How do I get exempted from FASTag?
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has deployed Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) through RFID-based FASTag in an effort to reduce congestion and delays at National Highway (NH) toll plazas across the country. This technique allows all vehicles to travel through FASTag lanes without stopping to pay, allowing for quicker vehicle traffic. The exemption is granted for vehicles conveying dignitaries and accompanying security vehicles. Only one FASTag in the name of may be granted. Only vehicles utilized for official purposes are exempted under Rule 11.
The Ministry also instructed that exempted FASTags be given to all vehicle categories specified as “exempt from paying user fee” in Rule 11 of the National Highways Fees Rules, 2008. Moreover, As per NH Fee Rule 2008 and subsequent amendments, exempted FASTags will be issued free of cost. Presently, user fee collection through ETHics accounts for -34% of total user fee collection, and its adoption is increasing at a very fast rate. However, as we move forward, it is imperative to include more road users and encourage them to use FAStag.
As a part of this endeavor, it has been decided that all categories of vehicles included under the category of “exempted from paying user fees” as per Rule 11 of National Highways Fees (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, and subsequent amendments, should also be encouraged to use FASTag.This will have a good demonstrative effect on all other road users and will encourage them to use FASTagfor seamless movement across user fee plazas.
Effective Date: This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)shall be effective from the date of circulation by NHAI (“Effective Date”). Exempted category FASTagshall be issued to road users as per Rule 11 of NH Fee Rule 2008 and subsequent amendments (List of the Exempted category of mechanical vehicles annexed at Annexure-1), based on an application made by self or an authorized representative.
How do I apply for FASTag exemption online?
The National Highways Authority of India has created a new webpage for vehicles that are not required to pay tolls at its toll plazas. If they apply online at http://exemptedfastag.nhai.org/, these vehicles will be granted radio-frequency equipped FASTag cards.
Exempted vehicles must have FASTag stickers despite the fact that they are not obliged to pay user fees at NH-operated toll plazas. This is to ensure that all vehicles passing through ETC-operated toll plazas utilize FASTag to ensure smooth flow. Under this category, new ambulances and funeral vehicles can also qualify for FASTag exemption. Exempted FASTags will be given free of charge to all vehicles in this category, according to the NH Fee Rule 2008 and later revisions. Before you learn how to apply for an exempted FASTag, you should be aware of the following papers that must be submitted with the application form:
The following are the processes to apply for an Exempted FASTag using the Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) web portal:
Registration Process:
Step 1: Visit the IHMCL website and register by giving your name, email address, mobile phone number, and city of residence.
Step 2: Your User ID and Password will be emailed to you when you successfully register.
Application Process:
Step 1: Enter your Username and Password to access the IHMCL online site.
Step 2: Download the application form for exempted FASTag from the Dashboard
Step 3: Click on the “Upload Form” and follow the process below:
- Select the exempted category listed in the above table
- Select the respective NHAI Regional Office (RO) to submit the application.
- Enter the exempted applicant’s name, mobile number, and email address.
- Enter the vehicle registration number for which the exempted FASTag.
- Upload the scanned copies of the below documents:
- RC of the vehicle.
- ID Proof
- Proof of Exemption
- Duly filled and signed application form
Step 4: To finish the application process, click “Submit,” and you will get an auto-reply email with the Application Case ID to your email address.
Post-Application Process:
Step 1: On the web portal, you may check the status of your application.
Step 2: If any remarks are made, you will be asked to supply the necessary papers or explanations in order for your application to be processed.
Step 3: If your application is granted, you will be notified via email of the approval or issue of an exempted FASTag with further instructions.
Step 4: You must get the exempted FASTag sticker from the NHAI Regional Office in your area.
Documents for Exempted FASTag Application:
When filing an application for an exempted FASTag, scanned copies of the following documents are required:
- Duly Filled Application Form
- Registration Certificate (RC) of the Vehicle
- Identification Proof (ID Proof) – Aadhaar, DL, PAN, Govt. ID Proof, Voter ID
- Proof of Exemption as applicable
Points to note:
- According to the NH Fee Rule 2008 and subsequent modifications, exempted FASTags shall be given free of charge to exempted types of mechanical vehicles.
- Applicants must submit their application forms to the appropriate NHAI Regional Offices alone. In the event that more explanation is required, the applicant must contact the relevant NHAI Regional Offices. Annexure 1 contains a list of NHAI Regional Offices.
- Applicants should not submit an application for an exempted category FASTag to IHMCL directly.
- To minimize confusion, it is stated that vehicles/persons who have been exempted from paying user fees but have not been affixed with a functioning exempted FASTag will continue to benefit from non-payment of user costs upon display of a valid ID card.
Who can apply for an exempted FASTag?
Owners of vehicles with toll exemption can apply online for FASTag cards. Exempted FASTags will be given free of charge to exempted types of mechanical vehicles in accordance with the NH Fee Rule 2008 and later modifications. Applicants must submit their application forms to the appropriate NHAI Regional Offices alone. Members of Parliament, Ministers, MLAs, MLCs, High Court Judges, Chief Secretaries, Governors, Lt. Governors, foreign dignitaries, executive magistrates, and vehicles used by the armed forces, police, and fire services, as well as ambulances and invalid carriages used by the differently-abled, can apply through the portal.
“There are around 35 types of vehicles that are exempt from paying tolls since they are traveling in the service of the nation.” The procedure may be sped up and FASTags provided swiftly if people submit their applications online along with the accompanying documents,” said Pavan Kumar, NHAI Regional Officer.
| Serial Number | Exempted Vehicle Types |
|---|---|
| 1 | Members of Parliament |
| 2 | Ministers |
| 3 | MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) |
| 4 | MLCs (Members of Legislative Council) |
| 5 | High Court Judges |
| 6 | Chief Secretaries |
| 7 | Governors |
| 8 | Lt. Governors |
| 9 | Foreign dignitaries |
| 10 | Executive magistrates |
| 11 | Vehicles used by the armed forces |
| 12 | Police vehicles |
| 13 | Fire services vehicles |
| 14 | Ambulances |
| 15 | Invalid carriages used by the differently-abled |
| 16 | Vehicles used for official purposes by government agencies |
| 17 | State transport buses |
| 18 | State government vehicles |
| 19 | Emergency response vehicles (e.g., disaster management) |
| 20 | Enforcement vehicles |
| 21 | Maintenance vehicles |
| 22 | Road construction vehicles |
| 23 | Vehicles used for postal services |
| 24 | Vehicles used for transporting prisoners |
| 25 | Funeral vehicles |
| 26 | Diplomatic vehicles |
| 27 | Vehicles used for pilot and escort duties |
| 28 | Vehicles used for survey work by government agencies |
| 29 | Toll collection vehicles |
| 30 | VIP vehicles (officially designated) |
| 31 | Vehicles used for security purposes |
| 32 | Vehicles used for ceremonial purposes |
Which vehicles are exempted from FASTag?
The exemption is granted for vehicles conveying dignitaries and accompanying security vehicles, as specified in Rule 11(a). Only one FASTag in the name of may be granted. Only vehicles utilized for official purposes are exempted under Rule 11(b). According to the instruction, the Ministry has published a list of exempted FASTag vehicles, Transporting and Accompanying the following categories. This still requires the FASTag sticker while being exempt from paying the charge at NH plazas across India.
| Type of FASTag Exemption Vehicles | Code |
|---|---|
| Transporting and Accompanying | |
| Army Commander of Vice-Chief of Army Staff and equivalent in other services | 18 |
| Chief Secretary to a State Government | 19 |
| Secretary to the Government of India | 20 |
| Secretary, Council of States | 21 |
| Secretary, House of People | 22 |
| Foreign Dignitary on State Visit | 23 |
| MLA and MLC | 24 |
| An awardee of Param Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra and Shaurya Chakra | 25 |
| Used For Official Purpose: | |
| Ministry of Defense including those eligible under the Indian Toll (Army and Air Force) Act, 1901 | 27 |
| Central and State Armed Forces in Uniform, Paramilitary Forces and Police | 28 |
| Executive Magistrate | 29 |
| Emergency/Utility Vehicles: | |
| Fire-Fighting Department or Organisation | 30 |
| NHAI/ Government Organisation utilizing vehicles for the purpose of inspection, construction, or operational or maintenance of national highways and survey. | 31 |
| Ambulance | 32 |
| Funeral Van | 33 |
| Mechanical Vehicles Designed for use by persons suffering from physical disability | 34 |
Who is exempted from paying the toll?
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced new guidelines that require toll operators to ensure a service time of fewer than 10 seconds per vehicle. If a four-wheeler vehicle pauses at the toll booth for more than 10 seconds, it will be exempt from paying the cost.
Moreover, For Dignitaries as mentioned in Rule 11(a), the exemption is available to vehicles transporting the dignitaries and accompanying security vehicles. One FASTag may be issued in the name of the. As per Rule 11(b), vehicles used for official purposes are only exempted.
According to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, FASTags would assist commuters by eliminating the need to stop at toll plazas for cash payments. In the long term, switching to an automated toll payment system would save time and gasoline. FASTags are not necessary for individuals who are not obliged to pay tolls.
| Type of FASTag Exemption Vehicles | Code |
|---|---|
| Transporting and Accompanying | |
| President of India | 1 |
| Vice-President of India | 2 |
| Prime Minister of India | 3 |
| Governor of a State | 4 |
| Chief Justice of India (CJI) | 5 |
| Speaker of the House of People | 6 |
| Cabinet Minister of the Union | 7 |
| Chief Minister of a State | 8 |
| Supreme Court Judge | 9 |
| Minister of State | 10 |
| Lieutenant Governor of a Union Territory | 11 |
| Chief of Staff | 12 |
| Chairman of the Legislative Council of a State | 13 |
| Speaker of Legislative Council of a State | 14 |
| Chief Justice of a High Court | 15 |
| Judge of a High Court | 16 |
| Member of Parliament (MP) | 17 |
| Army Commander of Vice-Chief of Army Staff and equivalent in other services | 18 |
| Chief Secretary to a State Government | 19 |
| Secretary to the Government of India | 20 |
| Secretary, Council of States | 21 |
| Secretary, House of People | 22 |
| Foreign Dignitary on State Visit | 23 |
| MLA and MLC | 24 |
| An awardee of Param Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra and Shaurya Chakra | 25 |
Overview of SOP
Exempted category FASTags shall be granted to road users in accordance with Rule 11 of the NH Fee Rule 2008 and later revisions, on the basis of an application filed by the applicant or an authorized representative. The NHAI will serve as the central point for all things pertaining to the issuing of all exempted FASTags. Exempted FASTags will be given free of charge to exempted types of mechanical vehicles in accordance with the NH Fee Rule 2008 and later modifications.
The NHAI or any entity authorized by the NHAI must get the exemption FASTag, manage the whole procedure, and keep correct records. Initially, 5,000 (five thousand) exempted FASTag may be purchased from Tag Manufacturers, with further exempted FASTag purchased as needed. This agency will be in charge of the following:
- Tag procurement and inventory management, based on requirements.
- Coordinating with NHAI-ROs for issuance of exempted FASTags and record keeping.
- Addressing dispute w.r.t. complaints regarding malfunctioning or any other related complaint in this regard.
The NHAI/the agency designated by the NHAI must be the only issuer of all exempted FASTag categories in India. From the date of publication of this SOP, no member banks will be permitted to issue exempted category FASTag.
It is optional to link bank account data with “FASTag” in the case of dignitaries covered by Rule 11 (a) of the NH Fee Rules 2008, as modified. However, it is recommended that all of these FASTags be connected to any issuer bank account or prepaid payment instrument (e.g., credit/debit card, e-wallet, etc.) in order to ensure appropriate record-keeping through the creation of zero transaction receipts. The linking of the exempted FASTag to a bank account ensures its usage even after the term of exemption for which the FASTag is designated has expired.
A monthly report on the issue of exempted FASTags must be provided to MoRT&H and NHAI HQ by the fifth of each month. To minimize confusion, it is specified that vehicles/persons who have been exempted from paying user fees but have not been affixed with a functioning exempted FASTag would continue to benefit from nonpayment of user costs upon display of a valid ID card.
Detailed Mechanism of Issuance of Exempted FASTag
It has been determined that application receipt, internal inspection, and processing will all take place online. (NHAI/Agency approved by NHAI shall create a web portal to facilitate the issuing of Exempted FASTags, a link to which may be published on the home page of MoRT&H & NHAI website.) Until such a web page is developed, an application can be created in physical form.
The required Application, along with the appropriate papers, shall be sent to the corresponding Regional Office (RO), NHAI, via the web page (or physical application, till the such website is made operational) by the self or an authorized representative.
All applications for the FASTag exemption category must be made using the specified form. Exempted FASTags will be valid for 5 years in the case of government vehicles and 1 year in the case of private vehicles, and will need to be renewed based on eligibility and restrictions. Exempted FASTags for MPs and MLAs/MLCs will be valid for the duration of their respective legislative terms. Details of the dignitaries/ mechanical vehicles for which exempted FASTags are to be provided are as under:
- For Dignitaries as mentioned in Rule 11(a), the exemption is available to vehicles transporting the dignitaries and accompanying security vehicles. One FASTag may be issued in the name of the
- As per Rule 11(b), vehicles used for official purposes are only exempted. In light of this, issuance of FASTag under this category should be limited to that vehicle only.
- As per Rule 11(c, d & e) namely, for Ambulances, Funeral vans & vehicles for persons with a physical defect or disability, issuance of FASTag will require providing of requisite documents in this regard by the applicant.
- Members of Parliament (MP) will be issued two FASTag, for two vehicles i.e. one for New Delhi and one for her/ his constituency.
- Members of the Legislative Assembly/Legislative Council (MLA/MLC) of a State will be issued one FASTag for their vehicles for the State.
RO-NHAI after scrutiny of the application and the documents will take the following action
- If the application is found in order- forward it to NHAI/ the authorized agency for issuance of exempted FASTag.
- If application details/documents are found inadequate – seek clarification from the applicant. Re-examine the application upon resubmission by the applicant.
- If any clarification is needed regarding Policy/Rule- refer the matter to NHAI HQ for clarification.
Following satisfactory verification of the application form, NHAI HQ/the agency approved by NHAI would issue exemption FASTag to relevant RO-NHAI, and a suitable record of the same will be kept.
Following receipt of the exempted FASTag from NHAI HQ/the approved agency, RO-NHAI shall have it fixed on the designated vehicle, and a record of the receipt of the application and the exempted FASTag issued/placed on the vehicle should be kept.
A monthly report in this respect, prepared by all NHAI-ROs and agencies authorized by NHAI to issue exempted FASTags, should be submitted to MoRT&H and NHAI HQ by the 5th of each month. All exempted category FASTags previously issued by various banks will be examined, and fresh exempted FASTags will be issued and fixed in the specified vehicles within six months if necessary.
NHAI-HQ shall review the process of issuing exempted FASTags and the list of mechanical vehicles exempted from payment of user fees on a regular basis to ensure that exempted FASTags are issued in accordance with the National Highways Fees (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules 2008, as amended from time to time. The guidelines and standard operating procedures may be expanded and/or changed as needed.
The four-wheeler owners who live within 20 km of toll plazas located on national highways are eligible for exemption from the toll tax upon applying with the documents required as stated by officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). In addition, monthly passes will be issued after payment of Rs 260 in the Toll Plazas. The monthly pass option is exclusive to each toll point. The users can avail of the Monthly Pass facility through the NHAI website.
Toll Plaza Monthly Pass Rules
Here are the rules that are applicable for the users who would like to have a monthly pass to pass through specific toll plazas in their vicinity:
- The motorists must provide valid address proof and a Registration Certificate (RC) for the car and the application.
- All vehicles that fall in the category exempted are provided with RFID (RFID) tags at no cost.
- The exempted vehicles are granted monthly passes upon payment of Rs260, which are taken as administration charges. In addition, they are allowed to travel through particular toll plazas designated by the government unlimited times with no limitation.
- The FASTags, issued in the exempted category, can be used at other toll plazas, where the toll plaza will deduct toll tax as per that toll charges.
- FASTags for vehicles that fall in the excluded category will be valid for five years in the cases of vehicles used by government agencies and one year for private vehicles.
- The tags can be renewed every five years, as per the guidelines.
Fastag for Defence Personnel Apply Online
NHAI has stated that exemption from toll payment on national highways to defense personnel is available only when they are “on duty.” Therefore, no exemption is available if traveling in a private vehicle while being “off duty.” It is also not available for retired defense personnel.
Army, paramilitary, and police personnel and officers will not need to get the normal FASTag installed on the vehicle. The government has arranged a separate FASTag for them. If this FASTag is installed on the vehicle, the toll barrier will open, and they will not deduct the amount from their accounts. Jawans and officers will not be able to make this FASTag from banks or CAC centers.
They have to apply online on the Indian Highway Management Company Limited (IHMCL) website. After field-wise scrutiny of such applications, FASTag will be issued for the vehicles. For this, the officers of 24 zones of NLAI across the country have been given responsibility. The Central Government has also included the soldiers of the Armed and Para Military Forces in the exemption. The application will be free of cost for defense personnel.
Toll Exemption for Local Residents
A person can benefit from concessions if they are within a radius of 10km from the toll point. There is a concession available for tolls to be paid using your FASTag. To avail of this concession, you need to show evidence of residency at the bank. Banks can request additional proof of the location.
In this instance, it is necessary to provide the necessary documents – evidence of residency at the bank or the nearest POS address to confirm the address of your residence is within 10 kilometers from a particular toll station. If the address is confirmed, you are eligible for a discount on the toll that you pay via FASTags that are assigned to your vehicle.
Toll Tax Exemption for Paramilitary Forces
Paramilitary Forces can indeed be exempt from paying tolls when they are on duty. However, defense personnel must show their service or defense ID card to qualify for this exclusion. Furthermore, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways declares the following “Only those traveling ‘on duty through the highways are exempted from the tolls, personnel not traveling on duty will have to pay tolls.”
Toll Tax Exemption for Police
Police officers who are on duty are exempt from having to pay any toll or tax. Police jeeps or any vehicle with the letter G on its number plate is exempt from toll tax. Police officers who are not in their working hours need to pay the toll. Police officers who drive private vehicles are required to pay the toll.