The building and the upkeep of the road network within the state falls under the purview of the respective state government. As you can expect, this is an expensive activity and requires funding. These funds are collected through the means of the road tax that each vehicle registered in the state needs to pay.
The road tax in Kerala varies based on the type of vehicle, its specifications and nature of usage. The applicable Kerala road tax can be paid in person at the nearest RTO or by visiting the Kerala Motor Vehicle Department’s official website.
Kerala is known to have a well-connected network of roads that weave through cities, towns and villages. If you are a vehicle owner based in Kerala or are looking to buy a new vehicle, road tax is something you need to be familiar with.
The government charges road tax in Kerala in order to raise enough revenue for maintaining and constructing roads and travel infrastructure. Continue reading to find out all the fundamentals of Kerala road tax online payment, calculation, penalty, receipt, and so on.
You can pay road tax in Kerala by visiting the nearest RTO branch and completing the necessary documentation. With the wave of digitisation that has taken all financial transactions online, road tax online payment in Kerala has now become a reality. Follow these simple steps for road tax online payment Kerala:
Go to the Kerala Motor Vehicle Department’s official webpage https://mvd.kerala.gov.in/index.php/e-payment. On the main homepage, select the “Vehicle” option.
You will be redirected to a page where you need to select the “E-tax-Online Tax Payment” option.
Enter your vehicle number and chassis number.
Select the tax payment mode and verify the vehicle, vehicle owner, and billing details. Proceed to the payment stage.
On the e-Treasury page, select the mode of payment and complete the payment process. Upon successful completion, a receipt will be generated which you can download and print.
Kerala vehicle tax payment is mandatory for every vehicle owner. The payable charges are determined on the basis of these factors:
Vehicle type
Engine capacity
Age of the vehicle
Purpose of Vehicle Usage
Cost of the vehicle
In order to find out the tax charges, you can head to the official website of the Motor Vehicle Department, Government of Kerala. The road tax calculator option on this webpage can help you calculate the tax applicable on your vehicle.
The tax charged on two-wheelers depends on the cost and specifications of the vehicle. Here is a look at two-wheeler road tax in Kerala:
Type of Two Wheeler |
Applicable One Time Road Tax |
Two-wheelers that cost ₹1 Lakh or lower |
8% |
Two-wheelers that cost between ₹1 Lakh to ₹2 Lakhs |
10% |
Two-wheelers that cost more than ₹2 Lakhs |
20% |
Three wheelers, rickshaws, etc. which are not used for transport or commercial purposes |
6% |
The road tax applicable on four-wheelers is greater than that charged for two-wheelers. The tax rate depends on factors such as the weight of the vehicle. For four-wheelers such as cars, the Kerala road tax rates are as follows:
Type of Four-Wheeler |
Applicable One Time Road Tax |
Private four-wheelers below the cost of ₹5 Lakhs |
6% |
Private four-wheelers between the cost of ₹5 Lakhs to ₹10 Lakhs |
8% |
Private four-wheelers between the range of ₹10 Lakhs to ₹15 Lakhs |
10% |
Private four-wheelers between the range of ₹15 Lakhs to ₹20 Lakhs |
15% |
Private four-wheelers above the range of ₹20 Lakhs |
20% |
Commercial vehicles are vehicles that are used to ferry passengers or transport goods. For such vehicles, the Kerala vehicle tax details are different. For vehicles registered in other states, the lump-sum tax is calculated on the basis of the age of the vehicle. The tax rate for the same ranges from 7%-100%, with newer vehicles being subjected to higher rates.
Category of vehicle |
Tax Rate for 5 years |
Mechanical bikes and old motorcycles |
₹900 |
Mechanical tricycles, three-wheelers, rickshaws (not used for goods transport or passengers) |
₹900 |
New auto-rickshaws/auto rickshaws registered in other states |
₹2,000 |
Old cabs |
₹7,000 |
Tourist cabs |
₹8,500 |
Motor cars not weighing more than 750 kg |
₹6,400 |
In Kerala, if vehicle owners fail to make the Kerala vehicle tax payment in time and in full, the penalty charges are fixed at ₹100 for first-time defaulters. For second-time offenders, a penalty of ₹200 is imposed.
The Kerala State Government collects road tax from vehicle owners and the funds are used by the authorities to maintain the roads and create infrastructure for new roads. Paying road tax is mandatory for all vehicle owners and if you fail to do the same, you may end up paying hefty fines. Moreover, you also need to secure your vehicle with a motor insurance plan in order to legally drive on Indian roads. Driving without insurance is a punishable offence as per the Motor Vehicles Act. If you do not yet have insurance for your vehicle, you should check out the motor insurance plans available at Bajaj Markets.
You can use the Kerala road tax calculator online at https://mvd.kerala.gov.in/index.php/en/tax-calculator.