PUC Certificate Rules: In the excitement of buying a new car, people often forget the intricacies of the necessary paperwork. One such important document is PUC (Pollution Under Control) Certificate. When you bring home a brand new car or bike from the showroom, it is natural to have a question in your mind that will it also have to be tested for pollution immediately?

According to the rules of the Government of India, PUC certificate is mandatory for every new vehicle, but new vehicles are exempted from it for a specific time. According to transport rules, the pollution certificate provided with a new vehicle is completely valid for a certain period, after which you have to renew it. Let us know the rules related to this.

What are the rules for a new car?

Under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989, when you buy any new vehicle (be it a car or a motorcycle), there is no need to get a separate PUC certificate for the first one year (12 months). Even before the vehicle is taken out from the showroom, companies test it on stringent pollution standards. Therefore, only the certificate given by the company is considered valid for the next one year from the date of registration of the new vehicle. You do not need to spend money from your pocket and go to any pollution center.

What needs to be done after one year?

This initial discount expires as soon as your vehicle completes one year on the road. After this, it is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to go to the nearest authorized Pollution Control Center (PUC Center) and get his vehicle checked.

Once the vehicle is old (more than one year), the validity of the PUC certificate issued thereafter is usually 6 months. However, if your vehicle is of BS-IV (BS4) or BS-VI (BS6) standard, then in many states its validity has been increased to 1 year.

Heavy fine for breaking rules

If you do not renew the PUC of your vehicle on time, you may have to suffer huge losses. Under the Motor Vehicle Act, driving without a valid PUC certificate can result in a fine of up to Rs 10,000. Apart from this, the traffic police can also suspend your driving license for 3 months. Therefore, get the pollution test done on time to avoid heavy fines and legal hassles.