barrierTaking the next step towards implementing free tolling system, the government has made a major change in the toll rules. From now on, it has been made mandatory to pay all tolls for selling any vehicle or obtaining fitness certificate. If there is outstanding toll tax on your vehicle, then first you will have to pay the toll in full, only after that you will get NOC to sell the vehicle and will be given fitness certificate. If you do not pay the outstanding toll tax, you will neither get NOC to sell your vehicle nor will you get a fitness certificate for your vehicle.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified amended Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 2026
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified the amended Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 2026 in this regard. Its objective is to ensure that all outstanding toll taxes payable at the toll plaza are paid. “These amendments are aimed at improving user fee compliance, increasing the efficiency of electronic toll collection and preventing toll evasion on national highways,” the ministry said in a statement. The ministry said that these provisions will help in strengthening the user fee collection even after the implementation of the ‘Multi-Lane Free Flow’ (MLFF) system. Under this system, toll collection will be done without any barrier on the national highway network.
Full payment of toll tax will be mandatory for commercial vehicles also
In the case of commercial vehicles, if a person does not pay the outstanding toll, he will neither be able to renew his permit, nor will he be able to apply for a new permit, nor will he be able to sell the vehicle, nor will he be able to renew his fitness certificate. A new definition of ‘incomplete usage charge’ has been added under the amended rules. This shall be the fee payable for the use of any part of a National Highway where the electronic toll collection system has recorded the movement of the vehicle but the fee prescribed under the National Highways Act, 1956 has not been received.
Changes also made in Form 28
Along with this, related changes have also been made in Form 28. Now in this form the applicant will have to disclose whether there is a demand for incomplete usage fee pending against the vehicle at any toll plaza or not. Its details will also have to be given. Promoting digital processes, the rules also provide for electronic issuance of relevant parts of Form 28 through designated online portals. Form 28 is an essential document for transferring a vehicle to another person’s name after selling it, which certifies that there is no pending tax, challan or legal encumbrance on the vehicle.
Draft rules were issued on July 11, 2025
The ministry said that these amendments have been notified after considering the suggestions received from stakeholders and the general public on the draft rules issued on July 11, 2025. Copies of the draft notification were made public on July 14, 2025. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier said that implementing a seamless, barrier-free tolling system on national highways in 2026 would be the top priority of the government. Initially 10 tenders have been issued for this, which will reduce the cost of toll collection from 15 percent to about three percent.
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