EV Road Tax by State in India 2026: Where Electric Cars and Scooters Are Tax-Free

Road tax is the single biggest cost after the ex-showroom price, and for electric vehicles it depends entirely on where you register. In some states an EV pays nothing at the RTO. In others, a Rs 15 lakh electric car now pays over Rs 1 lakh. 2026 has been a year of big changes: Delhi and Haryana moved to full waivers, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh pulled back, and Gujarat's concession expired. Here is the state-by-state picture as of 30 September 2026.

Is road tax charged on electric vehicles in India?

Road tax, or motor vehicle tax, is a state subject. Each state decides whether EVs pay it, at what rate, and for how long any waiver lasts. The Centre does not set it.

What the Centre does control is the registration fee. Under a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notification of 2 August 2021, battery operated vehicles are exempt from fees for issuing or renewing a registration certificate and for assigning a new registration mark. Private EVs also get green number plates with white text. GST on EVs is 5%, far below petrol and diesel cars. Import duty is separate: see our 15% EV import duty explainer.

EV road tax by state in 2026: the full table

Private electric cars and two-wheelers. Where sources disagree, we say so rather than guess.

What changed in 2026?

Delhi EV Policy 2026: tax-free EVs up to Rs 30 lakh

Delhi notified its new EV policy with effect from 1 July 2026, valid till 31 March 2030. Electric cars priced up to Rs 30 lakh get a 100% road tax and registration fee waiver. Electric two-wheelers get a purchase incentive of Rs 30,000 in the first year, Rs 20,000 in the second and Rs 10,000 in the third. Scrapping a BS-IV or older car for an EV under Rs 30 lakh earns Rs 1 lakh.

The biggest long-term change: from 1 April 2028, Delhi will stop registering new petrol and CNG two-wheelers. Reports differ on strong hybrids, with some saying 50% relief and others saying hybrids are excluded, so check before you book one.

Haryana matches Delhi

On 29 July 2026 the Haryana Cabinet approved a 100% motor vehicle tax exemption for battery electric vehicles up to Rs 30 lakh and 50% above that, up from a 20% one-time exemption earlier.

Karnataka ends free rides for electric cars

Karnataka, long India's EV capital, amended its tax law in April 2026. Electric cars now pay a lifetime tax of 5%, 8% or 10% depending on price. Electric two-wheelers stay exempt.

UP, Gujarat, Kerala and MP

• Uttar Pradesh restored its 100% waiver from 14 October 2025 to 13 October 2027, but reports say it now applies only to EVs manufactured, sold and registered in UP.
• Gujarat ran a 1% concessional tax (against 6% standard) until 31 March 2026. A new green mobility policy is expected, but zero tax is not officially confirmed.
• Kerala cut tax on EVs up to Rs 10 lakh from 5% to 3% and raised it to 15% above Rs 40 lakh, through the Finance Bill passed on 1 July 2026.
• Madhya Pradesh offered the waiver only in its policy's first year; it lapsed in March 2026.

How much road tax do you pay on a Rs 15 lakh electric car?

A buyer in Chennai or Mumbai pays nothing, while the same car registered in Bengaluru costs Rs 1.2 lakh more. If you are shortlisting, see our pick of the best electric cars under Rs 20 lakh.

One caution: you must register a vehicle in the state where you actually live. Using a friend's address in a tax-free state is illegal, and RTOs can demand the tax later.

How do you claim the EV road tax waiver?

The waiver is applied automatically when the dealer registers the vehicle on Vahan. Keep these papers ready:

• Tax invoice and Form 21 (sale certificate) from the dealer
• Form 22 (roadworthiness certificate) and Form 20 (registration application)
• Valid insurance policy
• Address proof in the state of registration, such as Aadhaar or a rent agreement
• PAN card or Form 60
• For purchase subsidies: bank account details for Direct Benefit Transfer, which usually arrives within 30 to 45 days

Before you pay, check the on-road quote line by line. If a road tax amount appears in a waiver state, ask the dealer why in writing. Many owners also fit a 2K dash camera soon after delivery, since new EVs often park at unfamiliar public chargers.

Are EV road tax waivers fair?

There is a real counter-argument. Road tax funds roads, and EVs use them too. Karnataka and Kerala argue that luxury EV buyers do not need help and that revenue losses grow as EV sales rise.

The honest takeaway is that every waiver is time-bound. Telangana's ends on 31 December 2026 unless extended. EVs registered before a rollback are generally protected, but Karnataka did raise a demand on older EVs, so nothing is guaranteed.

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Frequently asked questions