Law Ministry clears rules for vintage cars

The fees for a new registration will be ₹20,000, and subsequent re-registration will cost ₹5,000.

For the first time, India is set to have rules regulating the registration process for vintage cars.

The Law Ministry has given its nod to an amendment to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, that are expected to be notified by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways soon, according to a government official.

According to the rules, all two-wheelers and four-wheelers, which have not undergone any substantial overhaul, will be defined as Vintage Motor Vehicles 50 years after the date of first registration.

Vehicles that already carry a registration number will be allowed to retain it. However, classics that are registered afresh, such as those that are imported into the country, will be assigned an identifier “VA” in the registration number.

Vintage vehicles will neither be permitted on roads for regular purposes, nor will they be used for commercial purposes. They will be allowed only during exhibitions.

The fees for a new registration will be ₹20,000, and subsequent re-registration will cost ₹5,000.

All such antique vehicles will be exempted from the provisions of High Security Registration Plate, recently made mandatory by the government.

The sale and purchase of such registered vehicles is permissible, provided the buyer and seller inform the respective State Transport Authorities, the rules say.