NHAI discontinues KYV requirement for new car FASTags from February 1 — Check what’s changing

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced the cessation of the Know Your Vehicle (KYV) procedure for issuing new FASTag orders for the Car/Jeep/Van category, effective from 1 February 2026.

The decision is likely to greatly alleviate the problem of the verification process that had to be completed by lakhs of road users even after they were successful in activating their FASTags.

No KYV requirement if FASTag is already issued

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For existing FASTags issued to cars, the KYV process will no longer remain a routine mandatory requirement. Instead, KYV will now be required only in specific complaint-based situations such as:

• Loose or tampered FASTags
• Incorrect issuance
• Misuse or fraudulent use

In case no complaint has been registered, users will not be required to perform KYV for their current FASTags, thus being relieved from the hassle of compliance that keeps recurring.

VAHAN-based verification replacing KYV

NHAI has implemented a solid validation process that will have to be carried out before the activation of FASTag in order to strike a balance between convenience and system accuracy. The improved approach will see the verification taking place through the VAHAN database rather than post-issuance KYV.

Introduction of strong pre-activation safeguards

NHAI has made the process easier for users but, at the same time, it has reinforced accountability standards for Issuer Banks, thus guaranteeing system integrity and compliance:

• Validation based on VAHAN that is mandatory: Vehicle information from the VAHAN database will have to be validated before the activation of FASTag can take place now.
• Post-activation problems in confirmation: After activation, the need to verify no longer exists.
• RC-Based Validation in Rare Exceptions: For such cases where VAHAN does not have any vehicle data, Issuer Banks will verify the details with the Registration Certificate (RC) before activation and will assume full responsibility for that.
• Covers Online FASTag Purchases: Banks will not only be involved in the complete validation process of online FASTag purchases but also in the subsequent activation of the purchase.

These measures ensure that all verification is completed upfront, eliminating the need for customers to go through repeated checks after FASTag issuance.

Citizen-friendly and technology-driven reform

According to NHAI, these reforms underline its commitment to making the FASTag ecosystem more transparent, citizen-friendly, and technology-driven, while strengthening compliance and minimizing grievances.

The full responsibility of verification before activation as assigned to Issuer Banks gives the authority the power to provide a smooth and comfortable experience to the National Highway users.

This move is anticipated to simplify the FASTag issuing process to a great extent, to reduce harassment and to boost the user's faith in the toll payment system.