From October 31, all vehicle owners in the country are required to complete Know Your Vehicle (KYV) verification to continue using FASTag at toll plazas. The move, aimed at curbing misuse and enhancing transparency in toll collection, mandates that each FASTag be linked correctly to its respective vehicle.
Under the new rules, failure to complete KYV will render FASTags invalid, and motorists will have to pay tolls in cash. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has communicated this requirement to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which oversees the financial transactions associated with FASTag toll payments.
The KYV process requires vehicle owners to submit a photograph of the vehicle, the registration certificate (RC),
and, in some cases, a photo of the user. Officials point out that fraud has emerged due to loose FASTags being carried in pockets or purses rather than affixed to windshields, and instances of car tags being used on trucks to pay lower tolls. KYV aims to prevent such misuse and ensure the integrity of digital toll collection.
A government source noted that the initial objective of FASTag was to encourage widespread adoption of digital toll payments, which led banks and issuers to adopt a more lenient approach in issuing tags. KYV is now expected to “clean up the system” and make it more robust.
The verification is mandatory for all FASTag users, irrespective of the issuing bank or payment app. Vehicle owners are required to upload the RC showing the vehicle number and owner’s name, valid ID proof such as Aadhaar, PAN, or passport, and in some cases, a recent photograph of the user. For certain vehicles, a front image and a side image showing the tag and vehicle plate number are also required.
Authorities have reported that some vehicles are already being stopped at toll plazas for incomplete KYV, and users have raised complaints regarding technical glitches during the upload process. The KYV remains valid until the vehicle is sold or the FASTag is transferred. In cases of ownership transfer or a new registration number, the verification must be completed again.
NHAI has emphasised that unverified or partially verified FASTags will be automatically deactivated, even if the account has a sufficient balance. The KYV system is expected to offer multiple benefits: it will prevent tag misuse, ensure each tag is used only for the vehicle it was issued to, facilitate tracing of stolen or sold vehicles, reduce errors in toll categorisation, and provide better tracking and reporting for users.
Motorists can complete KYV through their FASTag provider’s website or mobile app. The process involves logging in, selecting the ‘Update KYV’ or ‘Know Your Vehicle’ option, submitting the necessary documents, and completing OTP or email verification. Once verified, the FASTag will display as “Active and Verified”, allowing seamless toll payments.
