What is the story about?
New FASTag rules 2026: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced the discontinuation of the 'Know Your Vehicle' (KYV) process required
for issuing new FASTags from February 1, 2026. This change will be applicable to private vehicles, including cars, jeeps and vans, with the aim of eliminating post-activation hassles, reducing paperwork and making toll payments easier and faster at plazas across the country.
What is a FASTag?
FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly while the vehicle is in motion. FASTag (RFID Tag) is affixed to the windscreen of the vehicle and enables a customer to make the toll payments directly from the account which is linked to FASTag.
What are the new rules, and what does NHAI say?
According to NHAI's official guidelines, the KYC step, which previously required vehicle owners to resubmit documents, upload photos, or undergo repeated verification even after FASTag activation, will no longer be required for newly issued tags. This will address common complaints such as delays, follow-up calls from banks or customer care, and unnecessary FASTag suspensions despite correct initial submission.
New FASTag rules for 2026: Changes from February 1, 2026
According to NHAI, all new FASTags issued on or after February 1, 2026, will be thoroughly verified before activation. After the live tag, users can use it immediately without further checks in normal cases. Once the tag is activated, users can typically access it right away without additional verification in standard situations.
Issuing banks will now perform pre-validation using the VAHAN database (required) to confirm vehicle registration information. In exceptional cases, the Registration Certificate (RC) may be used for cross-verification. This shifts the responsibility of verification to the banks, ensuring accurate information at the time of issuance.
KYC in special cases
As per the guideline, in certain specific cases where complaints are received, KYV verification will be required, such as in cases involving loose FASTags, incorrect issuance, or misuse.
- FASTag attached to the wrong vehicle
- Tag found loose or incorrectly attached
- Suspected misuse or fraud
- Reported altercation at toll plaza
For current FASTag users, no routine KYC will be required unless irregularities are flagged. This prevents unnecessary disruptions at toll plazas for those with properly issued tags.
Existing FASTag users will benefit from the new rules
Existing FASTag users will also benefit from this improvement. For FASTags that have already been issued, KYC will not be required as a routine process. If there are no issues, existing FASTag holders will not need to undergo KYC at all.
VAHAN-based verification is mandatory before FASTag activation
FASTag activation will only be permitted after the necessary vehicle details have been validated through the VAHAN database. The previous practice of post-activation validation has been discontinued. This ensures that all checks are completed beforehand, eliminating the need for corrections or customer follow-up after activation.
