If you don’t want to get stuck at a FASTag barrier on a highway, and have your FASTag deactivated, better get KYV done.
We all know ‘KYC’ or ‘Know Your Customer’ but if you have just heard of KYV or ‘Know Your Vehicle’ and you own a car, then you better read this.
What is KYV?
KYV or Know Your Vehicle is a rule for users of the FASTag system. Know Your Vehicle (KYV) is a verification process introduced by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure that every FASTag is correctly linked to the vehicle it belongs to. It’s similar to a “KYC” (Know Your Customer) check but for vehicles. Under KYV, vehicle owners need to upload a clear front-facing photo of their vehicle where both the registration number and the FASTag sticker stuck to the windscreen need to be visible. The system then cross-verifies these details with the government’s VAHAN database to confirm authenticity. The goal is to prevent misuse, such as one FASTag being used for multiple vehicles, and to make toll collection more transparent, secure, and efficient for both drivers and authorities.
Why the need to suddenly bring this KYV into the picture now?
NHAI noticed that there have been instances where one FASTag is being used by multiple vehicles. In other instances, it was also found that FASTags meant for smaller vehicles were being used by trucks and lorries. That means, they were basically cheating the system by using a FASTag for a vehicle category it did not come under, which means, such vehicles were also not paying the toll that was supposed to be paid by them. Imagine 18-wheel trucks fraudulently using FASTags meant for smaller cars – it isn’t a hypothetical situation, it was happening. The misuse was the reason it was decided to bring in KYV, where one FASTag sticker would be used only by one vehicle for the right category – this was always the intention but in India’s classic ‘jugaad’ system, there were those who got creative to bend the rules.
Is KYV mandatory and is there a deadline for completing it?
Not only is KYV mandatory, it also needs to be done once every three years. The KYV deadline has passed. It was supposed to be done till 31 October 2025. But the silver lining is that even if you missed that bus, metaphorically speaking, you could still be spared the hassle of your FASTag being deactivated. Yes, that was the repercussion of missing the deadline.
But NHAI had put in place such a complicated and cumbersome process, that frustrated users who were diligently trying to complete the KYV, eventually got fed up it. So now, NHAI has eased it somewhat.
What are the requirements for KYV?
The regular vehicle-verification requirement now only asks drivers to upload a clear front-facing photo of the vehicle showing both the registration number plate and the FASTag. Earlier, even side photographs and multiple views were needed. That requirement has been dropped. The updated rules allow vehicle details to be automatically pulled from the national VAHAN database.
No de-activation of FASTag, clarifies NHAI
Importantly, NHAI clarified that FASTag service will not be immediately deactivated if the KYV process isn’t completed right away. Users are being given additional time and support, and banks issuing the FASTag will send reminders to those who haven’t yet uploaded their vehicle photo. This step aims to reduce disruption to drivers while still bringing more transparency and security into the toll-payment system.
For vehicle owners, this means less stress and fewer penalties. If you’re a FASTag user tied to your mobile number and vehicle, you still need to complete KYV, but now it’s easier and more forgiving. The changes reflect a broader effort to clean up misuse (such as one tag being used for multiple vehicles) and strengthen the system, while recognising the need to keep things smooth for genuine commuters.
