All You Must Know About Your Car’s PUC Certificate

The increasing levels of pollution has made it necessary for nations worldwide to limit emissions coming from vehicles.  India also has fixed certain rules laid down by motor laws of the country, and applicable to all vehicle types. All vehicles are expected to pass through the emission test and adhere to the norms of emission to limit the pollution caused by vehicles.

Once a vehicle clears the emission test, they receive a Pollution Under Control or PUC certificate. This certificate is the proof that your vehicle meets the required emission standards permitted legally. Now, PUC certificate is a mandatory requirement for driving a vehicle, and you must carry this certificate along with other compulsory documents like Driving license, RC and Insurance with you all the time when you are on the road driving your car or bike.

Let us understand more about what is PUC and how it is beneficial for your vehicle.

What is PUC Certificate? 

PUC is a certificate which asserts that a particular vehicle having the PUC certificate has cleared the PUC test and meets the standard of pollution control as prescribed by Motor Vehicle Law of India.  Thus, having a PUC certificate ensures that your vehicle meets the emission limit permitted by law. And it is compulsory for each and every vehicle in India to comply by the PUC norms and to have a PUC certificate.

The PUC contains details of your vehicle, such as, your RC number, PUC test date, PUC serial number, reading of the test, PUC validity date and so on. PUC of your vehicle needs to be renewed on every 6 months.

Also Read: All You Need To Know About Car Insurance In Digilocker

How can a PUC help vehicle owners?

PUC is not issued to vehicles that emits pollution more than what is permitted. Here are some ways how PUC help car owners:

• PUC is a key factor required while getting your car insurance. If a vehicle is emitting more pollution than the standard level, your insurance provider will not consider renewing your policy. So, PUC certificate is a requirement when you go for your vehicle renewal.
• Also, if your car emission level seems more than the prescribed limit, you might be asked by concerned traffic officer to submit your vehicle for PUC test, or might ask you to pay penalty. But if you have an updated PUC certificate, you will be safe in this situation.
• If you drive your car without a third party car insurance and a pollution certificate, you can be penalized for Rs. 1000 as a first time offense, and Rs.2000 in case you repeat the offense.  Having a PUC save you from penalty.

Below are some other benefits of PUC:

• PUC certificate helps in conserving the environment, and let you contribute to curbing pollution levels.
• By getting a PUC done, you can find out the condition of your vehicle; whether your car/bike is running fine or it require servicing.
• PUC certificate also indicates that you are a law abiding citizen of India.

Process to get a PUC certificate 

PUC certificates are provided by PUC Centers available all across India to vehicles that pass the PUC emission test. PUC test can be done in any authorized Pollution check point that uses some particular testing tools to scan your vehicle’s ejection pipe and to find the emission level. Once your car clears the test, you will get the PUC certificate from the authority after paying a nominal amount of money.

You can check the location of different PUC centers in the Parivahan website by clicking on the tab of PUC certificate. Here, you can see the locations of all the PUC centers approved by RTO.

Percentage criteria to pass PUC test 

For 4-wheelers manufactured with respect to the subsequent norms of Pre-Bharat stage II, 0.5 % CO is permitted, while the permission level of Hydrocarbon is 750 ppm.

And for 4-wheelers produced with respect to the norms of Pre-Bharat stage II, 3 % CO is permitted, while the permission level of Hydrocarbon is 1500 ppm.

Thus, keeping updated PUC checks help in maintaining the condition of your vehicle and it is also an important requirement at the time car renewal.

Is PUC required for new car?

Many people ask this question as they think that PUC is not a requirement for new cars. But the fact is you certainly need a pollution certificate for new vehicle as well as for older ones.

PUC for new cars remain valid for one year, after which regular PUC tests are needed in every six months. But for old vehicles, PUC checking is mandatory in every six months in most Indian states, while in some states it is three months time. So, as per the rule of the state, you must get your PUC done.

Also Read: How to Check Car Insurance Status Online on Parivahan Sewa/ RTO?

Conclusion

PUC Certificate is an important mandate for every vehicle. It is essential to have PUC of your vehicle as a necessary requirement if you want to drive safely and without hassle on the roads of India. So, always keep a copy of your PUC along with other documents of your vehicle while plying on the road. Also, remember that PUC validity for new car is different as compared to old car. Hence, you must keep a check on the date so that you don’t miss out on to update the PUC of your car.

Further, as PUC points out the pollution levels that your vehicle emits, it becomes your moral duty to get a PUC certificate and to comply by the legal limits of pollution to save the environment. Pollution is one of the major concerns in India and it contributes in making people sick. So, it is all the more important to abide by the PUC rule as mandated by India’s Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.