PVICS charges 2026: Punjab vehicle fitness certificate fee from Rs 500, who needs it

PVICS charges in Punjab start at Rs 500 for a car up to 1,000cc and go up to Rs 2,000 for one above 4,500cc. These are the fees the Punjab Provincial Transport Authority notified on 30 December 2025 for the emission test that private cars need under the Provincial Vehicle Inspection and Certification System (PVICS). This guide gives the full fee table, which cars need the certificate and when, the commercial VICS fees for taxis, rickshaws and goods vehicles, the centres, and how to pass first time.

The enforcement date for private cars is Thursday 15 October 2026. Our Punjab fitness certificate deadline story carries the latest news on it, including any extension.

PVICS charges 2026: private car fee table

The fee is set by notification PTA/TA-I/2025 (PVICS)(Fee), signed by the Secretary, Provincial Transport Authority Punjab, on 30 December 2025. The Authority adopted the Environment Protection Agency's fee schedule for emission testing at its meeting of 11 November 2025.

The fee is charged at the time of the test by a vehicle emission testing centre licensed by the Provincial Transport Authority under Rule 35-A of the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules, 1969. In practice that means:

• Suzuki Alto, Cultus, Wagon R (998cc): Rs 500
• Toyota Yaris 1.3, Honda City 1.2, Suzuki Swift (1,197cc to 1,329cc): Rs 800
• Honda Civic 1.5 turbo, Toyota Corolla 1.6 or 1.8, Kia Sportage 2.0: Rs 800 or Rs 1,000 depending on engine size (the notification's bands meet at 1,500cc and 2,500cc, so ask the centre which band a car of exactly that size falls in)
• Toyota Fortuner 2.7, Land Cruiser Prado 2.8 diesel: Rs 1,500

The certificate is valid for one year, so expect to pay the same fee every year once your car is due.

Which cars need a fitness certificate, and when

Section 39-A of the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965, added by the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2022 (Punjab Gazette, 16 December 2022), requires a certificate of fitness for motor cars once they reach this age:

So in October 2026 a 1,000cc car made in 2021 or earlier is due, a 1,300cc to 1,800cc car made in 2020 or earlier is due, and a 2,700cc car made in 2019 or earlier is due. The age counts from the date of manufacture, not the date you bought the car or registered it.

How to get the PVICS certificate: step by step

1. Check whether your car is due using the table above and the model year on your registration book.
2. Clear your token tax. An unpaid token tax is the first thing a traffic officer checks. Work out what you owe on our token tax calculator.
3. Pick a licensed centre. The Transport Department's September 2026 list (below) names centres in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad. More are opening, so confirm with the centre before you travel.
4. Book or walk in. Centres take bookings on their own websites and also accept walk-ins.
5. Take the documents: the original registration book or card and the owner's CNIC. A car registered outside Punjab needs both, with matching names.
6. Pay the fee at the centre according to the table above.
7. Get the result. A pass gives you the certificate and a QR-coded sticker for the windscreen, valid for one year. A fail lists the fault: repair it and return for a re-test.

PVICS centres for private cars

The Transport Department named these licensed centres in September 2026, as reported by ProPakistani:

By 30 September only about 12,000 of an estimated 2.3 million due vehicles had been tested at 16 centres, TechJuice reported, so queues near the deadline are likely. Weekday mornings are usually quieter.

VICS fees for taxis, rickshaws, vans and goods vehicles

Commercial and public service vehicles are tested under the separate Vehicle Inspection and Certification System (VICS), run for the Transport Department by OPUS Inspection under a public-private partnership. They need a test every six months. The fees come from the Transport and Mass Transit Department notification SO(TR-I)2-5/2020(VICS)(Fee) of 5 September 2024:

Book a VICS slot through the customer service centre on UAN 042-111-678-711 or the VICS website, giving the station, registration number, vehicle type and your name. Bring the original registration documents, the driver's CNIC and licence, and the fee in cash. The vehicle must be empty of passengers and cargo, with no fluid leaks, loose parts or exposed wires, according to the Transport Department's fitness certificate page.

Re-test fee for private cars

The 30 December 2025 private car notification sets only the test fee. It does not set a separate re-test charge, so ask the centre before you pay a second time. The free first re-inspection rule above is written for commercial vehicles under VICS.

Penalty for driving without a certificate

The Transport and Mass Transit Department's instructions put the fine at Rs 2,000 for a first offence and Rs 4,000 after that, as reported by PakWheels on 16 September 2026, with higher penalties possible for other breaches. For any car up to 2,500cc, the PVICS fee is lower than one fine.

Common mistakes that fail a car

• Black smoke or a high reading. Worn spark plugs, a dirty air filter, a faulty oxygen sensor and a tired catalytic converter are the usual causes. A tune-up a few days before the test is the cheapest fix.
• Counting age from the purchase date. The rule counts from the date of manufacture.
• Going with unpaid token tax or an improperly fixed number plate, which invites a separate fine on the way.
• Paying an agent. The fee is paid at the licensed centre; there is no need to pay anyone else to "arrange" a certificate.

Related

• Punjab fitness certificate deadline: latest news
• Car registration and token tax guide
• Token tax calculator
• Fuel average calculator, useful after a tune-up
• Car prices in Pakistan