Centre extends validity of motor vehicle documents until Sept 30

Due to more than two months of lockdown in the country, the Centre has once again extended the validity of motor vehicle documents like driving license, permits, and fitness and registration certificates until September 31.

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, in a statement, said an advisory in this regard had been issued to all states and Union Territories. The statement said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had directed the ministry to issue the advisory as the need to contain the spread of COVID-19 continued.

This is the second time the government is extending the validity of the documents. On March 31, the Centre announced that the documents that expired on February 1 would be valid until June 30.

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On May 21, 2020, the ministry issued a gazette notification stating that fees paid for the renewal of the documents will continue to be valid even if the process had not completed. Even if there had been a delay in the payment the fees between February 1 and the date of the announcement of lockdown, motorists would not be charged a late fee for delays until July 31, it said.

“Now the State/UTs have also been requested to consider provisions available under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 or other such provisions available under other Acts, for considering relaxation in requirement of a permit, or fees or taxes for renewal/penalty for permits etc to provide relief during these extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19,” the statement added.