The state government of Bihar has given high emphasis to developing a first-rate infrastructure for the swift movement of people and goods. The State of Bihar will have 4,006 km of state highways and 5,358 km of national highways as of 2022. Now, why is road tax in Bihar levied at State level? Since every state is responsible for paying for its own portion of the expense of the construction of these highways, every state imposes its own road tax.
For safety and maintenance of the roads and traffic plying on them, the state government has set up a separate department for regulation and compliance of the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This Department of Transport (DoT) ensures that there is smooth implementation of the central law, MV Act and the rules laid thereunder. The state has been conferred the power by the Constitution to collect road tax and DoT helps in maintaining its well ordered functionality.
The below mentioned steps can be followed to pay RTO charges in Bihar online.
Step 1: Visit the official site of Parivahan
Step 2: Look for the ‘Vahan Service’ tab and select ‘Bihar’ state and select your RTO.
Step 3: Enter the vehicle registration details.
Step 4: Click on the ‘Pay Tax’ button.
Step 5: Enter registered mobile number and verify it using OTP.
Step 6: Ensure vehicle and tax details are correct.
Step 7: Select the period for payment of road tax.
Step 8: Verify the amount payable and proceed to pay.
Upon successful payment, a confirmation message will be sent to your registered mobile number. In case of any problem, you may contact the nearest RTO for help.
Apart from several other factors, the two most important variables on which your road tax amount depends are the types of your vehicle (car or bike) and the purpose (personal or commercial).
Some other components that affect the amount of road tax you pay are passenger capacity, ex-showroom price paid, and weight carrying capacity of the vehicle.
Ex-showroom price is the cost component of the vehicle charged by the manufacturer. It includes all the costs incurred by the maker to bring the vehicle up to the shower.
This price excludes any indirect taxes like GST, road tax, insurance changes, etc., paid by the buyer.
The road tax on two-wheelers in Bihar depends on the ex-showroom price mentioned in the invoice. If you are are looking to purchase a new bike in Bihar for personal use, following table enumerates the amount of road tax you would be required to pay:
Ex-showroom Value of Two-Wheelers |
Tax Rate (% of Ex-Showroom Value) |
₹1,00,000 or less |
8% of the cost of vehicle |
Between ₹1,00,000 up to ₹8,00,000 |
9% of the cost of vehicle |
Between ₹8,00,000 up to ₹15,00,000 |
10% of the cost of vehicle |
Exceeds ₹15,00,000 |
12% of the cost of vehicle |
The prospective owners looking to buy a new car, SUV or minivan with a passenger capacity of 12 or less in Bihar for personal use shall mandatorily pay road tax on the basis of the ex-showroom value of the car. The following table mentions the applicable slab rates:
Cost of four-wheeler |
Road Tax Rate |
₹1,00,000 or less |
8% of the cost of vehicle |
Between ₹1,00,000 up to ₹8,00,000 |
9% of the cost of vehicle |
Between ₹8,00,000 up to ₹15,00,000 |
10% of the cost of vehicle |
Exceeds ₹15,00,000 |
12% of the cost of vehicle |
As per the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, paying a road tax is mandatory for all kinds of vehicles plying on the roads of Bihar except for the vehicles from other states travelling for a temporary visit.
Any failure in compliance with this provision attracts a penalty. The quantum of penalty depends on the number of days for which the amount of tax has been due. The power to impose penalty lies at the discretion of the Government of Bihar under the provisions of Bihar Vehicle Tax Act, 1994.
Along with the penalty, the Government of Bihar also charges interest for delayed payment of road tax. The interest depends on the number of days by which the payment was delayed.
Knowing about the State level road taxes is one of the most crucial parts of owning and driving a vehicle. This not only saves you from the consequences of breaking the law, but also lets you enjoy driving across the State without worrying about it.
The Government of Bihar exempts women driving three-wheelers and four-wheelers for commercial purposes from paying road tax. So in your case, there is no requirement for paying road tax as it has been fully exempted.
You can go to the nearest RTO to pay offline or you can make an online road tax payment in Bihar. For making an online payment, you can visit the website of Parivahan set up by the Central Government and pay your road tax.
Any extra road tax paid to the credit of the State Government of Bihar can be claimed with the help of an application form to be filed with necessary documents. After verifying the details, the appropriate amount of excess tax paid shall be refunded.