KYV is the new KYC: Why your FASTag could stop working after October 31

Starting October 31, vehicle owners across India must complete the government’s new Know Your Vehicle (KYV) verification to continue using FASTag at toll plazas. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) says the move is meant to tighten the system, curb misuse and bring greater transparency to digital toll collection but motorists aren’t exactly thrilled.

KYV mandatory from October 31:

All vehicle owners must complete the Know Your Vehicle (KYV) process to keep using their FASTag. Failure to do so will render FASTags invalid, forcing users to pay tolls in cash.

Why KYV was introduced:

Authorities discovered several cases of FASTag misuse including people keeping loose tags in wallets, using the same tag across multiple vehicles, or even attaching car FASTags to trucks to pay lower tolls. KYV aims to link every tag correctly to its respective vehicle and ensure accurate toll categorisation.

Documents and process:

To complete KYV, users must upload their vehicle’s Registration Certificate (RC) showing the number and owner’s name, along with valid ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, or passport) and in some cases, a recent photo of the user. For certain vehicles, front and side photographs showing the vehicle plate and FASTag are also required.

Verification through bank or app:

The KYV can be done via the issuing bank’s website or mobile app. Users need to log in, click on ‘Update KYV’ or ‘Know Your Vehicle’, upload the required documents and complete OTP verification. Once verified, the tag shows as “Active and Verified”.

Incomplete KYV, immediate impact:

NHAI has warned that unverified or partially verified FASTags will be automatically deactivated, even if users have sufficient balance. Reports suggest that some vehicles are already being stopped at toll plazas for incomplete verification, with users complaining about technical glitches during uploads.

Long-term objectives:

Officials said FASTag’s early rollout focused on boosting adoption with banks taking a lenient approach to issuance. KYV now seeks to “clean up the system”, ensuring tags are linked correctly and used only for the vehicle they were issued to.

Benefits expected:

The NHAI says KYV will:

*Prevent tag misuse and multiple-vehicle fraud

*Enable easier tracking of stolen or sold vehicles

*Reduce toll categorisation errors

*Provide better data transparency and reporting for users

*Strengthen the digital toll ecosystem for the long term

*Renewal and ownership changes:

KYV remains valid until a vehicle is sold or transferred. When ownership changes or a new registration number is issued, the process must be redone.

While the government insists KYV will make toll collection more efficient, motorists have called it yet another bureaucratic hurdle, comparing it to KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures that many find cumbersome. Still, with cash-only payments for non-verified users, compliance may be the only practical choice for now.