How to Check Insurance and PUC Expiry

Two documents expire quietly and cost loudly: motor insurance and the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. Driving without valid insurance attracts a ₹2,000 fine (₹4,000 on repeat), and a lapsed PUC can cost up to ₹10,000 under Section 190(2). Both are avoidable with a two-minute check.

Checking your insurance validity

Your insurance expiry is recorded against the vehicle's RC. Our vehicle insurance check page explains what you can verify; the short version:

1. Search your vehicle number in the VahanInfo app (the website preview shows basic details only).
2. Open the insurance card to see the insurer's name and policy expiry date.
3. If the date has passed, renew before driving — even to the PUC centre.

An insurance lapse has a second cost: you typically lose your accumulated No Claim Bonus if the policy stays expired beyond 90 days.

Checking PUC validity

New vehicles carry a 1-year PUC from first registration; renewals are typically valid 6 months. PUC status is also linked to the RC record, and many states now auto-issue challans for expired PUC by camera — see the PUC validity check page for the rules and fines. The VahanInfo app shows your PUC validity alongside insurance.

Set reminders once, forget forever

The practical fix is not remembering better — it's outsourcing the remembering:

• Turn on insurance and PUC expiry alerts in the VahanInfo app; you'll be notified before each date.
• Renew PUC when you refuel — centres are usually at fuel pumps, and the test takes five minutes.
• Renew insurance a week early; insurers allow renewal before expiry with no loss of coverage days.

What if records look wrong?

If you renewed but the record still shows expired, the insurer or PUC centre may not have synced the update yet — this usually resolves within a few days. Keep the paper/PDF certificate as proof in the meantime, and re-check the record before assuming an enforcement camera will see the update.