'To preserve heritage': Govt formalises registration process of vintage motor vehicles

In order to preserve the heritage of the vintage vehicles, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on July 18 formalized a registration process that had been in discussions for over a year, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Sunday. The ministry had been intending to swing in the process since November 2020 last year and had sought the public’s opinion to proceed accordingly. 

On July 18, the government finally authorized a “hassle-free process” for the registration of the old and vintage motor vehicles, which it stated comes with unique features such as the retention of old vehicle number plates for the already-registered motors and issuance of unique registration mark ‘VA’ series for the new registrations. All motor vehicles—two-wheelers and four-wheelers both non-commercial and personal which are in use for more than 50 years from the date of their first registration can now register under the new process. This includes the imported vehicles. 

“With an aim to preserve and promote the heritage of vintage vehicles, the MoRTH has formalised the registration process of vintage motor vehicles in India,” Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said in a series of tweets on Sunday. 

“XX VA YY” mark to be assigned

In a statement released Sunday, the MoRTH stated that application for registration/re-registration shall be made as per Form 20 and shall be accompanied by an insurance policy, fee, bill of entry in case of imported vehicles, and old RC in case of an already registered vehicle in India.  The State Registering Authority shall issue a certificate of registration as per Form 23A, within 60 days. MoRTH continued, that for the fresh registrations, however, a “XX VA YY” mark will be assigned [VA acronym for vintage, XX implies the State Code, YY is a two-letter series, while the “8” is a number from 0001 to 9999 allotted by the State Registering Authority]. 

The new process, according to the transport ministry, shall be hassle-free as there are no existing rules for regulating the registration of old vehicles across different states. Although there would be no substantial overhaul for the vintage motors that may require the modification in the body shell or the engine. A clause states that these vintage motors can only operate on roads for the purpose of display, technical research, a car rally, refuelling and maintenance, exhibitions, vintage rallies, and to and fro to such exhibition or car rally.