Transport dept tightens vehicle fitness guidelines to curb illegal certificates

• TNN

• Published On Feb 28, 2026 at 01:59 PM IST

Vehicle fitness centres now face strict scrutiny to prevent illegal certificates.

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The state transport department has issued stringent guidelines to ensure that vehicle fitness certificates are granted only after mandatory physical verification, warning of FIRs against centres found violating norms. To prevent issuance of illegal fitness certificates without proper inspection, the department has capped inspections at six vehicles per hour. Officials said the limit is aimed at ensuring thorough physical checks of each vehicle. “To curb cases of illegal fitness certificates being issued to vehicle owners without proper inspection, strict guidelines were issued. Fitness centres will now have to upload a 10-minute video for a fitness check of a four-wheeler and a 7-minute video for issuing a fitness certificate for a two-wheeler,” a senior transport department official said. The video must clearly display the vehicle’s registration number, chassis number, inspecting officer and driver. Only then will it be considered valid for submission.

Officials added that if more than six four-wheelers are issued fitness certificates within an hour — a detail that can be verified through the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways portal — action will be initiated against the concerned fitness centre.

Centres have been directed to compulsorily examine brakes, suspension, steering, wheel alignment and lighting systems, among other components. If a centre is unable to upload inspection videos to the department’s online portal, it must compile weekly footage and submit it to the regional transport office on a pen drive. RTO and DTO offices will forward the compiled videos to transport department headquarters by the 10th of every month. All inspection footage must be preserved by fitness centres and authorities for six months to enable cross-verification in case of accidents or disputes.