Punjab vehicle registration fees in 2026: cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles
The registration fee is the one-time charge that places a new vehicle on the Punjab record, and the fee follows two different patterns in 2026. Motorcycles pay a flat fee by engine size, from Rs 1,000 for a bike up to 70cc to Rs 2,500 for a bike from 126cc to 150cc, with 2 percent of value above 150cc. Cars pay a percentage of value: 1 percent up to 1000cc, 2 percent from 1001cc to 2000cc, and 4 percent above 2000cc. Commercial vehicles pay 1 percent of value. This guide states every band, works rupee examples, adds the late registration penalties and the electric vehicle exemptions, and sits inside the wider system described in MTMIS Punjab: the complete guide to online vehicle verification.
Table of contents
- Registration fees for motorcycles
- Registration fees for cars
- Registration fees for commercial vehicles
- What the word value means in the fee calculation
- Late registration penalties
- Electric vehicle exemptions
- The rest of the first registration bill
- Frequently asked questions
Registration fees for motorcycles
The table below states the one-time registration fee for motorcycles and scooters in Punjab in 2026.
| Motorcycle engine size | Registration fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 70cc | Rs 1,000 |
| 71cc to 100cc | Rs 1,500 |
| 101cc to 125cc | Rs 2,000 |
| 126cc to 150cc | Rs 2,500 |
| Above 150cc | 2% of the value of the motorcycle |
The flat bands cover the motorcycles that dominate Punjab roads, so most buyers pay a known amount before the visit. A Honda CD 70 falls in the first band and pays Rs 1,000. A 125cc motorcycle pays Rs 2,000. Heavy motorcycles above 150cc leave the flat system and pay the percentage, so the fee for a large imported bike follows the invoice value of the bike.
Registration fees for cars
Cars pay a percentage of value, and the engine capacity of the car selects the percentage.
| Car engine size | Registration fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 1000cc | 1% of the value of the car |
| 1001cc to 2000cc | 2% of the value of the car |
| Above 2000cc | 4% of the value of the car |
The examples below apply the percentages to round values, so a buyer can test the arithmetic against a showroom quotation.
- A car up to 1000cc with a value of Rs 2,500,000 pays 1 percent, which equals Rs 25,000.
- A car of 1800cc with a value of Rs 6,000,000 pays 2 percent, which equals Rs 120,000.
- A car above 2000cc with a value of Rs 12,000,000 pays 4 percent, which equals Rs 480,000.
The percentage pattern explains the steep rise in registration cost at the top of the market. The buyer of a large car pays a registration fee many times higher than the buyer of a small car, even before token tax and advance tax enter the same challan.
Registration fees for commercial vehicles
Tractors, trucks, buses, rickshaws, and taxis pay a registration fee of 1 percent of the value of the vehicle. The single percentage keeps the commercial schedule simple, and the fee again follows the invoice value rather than the age or the condition of the vehicle. Commercial operators should still read the generated challan in full, because a commercial registration carries the annual token tax position and the route or fitness requirements of the vehicle class in the same file.
What the word value means in the fee calculation
Value means the invoice value of the vehicle: the price on the sales invoice and the sales certificate that the manufacturer or the dealer issues at the sale. The Excise office calculates the percentage from that document, and the buyer does not declare a value by choice. An imported vehicle carries the value from the customs documents. A discount negotiated at the showroom enters the calculation only where the invoice itself records the lower price, because the invoice is the document the office reads.
Late registration penalties
A vehicle must reach the registration record within the prescribed period after sale, import, or customs clearance, and a delay adds a fixed penalty to the fee.
| Case | Additional fee |
|---|---|
| Motorcycle, scooter, or rickshaw registered after 30 days | Rs 500 |
| Private or commercial vehicle, delay of 60 to 180 days | Rs 2,000 |
| Private or commercial vehicle, delay beyond 180 days | Rs 5,000 |
The penalty is small against the fee itself, and the real cost of delay sits elsewhere: an unregistered vehicle cannot lawfully run on the road, carries no smart card, and holds no record that a verification check can confirm. A buyer who takes delivery of a new vehicle should complete the registration inside the first month and treat the penalty table as a backstop, not as a timetable. How to register a new vehicle in Punjab gives the full process and the document list for the registration visit.
Electric vehicle exemptions
The official schedule exempts 95 percent of the registration fee for electric vehicles, and the same policy exempts 99 percent of the motor vehicle tax. An electric car in the 1001cc to 2000cc equivalent class pays only 5 percent of the 2 percent registration fee, which equals 0.1 percent of the value of the car. The exemptions make the electric vehicle the cheapest class on the registration schedule by a wide margin, and the challan shows the exemption as a separate line, so the buyer can confirm the concession before payment.
The rest of the first registration bill
The registration fee is the largest line for most buyers, and the challan carries companion charges in the same document.
Smart card fee. The department issues the registration smart card with the registration, and the fee stands at Rs 1,300 for a car and for a motorcycle. The vehicle registration smart card in Punjab explains the card, the record the card carries, and the delivery route.
Token tax. A car up to 1000cc pays the lifetime token tax of Rs 20,000 at registration, a motorcycle pays the lifetime token tax of Rs 1,500, and a larger car pays the first annual amount at the invoice price percentage. The Punjab token tax rates 2026-27 guide on this site states the full structure.
Advance income tax. Federal advance tax joins the registration challan, and the amount depends on the filer status and the engine capacity of the vehicle. A filer pays the lower amount and a non-filer pays the higher amount on the same vehicle, and the challan states the figure for the specific case.
Number plates. The department issues the standard number plates against the registration, and the plate charges appear on the same challan. A buyer who wants a special or choice number enters the separate e-auction route instead, and the auction amount never mixes with the standard registration bill.
Frequently asked questions
What is the registration fee for a 70cc motorcycle in Punjab in 2026?
The registration fee for a motorcycle up to 70cc stands at Rs 1,000. The same registration also carries the lifetime token tax of Rs 1,500 and the smart card fee of Rs 1,300, so the full government bill for a small motorcycle starts from those three lines.
What is the registration fee for a 1300cc car in 2026?
A 1300cc car pays 2 percent of the value of the car, because the car falls in the 1001cc to 2000cc band. A 1300cc car valued at Rs 5,000,000 pays Rs 100,000 as the registration fee, before token tax and advance tax join the challan.
Does an electric vehicle pay the full registration fee?
No. The official schedule exempts 95 percent of the registration fee for electric vehicles, and the motor vehicle tax carries a 99 percent exemption. The buyer pays the remaining balance, and the challan shows the exemption as a separate line.
What penalty applies to a late motorcycle registration?
A motorcycle registered after the prescribed 30 days carries an additional fee of Rs 500. Cars and commercial vehicles pay Rs 2,000 for a delay of 60 to 180 days and Rs 5,000 for a delay beyond 180 days.
Is the registration fee paid every year?
No. The registration fee is a one-time charge at first registration. The annual charge on a vehicle is the token tax, and only vehicles outside the lifetime token classes pay the token tax every year.