Vintage Cars To Get VA Series Letters In Their Registration Numbers

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a notification that states that vintage cars will have a special series of letters in the registration plates. The cars that have completed more than 50 years from the first date of its registration will be classified as a vintage motor vehicle.

To approve a car’s vintage status, a Vintage Motor Vehicles State Committee (VMVSC) will be set up in each state. Such vintage motor vehicles will now bear ‘VA’ in their registration number after the state code, for instance, a vintage vehicle registered in Maharashtra will have registration numbers like MH VA XX XXXX. To get a car registered as vintage, the owners are required to submit documents like a valid insurance policy, a Bill of Entry if the vehicle was imported and the old registration certificate if the vehicle is already registered. Also, there would be a one- time fee of Rs 20,000.

After the approval of the VMVSC, the Vintage Motor Vehicles State Registering Authority (VMVSRA) will provide a registration number to the vintage motor vehicle.

The registration certificate will be valid for a tenure of 10 years after which it needs to be renewed.

The notification also says that the vintage vehicles cannot ply on public roads for day to day use. Instead, vintage vehicles are allowed only for display or demonstration in any exhibition, rally, show, museum, events, meets, historical tours and ceremonial occasions, for technical research and cinematography.

They can also run on public roads in case it needs refuelling and maintenance works. The draft also permits the sale and purchase of vintage cars if the buyer and seller inform the State Transport Authority within 90 days of the purchase.