NAMAKKAL: The recent revision of Fitness Certificate (FC) fees for transport vehicles under the Central Motor Vehicles (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2025, has triggered strong opposition from lorry owners across Tamil Nadu, who say the steep hike has placed an unsustainable financial burden on them.
Under the notification issued by the union government on November 11, the FC fees have been sharply increased, especially for older vehicles. While FC is mandatorily issued by transport authorities to ensure that a vehicle is roadworthy, meets safety norms and complies with pollution standards, lorry owners point out that the new fee structure is disproportionate to their earnings.
The most severe impact is on heavy goods and passenger vehicles that are more than 15 years old. Vehicles older than 15 years will now have to pay Rs 12,500, while those over 20 years will be charged Rs 25,000 for renewal of the FC.
State Lorry Owners Federation president C Dhanraj said lorry owners were earlier paying only Rs 850 per year for FC, irrespective of the vehicle’s age. "The fee has drastically risen to Rs 12,500 and Rs 25,000. With reduced load orders, rising diesel prices, toll charges and maintenance costs, this revision has come as a severe blow to the transport sector," he said.
Most lorries in the state are over 20 years old and are engaged in local or intra-state transport. "Most small-scale operators own just one lorry and drive it themselves. Their monthly income rarely exceeds Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000. Asking them to pay such high FC fees affects their livelihood," he said, warning that lorry owners were considering a state-wide protest, including halting even new vehicles, if the charges were not reduced.
Echoing similar concerns, K Kumaraswamy, a lorry owner, said the value of a lorry that is over 20 years old is itself only around Rs 1 lakh-Rs 1.5 lakh.
"Paying Rs 25,000 for FC is unreasonable. If we are told to scrap the vehicle and buy a new one, it would cost nearly Rs 30 lakh. With such low monthly earnings, that is impossible. Either way, we are pushed into a corner," he said, suggesting that if pollution is the concern, the government could instead allow engine replacements, which would cost Rs 3-Rs 4 lakh and extend the vehicle's life.
Meanwhile, officials of the Namakkal South Regional Transport Office confirmed that the revised FC fee structure has already been implemented and that the new charges are being collected. "Many vehicle owners are expressing their dissatisfaction, but since it is mandated by the centre, we have no option but to implement it. Despite the hike, vehicles are coming in as it is mandatory," an official said.
Transport and Road Safety Commissioner of Tamil Nadu, R Gajalakshmi, said the concerns raised by lorry owners have been taken note of. "We are in discussions with the government regarding the issues faced by lorry owners. However, since this revision is based on a central government notification, consultations are required. The objective of the policy is to reduce pollution and discourage the continued use of vehicles older than 15-20 years," she said.