If you are wondering why is road tax levied at the state level, you must know that it is implemented as per the rules of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988. The road tax in Maharashtra too is levied under this rule by the government for infrastructure development of roads and commuter safety.
Maharashtra is one of the busiest and most densely populated states in India. It is also high in terms of the vehicle population like two-wheelers, four-wheelers and commercial vehicles. As the number of vehicles in the major cities of Maharashtra are continuously increasing, the road tax will provide the State Government with a significant revenue source in the form of road tax collection.
Maharashtra is home to some of India's most populous cities. It is also one of the busiest states in terms of the vehicle population like cars, bikes and commercial vehicles. In addition, the number of vehicles in cities like Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune are continuously increasing. This provides the Maharashtra State Government with a significant source of revenue in the form of road tax collection.
As per the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, vehicle owners are required to pay tax to the government for road infrastructure and commuter safety. This fee is known as a road tax and is applicable to both personal and commercial vehicles. In Maharashtra, the cost of a new vehicle is calculated by adding a lifetime road tax to the dealership price.
Here are various parameters that are taken care of while calculating the road tax in Maharashtra.
The vehicle's age, make and manufacturer, fuel type, vehicle length and width, engine capacity, purpose (personal or commercial usage), manufacturing location, and vehicle type.
The transportation department of the state also imposes a road tax equal to a percentage of the vehicle's initial cost. This ensures that taxation is uniform across vehicle classifications.
Here are the steps that you can follow to pay your Maharashtra road tax online.
Go to Parivahan official website (https://vahan.parivahan.gov.in/vahanservice/vahan/ui/statevalidation/homepage.xhtml).
Select the 'Vahan Service' tab and fill out the vehicle registration information.
Select 'Pay Tax' from the drop-down menu.
Enter your phone number, generate an OTP, and verify it.
The information about your vehicle and taxes will be presented. Make sure all of the information is correct.
After you've verified everything, choose a tax payment period.
Before making the payment, verify the tax amount.
You will receive a confirmation message after the payment has been completed.
You can contact the nearest RTO for assistance if you have any problems.
Here is the table containing information about the first-time registration fees (as of 08.08.2022)
Vehicle Type (Engine Capacity) |
Tax at the Time of Registration |
Up to 99cc |
10% of the vehicle's purchase price |
Ranging between 99cc and 299cc |
11% of the vehicle's purchase price |
More than 299cc |
12% of the vehicle's purchase price |
Disclaimer: kindly refer to your state regulations for definitive figures.
Here is the table containing information about the second registration.
Age Since Registration |
Road Tax Payable (Calculated on the first time registered tax) |
1 to 2 years |
95.80 % |
2 to 3 years |
94.3 % |
3 to 4 years |
86.70 % |
4 to 5 years |
81.80 % |
5 to 6 years |
76.60 % |
6 to 7 years |
71.20 % |
7 to 8 years |
65.60 % |
8 to 9 years |
59.60% |
9 to 10 years |
53.40 % |
10 to 11 years |
46.80 % |
11 to 12 years |
39.90 % |
More than 12 years |
32.70 % |
Disclaimer: kindly refer to your state regulations for definitive figures.
In Maharashtra, the tax rates for four-wheelers are dependent upon various categories.
Below is the information about the four-wheelers’ road tax in Maharashtra (as of 08.08.2022).
Type of Vehicle |
Tax at the Time of Registration |
Diesel Cars and Omnibuses |
13% of the cost of the vehicle (vehicle cost is up to ₹10 Lakhs) 14% (cost is between ₹10 Lakhs and ₹20 Lakhs) 15% (costing more than ₹20 Lakhs) |
Petrol Cars and Omnibuses |
11% of the vehicle’s purchase price (vehicles costing up to 10 Lakhs) 12% (costing between ₹10 Lakhs and ₹20 Lakhs) 13% (costing more than ₹20 Lakhs) |
CNG or LPG vehicles |
7% of the cost of the vehicle (costs up to ₹10 Lakhs) 8% (cost between ₹10 Lakhs to ₹ 20 Lakhs) 9% (costing more than ₹20 Lakhs) |
Air-conditioned buses |
₹1800 per seat (each year) |
Vehicles other than air-conditioned buses |
₹800 per seat (each year) |
Standees |
₹200 per seat (each year) |
Disclaimer: kindly refer to your state regulations for definitive figures.
Here is the list of commercial vehicles’ road tax in Maharashtra based on passenger capacity.
Passenger capacity |
Annual Tax (per seat) |
2 passengers |
₹160 |
3 passengers |
₹300 |
4 passengers |
₹400 |
5 passengers |
₹500 |
6 passengers |
₹600 |
Disclaimer: kindly refer to your state regulations for definitive figures.
Here is the list of commercial vehicles’ road tax in Maharashtra based on its type.
Vehicle Type |
Annual Tax (per seat) |
AC Vehicles |
₹5000 |
Non-A/C Vehicles |
₹4000 |
Tourist vehicles or regular omnibuses with seating arrangements per CMVR rule 128 from 1989 |
₹4000 |
General Omnibus |
₹1000 |
You will have 30 days to pay your road tax in Maharashtra after registering your vehicle with the RTO. If you fail to pay, then this might result in penalties.
Here are details of penalties that the Maharashtra government applies under section 16.
In the case of a past violation of section 16, the penalty of fine shall not be less than the yearly tax charged on the vehicle and may be increased to twice the annual tax payable on such vehicle.
The fine shall not be less than ₹300 and may be increased to the amount of the one-time tax payable in the case of a motorbike, tricycle, car, or omnibus.
If the vehicle owner has previously been convicted of an offense under this section, the fine may be increased to a sum equal to double the one-time tax payable on the vehicle.
If you are an owner of a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler, you are obligated to pay road tax in Maharashtra. Failure to do so will result in a hefty fine as the Motor Vehicle Act has mandated people to pay this tax in order to ride/drive their vehicle on the road. Besides, being responsible citizens, it's our duty to pay this tax since it is used in the development of the state’s infrastructure.
The RTO provides you with one month to pay your road tax. You will be penalized after 30 days of relocating. Even worse, if you drive a vehicle without paying road tax, your vehicle documents may be seized.
In Maharashtra, you just have to pay the road tax once, when you register your vehicle. Individuals would be required to pay such taxes in cash or by demand draft at their local RTO. Payment of these liabilities can also be made via a debit card or internet banking.
Address proof, vehicle registration certificate, copy of the car or bike insurance papers, Aadhaar card, vehicle invoice copy, and other documents are required for paying Maharashtra road taxes.
The road tax for all four-wheelers is computed by taking the vehicle's purchase price into account.
RTO tax in Maharashtra is levied under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988. The road tax in Maharashtra is levied under this rule to promote development of roads and commuter safety.
RTO charges in Maharashtra will be levied based on the vehicle and its capacity.
Vahan is a nationwide integrated online solution for vehicle registration.