Moved to Bangalore with a car or bike registered in another state? Once you keep it in Karnataka beyond the grace period, the state requires you to pay its lifetime road tax and re-register the vehicle. The amount depends on your vehicle’s cost and, crucially, its age — older vehicles are taxed on a lower proportion of value. This guide lays out the 2026 rate tables, the grace period, and exactly how to pay so you avoid penalties or your vehicle being detained.
Do You Actually Owe Karnataka Road Tax?
If you bring a vehicle registered in another state and use it in Karnataka beyond the grace period — usually around 12 months — Karnataka requires you to pay its lifetime road tax and re-register the vehicle on the KA series.
You owe KA road tax if:
- You have relocated to Bangalore and the vehicle stays here long-term
- The vehicle has been in Karnataka for more than ~12 months
- You want a KA registration number (needed for resale, some workplaces, and to avoid checks)
Not paying can mean penalties, interest, or the vehicle being detained during an RTO check — so it is best handled early.
Karnataka Lifetime Road Tax — Base Rates by Cost
For a new four-wheeler, Karnataka charges lifetime road tax as a percentage of the vehicle’s cost:
| Vehicle Cost | Lifetime Tax (of cost) |
|---|---|
| Less than Rs. 5 lakh | 13% |
| Rs. 5 lakh – Rs. 10 lakh | 14% |
| Rs. 10 lakh – Rs. 20 lakh | 17% |
| Above Rs. 20 lakh | 18% |
| Electric vehicles (EV) | 4% |
These base rates apply to a brand-new vehicle. If your vehicle is already a few years old, you pay only a proportion of this — see the age table below.
Road Tax by Vehicle Age (Used / Migrated Vehicles)
When you bring in an already-registered vehicle, Karnataka charges only a percentage of the lifetime tax, based on how old the vehicle is. Older vehicles are taxed on a smaller proportion:
| Age of Vehicle | Proportion of Lifetime Tax |
|---|---|
| Not more than 5 years | 75% – 93% |
| 5 – 10 years | 49% – 69% |
| 10 – 15 years | 25% – 45% |
How to read this: a vehicle just over a year old sits near the top of the first band (~93%), while one approaching 5 years sits lower (~75%). The exact percentage steps down with each year of age, so your precise figure depends on the vehicle’s exact registration date.
Worked Example
Say you moved to Bangalore with a 3-year-old car that cost Rs. 12,00,000 when new:
| Step | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Base lifetime tax (10–20 lakh slab → 17%) | 17% of Rs. 12,00,000 | Rs. 2,04,000 |
| Age proportion (3 years → ~85% band) | ~85% of Rs. 2,04,000 | ~Rs. 1,73,000 |
| Approx. KA road tax payable | ~Rs. 1,73,000 |
This is an illustration — the exact age percentage and cost basis (invoice value vs. depreciated value) determine the final figure. We compute your precise amount from your RC and invoice before you pay.
The Full Job: NOC, Re-Registration & Insurance
Paying road tax is usually the first step. To fully move the vehicle onto KA registration, you typically also need:
- NOC from your origin RTO — a No-Objection Certificate releasing the vehicle from the old state.
- KA re-registration — assigning a Karnataka registration number.
- Insurance transfer / address update — so your policy matches the new registration.
- Road tax refund from the old state (optional) — some states refund a portion of the lifetime tax you paid there; this is a separate claim.
Doing these in the right order avoids duplicate work and delays.
Documents You Need
- Original RC (Registration Certificate)
- Vehicle purchase invoice (for cost basis)
- Valid insurance
- NOC from the origin RTO (for re-registration)
- Address proof in Karnataka (Aadhaar / rental agreement / utility bill)
- PUC certificate
Pay It Yourself vs. Get It Done
Doing It Yourself
- Compute the correct base rate and age proportion
- Pay road tax on the VAHAN / Parivahan portal
- Chase the origin RTO for the NOC
- File the KA re-registration and update insurance
Expect portal navigation, an RTO visit or two, and coordination across two states’ RTOs.
Let Sevantay Handle It
We compute your exact Karnataka lifetime road tax from your RC and invoice, pay it on VAHAN, and can handle the NOC and KA re-registration too.
- Exact amount computed from your vehicle’s cost and age — no guesswork
- Pay after we confirm — the tax goes to the government; only our service fee carries GST
- Full set available — road tax + NOC + re-registration + insurance transfer, quoted together
- Live tracking + WhatsApp updates
Compute my Karnataka road tax →
Related Guides
How Sevantay Can Help
Relocating a vehicle to Karnataka involves two states, two RTOs, and a tax calculation that is easy to get wrong. Sevantay’s vehicle registration transfer team handles the whole chain — road tax, NOC, and KA re-registration — so you get a clean KA number without the RTO queues.
Ready to sort out your road tax?
- Call us: +91-9986914198
- WhatsApp: Send a message
- Get my road tax amount → — share your RC and invoice and we will confirm your exact figure