Pollution Certificate for Diesel and Petrol Vehicles In India

Over time, humans have made significant progress in various fields, including the vehicle industry. However, this progress has come at the cost of a severe decline in air quality, leading to environmental degradation. The increasing number of vehicles on the road is a major contributing factor to this issue. As responsible members of society, it is important for us to fulfill our role and obtain a Vehicle Pollution Certificate for our vehicles. This is why, in India, you need to have a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. 

What is a Vehicle Pollution Certificate?

This certificate is issued by the government to verify that your vehicle's emission levels are within the acceptable limits set by pollution regulations. In accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act in India, all vehicle owners must possess this certificate. Furthermore, renewing your motor insurance policy requires a valid pollution certificate, as specified by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India guidelines. Please note, however, that the absence of a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is not a valid reason for denying a claim under a motor insurance policy, as clarified by the IRDAI guidelines.

PUC Certificate Inclusions

The pollution under control certificate includes the following information:

• Serial numbers indicating the date of the last conducted test
• The registration number of the vehicle.
• The vehicle’s License Plate Number
• The date of the pollution test and its expiry date
• Emission test readings

Pollution Certificate Test Procedures:

Below is the procedure for the pollution certificate test. 

1. If the vehicle is new, the motor dealer will arrange for the PUC certificate.
2. For renewal, you will have to take the vehicle to an authorized petrol pump.
3. The petrol pump will first check the emission level from the car/bike's exhaust pipe.
4. To analyze carbon emission, a device will be inserted into the vehicle's ignition, and the engine will be accelerated.
5. For diesel vehicles, the accelerator is fully pressed, and this process is repeated five times. The final reading is the average of all the readings.
6. For petrol vehicles, the car is kept idle without pressing the accelerator. Only a single reading is noted as the final reading.
7. Pay the applicable fees, and then you may collect the pollution certificate.

How to Check Your PUC Certificate Online?

PUC is an important document that one must carry while using vehicle. If you do not possess a physical copy of your PUC or have lost it, you can check and download your PUC certificate from Parivahan Sewa’s online portal. Here are the steps you need to follow.

1. Visit https://puc.parivahan.gov.in/puc/views/PucCertificate.xhtml

2. Select the option ‘PUC’ under ‘Online Services’.

3. Enter your vehicle’s registration number.

4. Enter the last Five digits of your vehicle’s chassis number and the CAPTCHA code.

5. Click on ‘PUC Details’ to access your PUC certificate online.

6. To download pollution certificate online, follow the same steps as above. When your certificate is ready to be downloaded, you can download it after logging into the system as mentioned above.

Cost and Validity of Pollution Control Certificate

The validity of a pollution certificate varies for old and new vehicles.

• A new car or bike pollution certificate is valid for one year, after which it needs to be renewed every 6 months by obtaining a new certificate from any emission testing center.
• If a vehicle fails to meet the pollution control test standard, the validity of the renewed certificate can be canceled before 6 months.

Check out the details related to the cost of a pollution certificate below: 

The cost of a pollution certificate for a car or bike ranges from Rs. 60 to Rs. 100, depending on the kind of vehicle and fuel. The price may vary from state to state.

Pollution under Control Rules and Regulations in India

• According to Rule 115 (2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, there are specific limits for vehicle emissions that must be followed.
• The government regularly updates the acceptable emission levels for vehicles based on pollution levels, as directed by the Automotive Research Association of India.
• The format and norms of the pollution certificate remain the same across the country.
• If a vehicle fails the PUC test, indicating that its emission levels exceed the permissible level, the testing center can issue a rejection slip. 
• The registration authority has the power to suspend the Registration Certificate (RC) and any other permits of the vehicle until the owner obtains a valid pollution certificate in cases of non-compliance with the pollution norms.

Penalties for not obtaining a PUC Certificate

As per the Motor Vehicles Act, possessing a pollution certificate is mandatory for driving a vehicle in India. Non-compliance with the rules and regulations can result in a penalty under Section 190 (2) of The Motor Vehicles Act. For a first-time offense, a fine of Rs. 1000 will be imposed. Subsequent offenses will incur a fine of Rs. 2000.

Pollution Certificate for Old Vehicles (Permissible Level)

Pollution Certificate for Diesel Vehicles (Permissible Levels)

Petrol vs Diesel Vehicle

Types of Vehicle Emission Tests & How They Measure Emissions

In India, vehicle emission tests are conducted to ensure compliance with the Bharat Stage (BS) emission standards, which are progressively becoming more stringent. The tests involve both laboratory and on-road measurements to assess the emissions of vehicles under various driving conditions.

Types of Vehicle Emission Tests in India

1. Laboratory Emission Tests

Laboratory emission tests involve testing the vehicle in a simulated environment to understand the emission levels of harmful gases. There are three different laboratory emission tests. 

Modified Indian Drive Cycle (MIDC): 

This test cycle is on similar lines as the new European Driving Cycle and is used for low-powered vehicles. It involves a series of driving cycles set in urban and rural situations to stimulate real-world driving conditions.\

World Harmonized Light Duty Test Cycle (WLTC): WLTC is a standardized driving cycle used to measure fuel consumption and emission of light duty vehicles. It is more comprehensive and involves highway like situations among it’s simulations. 

Type I and Type II Tests: These tests measure exhaust emissions and include idling CO & HC for spark ignition engines and free acceleration for compression ignition engines.

2. On-Road Emission Tests

Real Driving Emissions (RDE) Testing: This involves using Portable Emission Measurement Systems (PEMS) to measure emissions under real-world driving conditions. RDE testing is mandatory for BS VI vehicles to ensure compliance with emission standards in real-world scenarios.

PEMS Testing: Conducted on actual roads, PEMS testing captures emissions data under varied driving conditions, providing a more accurate picture of real-world emissions compared to laboratory tests.

How Emissions Are Measured

Emission Measurement Equipment: In laboratories, emissions are measured using chassis dynamometers equipped with emission systems like AVL and Horiba. On-road measurements use PEMS, which can capture pollutants such as CO, CO2, NOx, THC, and PM9.

Test Cycles and Conditions: Tests are performed under specific drive cycles (e.g., MIDC, WLTC) and conditions (e.g., cold and hot starts) to simulate various driving scenarios.

Fuel Specifications: The fuel used for testing is specified to ensure consistency, with BS VI fuel having a maximum sulfur content of 10 ppm to align with real-world conditions.

These tests help ensure that vehicles comply with the Bharat Stage emission standards, which are designed to reduce air pollution by limiting emissions of harmful pollutants.

Conclusion

A Pollution Certificate is as essential as a registration certificate, driving license, and insurance policy. The escalating carbon emissions pose a severe threat to our environment. A Pollution Certificate helps to control the emission level and maintains the general health of your vehicle.

FAQs

• Where to issue a Pollution Certificate for the vehicle?

Fuel stations, authorized emission testing centers, or licensed standalone emission testing centers can issue the Pollution Certificate for your vehicle.

• How to obtain the pollution certificate online?

You can print or download the existing (active pollution certificate) online through the VAHAN portal of the Parivahan website. 

• Is a PUC certificate compulsory for drivers?

A pollution certificate is mandatory for driving a vehicle in India. Non-compliance with the rules and regulations can result in a penalty.

• What is the grace period for pollution Certificate renewal?

The grace period for Pollution Certificate renewal is seven days from the date of expiry.

• Is there a late fee for renewing an expired pollution certificate?

No, there is no late fee for renewing an expired pollution certificate