Government Proposes Mandatory 30-Day Notification Rule

Government Proposes Mandatory 30-Day Notification Rule for Cancelled Vehicle Registrations

NEW DELHI — In a major move to streamline official vehicle databases, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is set to introduce a strict reporting timeline for vehicle owners across India. Under newly proposed draft rules, citizens will face a mandatory deadline to report the permanent loss, destruction, or export of their motor vehicles.

Strict 30-Day Window for Electronic Reporting

According to the draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, vehicle owners must intimate the government within 30 days if their vehicle registration is cancelled due to extreme circumstances.

The new framework introduces a completely digital reporting structure:

• Permanent Destruction: If a motor vehicle is destroyed or rendered permanently incapable of use, the owner must electronically file a report with the local registering authority using Form 37A within 30 days.
• Permanent Export: If a vehicle is being permanently removed from the borders of India, owners are likewise required to submit an electronic application under the same Form 37A guidelines.

Cleaning Up Government Records

The primary driving force behind this policy update is data accuracy. For decades, tens of thousands of permanently damaged, scrapped, or exported vehicles have remained active on paper within regional transport databases. By enforcement of digital reporting via Form 37A, the ministry aims to wipe out these "ghost registrations" and maintain a highly precise, real-time ledger of active Indian transport logistics.

The rules remain in the draft phase as the ministry prepares for final implementation, after which the electronic reporting system via Form 37A is expected to go live nationwide.