Every vehicle owner in India must pay tax on their vehicle. This tax is also known as road tax or motor vehicle tax. This money goes to the government and is used to build and repair roads, bridges, flyovers and transport facilities. The law says that registered vehicles must pay tax regularly based on the type of vehicle and the year. If you do not pay on time, you can face fines or penalties. Online tax payment makes this simple and saves time. You can pay it at home, without standing in long queues.
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What is the Parivahan Portal
The Parivahan portal is the official website of the Government of India for transport and vehicle-related services. It is managed by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) and provides many services online, including paying vehicle tax, checking vehicle details, and more. The vehicle-related part of the portal is called VAHAN. Here you can view your vehicle registration, pay online tax, and download receipts. The Parivahan portal is safe and trusted. Always use the official site with the “.gov.in” domain to avoid scams and fake websites.
What You Need Before You Start
Before paying your vehicle tax online, keep these things ready:
- Vehicle Registration Number
This is the number written on your registration certificate (RC). - Owner’s Mobile Number
This must be active so you can receive OTP (one time password) for verification. - Chassis Number (sometimes required)
Some states ask for the last few characters of the chassis number. - Internet Banking / Debit Card / Credit Card / UPI
You will need a payment method to complete the online tax payment. - Your RC Document
It helps you check details if needed.
Once you have these, you can begin the online payment process.
How to Open the Parivahan Tax Payment Page
Follow these steps to get to the correct page:
- Open your web browser and visit https://parivahan.gov.in
This is the official government portal. - On the homepage, find the section for Online Services.
- Click Vehicle Related Services (VAHAN). This is where you will find tax payment tools.
- Choose the state where your vehicle is registered.
Once you click your state, you will see the option to Pay Your Vehicle Tax.
Entering Your Vehicle Details
On the tax payment page you must:
- Enter your Vehicle Registration Number exactly as shown on your RC.
- Enter the Chassis Number or last 5 characters if asked (this is a security step used by some states).
- Click Submit or Get Details.
After this, the portal will show your vehicle information. Check your name, model, registration details and pending tax amount.
This step is important because it ensures that you are paying the tax for the correct vehicle.
Choosing the Tax and Payment Options
Once your vehicle details appear:
- You will see the tax period due (for example, yearly, quarterly).
- Select the Type of Tax you want to pay (yearly or as required by your state).
- Confirm the amount shown by the portal.
Now you can proceed to payment.
You will usually see online methods such as:
- Netbanking
- Credit Card
- Debit Card
- UPI Payment
Pick the option you prefer.
Completing the Online Payment
After choosing your payment method:
- The portal will ask you to generate OTP sent to your mobile number. This is for security.
- Enter the OTP you receive.
- You will be directed to your bank or payment service.
- Complete the payment.
After successful payment, the portal should show a message like “Payment Successful”.
If the status shows pending or error, wait for a few minutes and check again. You can also view pending transactions in the portal.
Downloading Your Tax Receipt
After payment is done:
- The portal will give an option to Download or Print Your Tax Receipt.
- Click Print Receipt or Download PDF.
- Save this document on your phone or computer.
This receipt is very important. You may need it as proof of payment if asked by traffic police or RTO officials.
Benefits of Paying Vehicle Tax Online
There are many advantages to paying your vehicle tax online:
- You save time and avoid going to the RTO in person.
- It is available 24×7, so you can pay any time of the day or night.
- You get an instant receipt that is legally valid.
- The process is secure when you use the official website.
- You can keep a digital copy of the receipt for future reference.
Online payment also reduces mistakes, delays and long waiting lines.
Tips and Common Questions
These tips will make your experience easier:
Always use the official Parivahan website.
Never click on links sent in unknown messages or mobile apps that are not official, as they can be fake. Cybercrime warnings about fake traffic link scams have been reported.
Check your state rules.
Some states have slightly different payment steps or portals that link from the Parivahan page.
If payment fails or is pending:
- Do not make a second payment immediately.
- Wait for some time and check the portal status.
- If the amount is debited but the portal shows pending, reconciliation might take a few hours.
Blacklisted Vehicle:
If the portal says your vehicle is blacklisted then you cannot pay online until you contact the transport office.
Keep a backup of your receipt.
You can store it as a digital copy or print a hard copy.