Big relief for car owners; NHAI discontunues post activation KYV

NEW DELHI: In a big relief to car owners, NHAI has decided to discontinue the Know Your Vehicle (KYV) process for FASTag which will be against such vehicles from Feb 1. For existing FASTags, KYV will no longer be mandatory as a routine requirement. “KYV will be required only in specific cases where complaints are received, such as issues related to loose FASTags, incorrect issuance, or misuse. In the absence of any complaint, no KYV will be required for existing car FASTags,” NHAI said, in an official statement.It said this will enhance public convenience and eliminate post-activation harassment faced by highway users. It added that the reform will bring significant relief to lakhs of common road users who were facing inconvenience and delays after FASTag activation due to post-issuance KYV requirements, despite having valid vehicle documents.To ensure accuracy, compliance, and system integrity while simplifying the process for users, NHAI has strengthened pre-activation validation norms for Issuer banks. These include mandatory VAHAN-based validation — FASTag activation will be permitted only after validation of vehicle details from the VAHAN database; no post-activation validation — earlier provision allowing validation after activation has been discontinued; RC-based validation only in exceptional cases — where vehicle details are not available on VAHAN, issuer banks must validate details using the RC before activation, with full accountability; and online FASTags covered — FASTags sold through online channels will also be activated only after complete validation by banks.“These measures ensure that all vehicle verification is completed upfront, removing the need for repeated follow-ups with customers after FASTag activation,” NHAI said.