Last updated: October 2026
If your two-wheeler or car is more than 50 years old from its first registration and still in its original form, you can apply for vintage vehicle registration under the Central Motor Vehicles (Fifteenth Amendment) Rules, 2021. A fresh vintage registration in Kerala gets a VA series plate in the form KL VA AA 0001, the official fee is Rs.20,000 for a new registration and Rs.5,000 for a subsequent re-registration, the first certificate lasts 10 years and renewals run for 5 years at a time, and the vehicle may be used only for restricted heritage purposes, not for daily or commercial use. A vehicle that is already registered keeps its old number: only a fresh registration gets a new VA mark.
The test is age plus originality, not age alone. The 2021 rules define a vintage motor vehicle as a two-wheeler in categories L1 or L2, or a four-wheeler in category M1, for non-commercial and personal use, that is more than 50 years old from the date of its first registration after its first sale, including an imported vehicle, and that has been maintained in its original form without any substantial overhaul. A substantial overhaul includes a modification to the chassis, the body shell or the engine. Use the date on the first registration record when you check eligibility.
| Test | What counts | What fails the test |
|---|---|---|
| Age | More than 50 years from first registration | 50 years or less, even if the model is old |
| Vehicle class | Two-wheeler (L1, L2) or four-wheeler (M1), personal use | Commercial vehicles, tractors and other categories |
| Original form | Original chassis, body shell and engine, with no substantial overhaul | An engine swap, a changed chassis or a rebuilt body shell |
| Use | Heritage use only, as listed below | Daily commuting or any commercial use |
For a fresh registration, the registration mark follows the pattern XX VA YY followed by a four-digit number from 0001 to 9999, allotted by the State Registering Authority. XX is the state code, so a Kerala fresh registration uses KL, VA stands for vintage, YY is a two-letter series, and the number is the serial in that series. KL VA AA 0001 is shown here only as a format example, not as a number that has been allotted to any vehicle. A vehicle that is already registered as vintage keeps its original registration number and plate intact, with no change.
The fees below are the central fees in the 2021 rules, as stated in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways summary of the rules and in later state summaries of the same schedule. Lead with these figures and treat the total on your own Vahan payment screen as final, because no Kerala-specific extra charge for vintage registration could be verified in this run (see the verification gap below).
| Item | Official fee | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| New vintage registration and issue of the certificate | Rs.20,000 | 10 years |
| Subsequent re-registration or renewal | Rs.5,000 | 5 years at a time |
Insurance and plate-making costs are not in this table, and no Kerala vintage-specific figure for them could be verified. Rs.20,000 is the registration fee only, not the cost of restoring or insuring the vehicle.
Apply in Form 20 with the following set, carrying originals for verification along with copies.
| Document | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Form 20 application | The application form for registration or re-registration as a vintage vehicle |
| Valid insurance policy | Required to accompany every vintage application under the rules |
| Old registration certificate, if the vehicle is already registered in India | Proves the existing registration and the first registration date |
| Bill of Entry, for an imported vehicle | Proves lawful import, required under the rules for imports |
| Identity and address proof of the owner | Standard owner verification at the registering authority |
| Photographs and inspection record of the vehicle | State implementations record the vehicle by inspection and photographs to check originality |
A vintage motor vehicle must not be driven for regular purposes or used for any commercial purpose. The permitted uses are narrow: display, technical research, taking part in a vintage car rally, driving to and from an exhibition or rally, and driving for refuelling and maintenance. Driving to work, running errands, hiring the vehicle out, or using it as a regular family car falls outside that list, even if the vehicle is roadworthy and insured.
Sale and purchase is allowed, but it is not a private handover with no paperwork. The buyer and seller must inform their respective State Transport Authorities, registration under the new owner's name must be recorded, and both parties must jointly submit that information within 90 days of the sale or purchase. For renewal, apply before the certificate runs out: 10 years first, then 5 years at a time, at Rs.5,000. Do not confuse this with the ordinary 15-year cycle: vehicle re-registration after 15 years in Kerala is a different process with different fees and a fitness test. If a vehicle reaches the end of its useful life instead, the separate route is vehicle scrapping in Kerala.
Three gaps affect what you should do next. First, parivahan.gov.in and mvd.kerala.gov.in did not respond at research time, so no live Kerala vintage fee screen, procedure, or list of vintage-registered vehicles could be read. Second, no Kerala-specific additional fee or plate-making charge could be verified on an official page, so none is quoted here. Third, no dedicated Vahan menu name for vintage applications could be confirmed, so the steps above give both the portal route and the registering authority route. Before you pay, confirm the route and total with the Kerala RTO office for your area, and treat that confirmation and your payment receipt as final.
No. The rule requires more than 50 years from first registration, so a vehicle that has just completed 50 years is not yet eligible. Wait until it is more than 50 years old on that count.
If the vehicle is already registered, the rules say it keeps its original registration number and plate intact. A new VA mark applies to a fresh registration, such as an imported vehicle being registered for the first time in India.
No. Commercial use is barred for vintage vehicles, including paid hire. A display or rally appearance that fits the permitted list is different from a paid commercial booking.
It is not declared fit for vintage registration. You would remain on the ordinary registration route unless you restore the vehicle to its original form and apply again.
Yes, with the 90-day joint notice described above, and registration recorded under the new owner's name.
Not as a blanket rule that could be verified here. The vintage inspection checks originality, not every other certificate your vehicle may need. Ask the registering authority which certificates apply before you drive to an event.
Fees and rules change without notice. Verify all fees and rules on parivahan.gov.in before applying, and treat the fee total shown on your own Vahan application as the final figure.
Keralam Transport