Age of a vehicle, make and manufacturer, fuel type, length and width of a vehicle, engine capacity, purpose (personal or commercial use), place of manufacture and many other factors come into play when the payable road tax in Maharashtra is calculated. It’s worthwhile to mention that seating capacity and a number of wheels of a vehicle are also used to calculate road tax. The transport department levies a road tax equivalent to a certain percentage of the original vehicle cost, ensuring that taxation is standard across different vehicle categories.
Taxation on Vehicle Categories:
The Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 (2001) specifically mentions certain schedules that provide the taxation amounts of categories of vehicles. The schedules of taxation as per the recent amendment of 2001 are mentioned below.
Schedule A (III):
The taxation applied for goods vehicles is mentioned in this schedule. The following table illustrates the same.
| Vehicle Type and Laden Weight (in Kilograms) | Tax per year (in INR) |
| Less than 750 | 880 |
| Equal to or more than 750 but less than 1500 | 1,220 |
| Equal to or more than 1500 but less than 3000 | 1,730 |
| Equal to or more than 3000 but less than 4500 | 2,070 |
| Equal to or more than 4500 but less than 6000 | 2,910 |
| Equal to or more than 6000 but less than 7500 | 3,450 |
| Equal to or more than 7500 but less than 9000 | 4,180 |
| Equal to or more than 9000 but less than 10500 | 4,940 |
| Equal to or more than 10500 but less than 12000 | 5,960 |
| Equal to or more than 12000 but less than 13500 | 6,780 |
| Equal to or more than 13500 but less than 15000 | 7,650 |
| Equal to or more than 15000 | 8,510 |
| Equal to or more than 15000 but less than 15500 | 7,930 |
| Equal to or more than 15500 but less than 16000 | 8,200 |
| Equal to or more than 16000 but less than 16500 | 8,510 |
| Equal to or more than 16500 | Inclusive of INR 8510 plus INR 375 for every 500 kilos or part thereof in excess of 16,500 kilos |
Schedule A (IV) (1):
Contract carriage vehicles that operate on a day-to-day basis, like auto rickshaws, taxis and/or cabs are liable to pay the following tax amounts, as applicable. The taxes mentioned will be additional for every category.
| Vehicle Type | Tax per seat per year (in INR) |
| Vehicles licensed to carry 2 passengers | 160 |
| Vehicles licensed to carry 3 passengers | 300 |
| Vehicles licensed to carry 4 passengers | 400 |
| Vehicles licensed to carry 5 passengers | 500 |
| Vehicles licensed to carry 6 passengers | 600 |
| Vehicle Type | Tax per seat per year (in INR) |
| Air-conditioned taxi | 130 |
| Tourist taxis | |
| Non A/C of Indian Make | 250 |
| A/C of Indian Make | 300 |
| Foreign make | 400 |
Schedule A (IV) (2):
This schedule deals with motor vehicles that ply for hire and deal with everyday passengers. Such vehicles are charged INR 71 per year as road tax.
Schedule A (IV) (3):
Vehicles that operate as contract carriages for passengers on interstate routes have the following taxes applicable for them –
| Vehicle Type | Tax per seat per year (in INR) |
| Tourist vehicles or general omnibus with seating arrangement as per CMVR, 1989 rule 128 | 4000 |
| General omnibus | 1000 |
| Air-conditioned vehicles run by private operators | 5000 |
Schedule A (IV) (3) (A):
This schedule deals with vehicles that ply on interstate routes. The schdule of taxes are mentioned as below –
| Vehicle Type | Tax per seat per year (in INR) |
| Non A/C vehicles | 4000 |
| Air-conditioned vehicles | 5000 |
Schedule A (IV) (4):
This schedule deals with special permit vehicles as per the Central Motor Vehicles Act. The taxation on such vehicles is mentioned in the following table –
| Vehicle Type | Tax per seat per year (in INR) |
| Tourist vehicles or general omnibus with seating arrangement as per CMVR, 1988 rule 128 | 4000 |
| General omnibus not inclusive of the above | 5000 |
| Air-conditioned buses | 5000 |
Schedule A (IV) (A):
This schedule deals with private service vehicles that are meant to cater to personal uses.
| Vehicle Type | Tax per seat per year (in INR) |
| Air-conditioned buses | 1800 |
| Vehicles other than air-conditioned buses | 800 |
| Standees | 250 |
Schedule A (V):
Towing vehicles used for support and service purposes are dealt with in this schedule and the tax for them could be INR 330 per year.
Schedule A (VI):
This schedule deals with vehicles fitted with equipment meant for special purposes, like cranes, compressors, earth movers and the like. The schedule of taxes for such vehicles is mentioned in the table below –
| Unloaded Weight of vehicle (ULW) (in kilograms) | Tax (in INR) |
| Less than 750 | 300 |
| Equal to or more than 750 but less than 1500 | 400 |
| Equal to or more than 1500 but less than 2250 | 600 |
| Equal to or more than 2250 | 600 |
| Part or whole of weight in multiples of 500 more than 2250 | 300 each |
Schedule A (VII):
This schedule deals with the category of vehicles that might come as an exclusion to the schedules already mentioned above. The vehicles that can be considered herein are non-transport ambulances, vehicles with temporary location in the state or with seating capacity more than 12. The following table depicts the tax amount levied on them.
| Unloaded Weight of vehicle (ULW) (in kilograms) | Tax (in INR) |
| Less than 750 | 600 |
| Equal to or more than 750 but less than 1500 | 800 |
| Equal to or more than 1500 but less than 2250 | 900 |
| Equal to or more than 2250 and permitted to have 6 or less passengers | 1000 |
| More than 2250 | |
| Permitted to have 6 or more passengers (limited to 12) | 175 |
| Permitted to have 12 or more passengers | 500 |
Schedule A (VIII)
Deals with taxation on vehicles used for transport of goods other than those for agricultural purposes.
The tax per year is decided upon the laden weight of the vehicle as depicted in table below:
| Registered Laden Weight (in kilograms) | Tax per year (in INR) |
| Less than 750 | 860 |
| Equal to or more than 750 but less than 1500 | 1200 |
| Equal to or more than 1500 but less than 3000 | 1700 |
| Equal to or more than 3000 but less than 4500 | 2020 |
| Equal to or more than 4500 but less than 6000 | 2850 |
| Equal to or more than 6000 but less than 7500 | 3360 |
Schedule A (VIII) (a) (a):
Deals with taxation on the trailing vehicles used for agricultural purposes only. The tax per year could range from INR 1500 to INR 3000 for laden weight of 4500 kilograms and above.
For all kinds of two wheelers and three wheelers that are motor driven and/or have an accompaniment carriage, the onetime tax chargeable is 7% of the cost of the vehicle (cost of the vehicle = Actual Cost of vehicle + Central Excise + Sales Tax).
Similarly, for motor cars/jeeps and/or omnibuses, an individual owner will be paying a 7% part of the cost of the vehicle as explained above. If the vehicle is imported or company owned, the tax rate goes to 14% per annum.
How to pay Road Tax in Maharashtra?
Vehicle owners who wish to pay road tax can do so by visiting the Regional Transport Office in the particular city or the one which deals with the license and registration of their owned vehicle. Here they will have to fill up certain forms and pay the necessary amount as road tax, with the RTO providing an acknowledgement for the same.
