Pollution Certificate (PUC) in Kochi: Fees, Validity, Fines and Download

A pollution certificate in Kochi costs Rs 80 for a scooter or bike, Rs 100 for a petrol car and Rs 110 for a diesel car at the rates Kerala approved in 2019, the test takes a few minutes, and for any BS-IV or BS-VI vehicle the certificate is valid for 12 months. A brand-new vehicle does not need one until a year after its first registration. Skip it and the Motor Vehicles Act allows a fine of up to Rs 10,000.

• PUC fees and validity at a glance
• Is PUC required for a new vehicle?
• How long is a pollution certificate valid in Kerala?
• What is the fine for not having PUC in Kerala?
• How the test works and how to download your PUCC

PUC fees and validity at a glance

In December 2019 the state government accepted a technical committee's recommendation to raise testing fees by Rs 20 to Rs 50, to these levels (Kerala Kaumudi, 8 December 2019). They are the most recent state rates we could verify as of October 2026. A 2022 government order also dealt with PUC validity and fees, so treat the table as a guide and check the rate at the testing centre.

Vehicle	Fee	Validity
Two-wheeler	Rs 80	12 months
Three-wheeler, petrol	Rs 80	12 months
Three-wheeler, diesel	Rs 90	12 months
Car or light vehicle, petrol	Rs 100	12 months
Car or light vehicle, diesel	Rs 110	12 months
Heavy vehicle	Rs 150	12 months
Any pre-BS-IV vehicle	As above	6 months

At these prices, the PUC is one of the cheapest pieces of vehicle paperwork. The real cost of skipping it is the fine, not the fee.

Is PUC required for a new vehicle?

Not for the first year. Rule 115(7) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules says a vehicle must carry a valid PUC certificate after one year from the date it was first registered. So if you registered a new car at the Ernakulam RTO on 15 March 2026, your first test is due by 15 March 2027. Diarise it: the first lapse is the easiest one to miss.

How long is a pollution certificate valid in Kerala?

Twelve months for BS-IV and BS-VI vehicles. Kerala had fixed a uniform six months for all vehicles through G.O.(Rt) No. 353/2022/TRANS dated 22 August 2022. A Palluruthy vehicle owner challenged it, and on 21 November 2023 the Kerala High Court set the order aside to that extent, holding that BS-IV and BS-VI vehicles get 12 months under the central rule. Older pre-BS-IV vehicles stay on the six-month cycle.

One change to watch: on 27 July 2026 the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways published a draft, described as PUCC 3.0, proposing three-year validity for BS-VI private vehicles up to six years old, yearly renewal from six to ten years, and six months after that. The draft lists six-month validity for BS-IV vehicles and three months for BS-I to BS-III; reports describe the BS-IV figure as unchanged, although the current central rule, as read by the Kerala High Court, gives BS-IV 12 months. As of October 2026 we found no final notification, so the 12-month rule still applies.

What is the fine for not having PUC in Kerala?

Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act allows up to three months in jail or a fine of up to Rs 10,000, or both, plus a three-month licence disqualification for a first offence. Reports put the compounding fine in Kerala at Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. Fines are typically issued as e-challans, and our guide to checking, paying or contesting a traffic e-challan in Kerala covers what to do if one lands.

There is also an insurance angle. The insurance regulator IRDAI clarified in August 2020 that you need a valid PUC when you renew a motor policy, but that a missing PUC is not a valid reason to reject a claim. Renewal season is a good prompt to get tested.

How the test works and how to download your PUCC

Ride or drive into an authorised centre, many of them at fuel stations and garages. The tester clips a probe into the exhaust: petrol vehicles are checked for carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, diesel vehicles for smoke density. Pass, and the certificate appears on the Parivahan PUC portal. Fail, and the vehicle must be repaired and retested.

To check or download it later:

• Open the Parivahan PUC portal at puc.parivahan.gov.in and choose PUC Certificate.
• Enter your registration number and the last five characters of the chassis number.
• Type the captcha and click PUC Details, then download or print.
• The same portal has a PUC Centre List if you need a testing centre near you.

Only an active certificate shows up, and renewal cannot be done online: the vehicle has to be physically tested. Keep the PDF on your phone, or store your documents in DigiLocker alongside your licence and RC. If you are buying a used vehicle, check the PUC status before you start the RC transfer process, so an expired certificate does not become your fine on day one. More practical paperwork help is in our Kochi guides.