On May 05, 2022, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has published a draft notification for amendments in certain provisions of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 pertaining to the Trade Certificate in an endeavour to promote “Ease of doing business”. A Trade Certificate is required only in case of vehicles which are neither registered nor temporarily registered. Such vehicles can only be in the possession of a dealer/ manufacturer/importer of motor vehicles, or a test agency specified in rule 126 or any entity specified by the Central Government.
It is proposed that such agency can apply for a Trade Certificate and Trade Registration Marks electronically for multiple types of vehicles in a single application on the Vahan portal, without the need to visit the RTO. Streamlining of fees is also proposed, on the basis of the number of trade registration marks being applied for. Further, as the Trade certificate and registration marks are proposed to be allotted online i.e. electronically on the portal, therefore compliance burden regarding Intimation of loss or destruction of a trade certificate and application for duplicate has been removed. The validity of the Trade Certificate has been increased from 12 months to 5 years.