Definition
Fitness certificate (FC) is the certificate from the transport department that a transport vehicle is roadworthy. It is renewed after an inspection, and a transport vehicle without a valid FC should not be on the road.
Which vehicle documents must be valid?
A commercial vehicle needs a registration certificate (RC), a valid motor insurance policy (third-party cover is compulsory by law), a fitness certificate for transport vehicles, the permit for the kind of service it runs, paid road tax, and a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate. Keep copies in the vehicle.
- RC: proof of registration and ownership.
- Insurance: at least third-party; comprehensive covers your own vehicle too.
- FC: roadworthiness of a transport vehicle, renewed after inspection.
- Permit: state, national, tourist or contract carriage, depending on the work.
- Road tax: paid for the period shown on the tax receipt.
- PUC: emission test certificate, valid until the date printed on it.
What documents does the driver need?
The driver needs a driving licence valid for the class of vehicle, with the transport endorsement where the vehicle is a transport vehicle, and it must not be expired. Fleets usually also keep an ID proof and an emergency contact on file. Check licences when you hire a driver and before every renewal date.
How do I never miss a renewal?
Record every document with its number, issue date, expiry date and a scan, then get reminders in time: 30 days before, 7 days before, and on expiry. Group reminders by urgency so the office acts on the closest ones first, and send them to the person who renews them.
FleetLite keeps every vehicle and driver document with its expiry and file, shows them by urgency in the alert centre, and can send reminders on WhatsApp. The optional VAHAN add-on fetches RC details and expiries from the official record.
RC
What it shows: Registration and ownership
What to track: Owner name, hypothecation, validity
Insurance
What it shows: Third-party or comprehensive cover
What to track: Policy number, expiry, insurer
Fitness certificate (FC)
What it shows: Roadworthiness of a transport vehicle
What to track: Next inspection and expiry date
Permit
What it shows: Permission to run the service
What to track: Permit type, area, expiry
Road tax
What it shows: Tax paid for the period
What to track: Period end date
PUC
What it shows: Emissions within limits
What to track: Expiry on the certificate
Driving licence
What it shows: Driver allowed to drive the class
What to track: Class, transport endorsement, expiry
| Document | What it shows | What to track |
|---|---|---|
| RC | Registration and ownership | Owner name, hypothecation, validity |
| Insurance | Third-party or comprehensive cover | Policy number, expiry, insurer |
| Fitness certificate (FC) | Roadworthiness of a transport vehicle | Next inspection and expiry date |
| Permit | Permission to run the service | Permit type, area, expiry |
| Road tax | Tax paid for the period | Period end date |
| PUC | Emissions within limits | Expiry on the certificate |
| Driving licence | Driver allowed to drive the class | Class, transport endorsement, expiry |
How to set up document expiry tracking for a fleet
Collect the documents
Gather the RC, insurance, FC, permit, road tax receipt and PUC for each vehicle, and each driver’s licence.
Record number and dates
For each document, note the number, issue date and expiry date.
Scan each document
Photograph or scan each document so the office can share it when asked.
Set reminder windows
Set reminders at 30 days and 7 days before expiry, and on the expiry date.
Assign who renews
Send each reminder to the person who renews that document: owner, manager or driver.
Update after renewal
Record the new expiry date and scan as soon as the document is renewed.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is third-party insurance enough?
Third-party cover is the legal minimum. It does not pay for damage to your own vehicle; comprehensive cover does. Discuss the right cover with your insurer.
Do private cars in a travels fleet need permits?
Vehicles used commercially to carry passengers for hire need the appropriate transport registration and permit. Confirm with your RTO for your vehicle type and route.
Can the app read the RC details automatically?
With the optional VAHAN add-on, RC details and document expiries are fetched by vehicle number and pre-filled for you to confirm.