the same name.

Road Tax Fees in Kerala

In Kerala, the system for road tax is simple but detailed. There are different tax brackets for different vehicles depending on their ex-showroom price. Also, the tax rates are quite high in Kerala.

Road Tax Fees in Karnataka

Karnataka’s road tax policy is also very simple and detailed, somewhat like Kerala’s. There are, however, a few differences, including the value of taxes. Please take a look at the table below for more info on the same.

Road Tax Fees in Odisha

Odisha has an extra simple road tax policy; for vehicles below Rs. 5 lakh (ex-showroom), the tax is 6% of the car’s value. For vehicles between Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh, the tax is 8%. For all vehicles that cost more than Rs. 10 lakh, the tax is 10% of the car’s ex-showroom value.

Road Tax Fees in Tamil Nadu

The state of Tamil Nadu has a fairly simple system for calculating road taxes. If your costs less than 10 Lakh Rupees ex-showroom, you’ll have to pay 10% of the car’s price tag in tax. If it costs more than that, then you’re looking at 15% tax rate for your car.

Road Tax Fees in West Bengal

West Bengal road taxes are not based on the ex-showroom price of the car, but rather on the engine size of the car. You’ll either have to pay 5.5% of the car’s value or a fixed amount based on the tax slab, whichever value is higher. This, however, is a one-time tax valid for 5 years only. If you wish to register your car for a tenure of 15 years, you’ll have to pay either 10% of the car’s value or a slab-based fixed payment, depending on which one is higher.

Road Tax Fees in Chandigarh

The Union Territory of Chandigarh serves as a capital to two states, Haryana and Punjab. The tax structure is quite simple in Chandigarh, with relaxations for public welfare workers who are registered with Social Welfare Department.

Road Tax Fees in Punjab

Punjab has an extremely simple road tax system; 8% tax on all cars with an additional 1% cess for Social Security.

Road Tax Fees in Gujarat

The state of Gujarat levies a 6% road tax on all privately registered cars. Company registered vehicles (non-transport type) have to pay 12% road tax along with an additional 5% VAT duty. For imported cars (CBU imports to be exact), the rates are different.

Road Tax Fees in Rajasthan

The state of Rajasthan segregates the Road Tax slabs according to the engine size of the vehicle. The complete breakdown of the road tax on passenger vehicles is given below.

Road Tax Fees in Bihar

Bihar road tax policy is also quite a simple one. For vehicles costing less than 8 lakh (ex-showroom), the tax will be 7%, whereas for cars with a price tag higher than 8 lakh, the tax is 13%.

Road Tax Fees in Jharkhand

Road tax in Jharkhand is slightly more relaxed as compared to the tax in the neighbouring state of Bihar. If your vehicle is on the lesser side of Rs. 15 lakh, then you’ll be paying 6% road tax on it. If the vehicle in question has a higher price tag than Rs. 15 lakh, the road tax on it will be 9%. You’ll also be paying an additional tax if you register a second car under your name.

Road Tax Fees in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand road taxes are extremely simple and not extremely expensive. For cars that cost less than Rs. 5 lakh ex-showroom, the taxes are 8% of the price. For cars that cost between Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 10 lakh, the tax is 9%. For cars that cost more than 10 lakh, the tax is 10%.

Road Tax Fees in Himachal Pradesh

Road Tax in Himachal Pradesh is among the lowest in India. The state levies taxes on a car based on its engine size; cars with up to 1000cc engines fall in the 2.5% tax bracket, while cars with larger engines fall in the 3% tax bracket.

Road Tax Fees in Pondicherry (Puducherry)

The union territory of Puducherry has a very elaborate road tax structure for cars. Please take a look below for a better understanding of the tax policy.

Road Tax Fees in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh road taxes are not the simplest, but they are fairly easy to understand once you break the structure down. The table below explains the structure in a fairly simple way.

Road Tax Fees in Jammu & Kashmir

The Union Territory (former state) of Jammu and Kashmir has the simplest road tax structure in the entire country at the moment. All road users have to pay a tax of 9%. Earlier, J&K used to have a slab-based tax structure, in which the tax brackets were segregated according to the engine capacity, but that has now been scrapped.

Road Tax Fees in Assam

Road taxes in Assam are not as high as other states in India, and the tax structure is simple and well defined. There are different tax brackets for different cars based on the ex-showroom price of the car in question.

Road Tax Fees in Goa

Goa is famous for beaches and tax-free alcohol. Sadly, cars cannot be bought tax-free there! The road tax structure of Union Territory of Goa is slightly complicated, but not too hard to understand if you use the table below.

Also Read: West Bengal Pushes For Adoption Of Electric Taxis

Note: The Road tax in India in Different States defined above are simplified and generalised versions, and subject to change as well. For exact taxes in your hometown, please check in with your local RTO.

Frequently asked question

1. What is the road tax?
   Road tax or motor vehicle tax is a kind of state-level mandatory tax imposed by the State government and the Central government on every vehicle before it is used on the public road. This tax can be paid to the Regional Transport Office yearly or as a single payment.

2. Which state has the highest road tax in India?
   Each state has different rules and regulations for charging the road tax. Karnataka has the highest tax in India with a rate of 14.43%

3. Which state has the lowest RTO tax?
   The north-east region has the lowest road tax. Himachal Pradesh is among the lowest in India.

4. How can I pay my road tax online in India?
   Here is how you can pay your road tax online
   - Step 1. Go to the Transport Department website of the state that you buy your car
   - Step 2. Type down the Vehicle Registration Number and the Chassis number
   - Step 3. Submit

5. How does road tax caculated?
   The road tax is calculated based on a variety of factors including cost price, engine capacity, seating capacity, unladen weight and cost price. When purchasing a vehicle, the government will levy GST at the rate of 28% and an additional cess based on the engine capacity (1% for over 1200cc car, 3% for 1200 - 1500cc car and 15% for above 1500cc one). Electric cars are levied a lower tax of 5%.