In India, AIS-140 GPS Tracking Compliance: A Complete Guide is outlined in detail.
In response, AIS-140 is an Indian government mandate that essentially calls for equipping of many commercial and public service vehicles with a Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) — a GPS/NavIC tracker with one or more panic buttons which continuously transmits the location of the vehicle to a government approved backend server. It has been developed by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 with effect from the MoRTH notification. The vehicle categories, deadlines, and approved devices lists are different in each state, vehicle applicability is set nationally, and is enforced by each state. In reality, compliance is dependent upon the vehicle's permit and fitness certificate: In most states, without a fitted, registered VLTD, you will not be able to obtain or renew a permit or fitness certificate. Please check the rules and enforcement with your Regional Transport Office (RTO) as they vary from state to state and are subject to change.
At a Glance
| Question | Quick Answer |
| What is AIS-140? | An Indian standard that presumes that covered commercial vehicles must have VLTD (GPS/NavIC tracker + panic button). |
| Who must comply? | Not all the permit cars which are being operated, but many of the public-service/bus/taxi/carriage/school transport/good vehicles which are being operated by the national permit. The exact list will be different by state. |
| What do the device require? | Certified by ARAI/ICAT, GPS+NavIC, panic button, backup battery, tamper detection and reporting to a Government back-end. |
| Does a “normal” GPS tracker suffice? | No – not every VLTD is a certified, registered VLTD |
| What triggers enforcement? | Typically the permit and fitness certificate – many states do not allow renewal of a permit without having a registered VLTD. |
| In which book are the rules found? | Depending on your state, your state RTO / Transport authority may have specific rules / dates for its applicability. |
What Is AIS-140?
AIS-140 is short for Automotive Industry Standard 140. It is a technical standard which prescribes minimum requirements for a Vehicle Location Tracking Device, prepared by ARAI under the aegis of MoRTH and notified under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 for commercial vehicles. Its goal is to provide real-time movement of commercial vehicles throughout the nation, and to provide a means for passengers to report an emergency signal.
The standard was initiated by a circular issued by MoRTH on 28 November 2016, requiring states to enforce it; and later, several notifications, including the famous GSR 979(E) issued by MoRTH on 28 September 2018, made compliant devices mandatory for new commercial vehicles, with further modifications and state-level notifications to enforce the standard coming after. Today's reality is that in order to be legal a covered vehicle must be a certified and registered VLTD. This article aims to provide an overview of a rapidly evolving area of regulation and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to the regulations in your state and for your vehicle type; please check the latest position with your RTO before you do anything based on the information.
Key terms, separated by commas,
These four terms are used interchangeably and that results in costly errors. Kept precise:
- The standard itself, AIS-140, is a collection of technical and functional requirements that are published by ARAI. It is not a device, it's a rulebook.
- VLTD (Vehicle Location Tracking Device) — certified device that complies with AIS-140. This is the term used by the regulations for the hardware that you install.
- GPS tracker — location device in the form of GPS. Its hardware may be shared with a VLTD but it is not compliant unless it is type-approved and registered as a VLTD.
- Positioning requirement: GPS + NavIC. A VLTD should have to run using the GPS system in conjunction with NavIC (IRNSS), India's satellite system, otherwise it is not standard.
In one sentence: AIS-140 is the standard, a VLTD is the device that complies with the standard, GPS+NavIC is how the device should, and an ordinary GPS tracker is not, until it is certified.
Who needs to adhere to AIS-140?
This is the most important question and sadly the answer is dependent on your state and the type of vehicle you have. The applicability is at the national level however each State Transport Authority has its own notifiable categories, timelines and approved vendors so the only definite source for your situation is your state RTO.
In general, in the states, AIS-140 applies to:
- Public-service vehicles (PSV) – buses, taxis, and cabs used to transport passengers (usually yellow-plate commercial vehicles) including cabs that are app-based and are subject to a commercial permit.
- Commercial goods vehicles – many vehicles on national permits, all-India permits and various goods vehicles.
- School and college transport — required in many states, and with some extra safety conditions (see below).
- Other categories covered — some states include employee/staff transport, tourist vehicles, and hazardous goods carriers.
Generally does not apply to private vehicles for private travel. An overt car, however, that is owned by a private party (as a taxi or for any transport license) is normally held under the mandate. If your vehicle has a commercial permit (yellow number plate), presume that it may be required to comply with AIS-140 and discuss with your RTO.
The extent to which the criteria are applicable to the state.
The categories, deadlines, notified price and portal are different in each state as it implements it on its own. A few examples of that variation, as they exist at the time of writing (check with each state's authority as these will change):
- Odisha maintains a dedicated fitment portal for public-service vehicles, national-permit vehicles and hazardous goods vehicles and has cross-checked fitment for all these vehicles with Vahan transactions.
- For commercial, public transport and national permit vehicles, there is a dedicated VLTS portal maintained by Uttar Pradesh and compliance is checked using Vahan.
- Kerala also has a state safety portal for registering vehicles, which it required for school vehicles—one of the first categories.
- In Karnataka, a fixed installation time for all goods vehicles (public-service and national-goods vehicles) was provided, and a permit to be fit on the vehicle was notified with the total cost and a permit to be renewed at the notified RTO after fitment.
- For commercial permit vehicles, taxis and school buses, Maharashtra, Delhi and other states enforce and have approved-device lists of which you must purchase a device.
The trend is unidirectional, with the number of states and covered categories increasing, and with more rigorous checks at each fitness cycle. Any state list (including this one) is indicative, and must be checked against your own state's transport authority.
What a VLTD Needs to Do
An AIS-140 VLTD is not a consumer GPS tracker, but is a regulated device. The standard specifies the core capabilities, the majority of which are outlined below:
- GPS and NavIC positioning. The device should be capable of tracking position with the help of GPS and NavIC (IRNSS), India's satellite navigation system.
- A physical panic/SOS button. One or more emergency buttons which could be pressed by a passenger or a driver to alert the authorities' monitoring system.
- Ongoing reporting to a government back-end. The device communicates with a certified state/central back-end at specified time intervals and is connected to Vahan (vehicle registration database) and the national vehicle location-tracking system.
- Dual-destination data. Reporting is typically split to deliver regulatory tracking data to the transport backend, and alerts to emergency-response system.
- Backup battery. Built-in battery to operate a specific amount of time without power.
- Tamper detection. Protection of data integrity with circuitry to detect and flag interference.
- Embedded/M2M SIM & local storage. Machine-to-machine communications and onboard memory to record trips when a network connection fails and replay later.
- Type approval. The specific unit must be registered on the appropriate backend and the device model must be ARAI or ICAT type approved and must be on the official list of approved manufacturers.
VLTD is better than an Ordinary GPS Tracker.
The greatest and most expensive misconception is assuming a normal fleet tracker meets AIS-140. It does not.
| Ordinary GPS Tracker | AIS-140 VLTD | |
| Positioning | GPS (NavIC optional) | GPS and NavIC are required |
| Data destination: | A private server | Government backend (Vahan/state VLTS) + emergency system |
| Registered | Yes | Device that is registered on the state/national backend. |
- Relative to the previous model, the new prototype is certified for its performance.
- This button is used to signal a panic situation.
- Legislation can be used to enforce legal compliance and there is no compliance value for recognised legal requirements.
If the device has not been advertised as AIS-140 compatible or the approval number has not been printed on the device or it is not registered on your state's backend, then it doesn't make a vehicle compliant, even if it tracks 100% perfectly, it will fail the RTO inspection test. Certification and registration, not tracking ability, are what count.
To verify the AIS-140 Certification, follow these procedures:
Certification is checked before purchase and is the most cost effective and least time consuming step to prevent purchase of non-compliant equipment since it is printed on a lot of non-compliant equipment. Do the following checks:
- Request certificate of type approval number. A genuine VLTD has to be type approved by a testing body which is notified under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (most industry sources refer to ARAI and ICAT). Request certificate number and not a statement.
- 2. Compare it to the official approved list. Ensure that the model is on the list of approved models provided by the testing agency (e.g., ARAI has published type approved models at araiindia.com). But a label doesn't prove anything.
- 3. Confirm state empanelment. Check that the exact model is on a state accepted or empanelled VLTD list as the device approved centrally could need to be on a state accepted list.
- 5. Check the Vahan linkage. The process of compliance is complete once the device (IMEI) is integrated with the Vehicle Register on the Vahan portal (vahan.parivahan.gov.in) with the SIM card. Vehicle's device status can be checked via Vahan by RTOs to an increasing extent.
- 5. Ensure the vendor's site has backend registration capabilities. Inquire directly if the vendor registers the device on the state/national back-end and links it on Vahan, or just sells the devices. Obviously, a device certified, but never registered fails at fitness renewal.
The one thing that is most helpful: check the official ARAI/ICAT and state portals instead of any vendor or blog's list of approved models, which can change as certifications expire and state approvals change.
Steps to take to become AIS-140 compliant.
When the pieces are completed in the correct sequence, the process isn't complicated at all. The details differ from state to state; this is just the general outline and follow your state transport authority's VLTD order for specific details and empanelled vendors.
- 2. Check if it's applicable to your vehicle. Please enquire by your RTO if your category and Registration Date is covered and when.
- 2. Choose a certified VLTD. Choose a device with a verifiable ARAI or ICAT approval number and approved and empanelled with your State's backend as well as have local service and support available.
- 3. Have it professionally fitted. It is generally necessary that a fitter who is authorised or on the RTO panel installs AIS-140 fitment, which includes the installation of a hardwired panic button.
- Turn on the connectivity and register. Switch on the device's SIM and register the device on the state VLTD/VLTS backend, where the device is connected to the vehicle on Vahan.
- Test panic button (5). Be sure to get an alert to the state monitoring centre before assuming it has been activated — an untested button may malfunction during an emergency.
- 7. Get fitment certificate. Obtain an authorised certificate of fitment for the vehicle; most states require the renewal of a fitness certificate without this even if the device is working;
AIS-140 compliance checklist
A brief pre-fitness-renewal evaluation. If you are putting your vehicle in the cover you should be able to check all of the boxes:
- Vehicle Category / State applicability confirmed with RTO
- ☐ Device has a verifiable ARAI/ICAT type-approval number.
- ☐ Model is empanelled/approved by the state under VLTD program.
- ☐ Yes, device has GPS and NavIC capabilities.☐ No, device does not have GPS and NavIC capabilities.
- Fitted and hardwired physical panic/SOS button (checks all)
- ☐ M2M SIM activated (not a consumer SIM)
- ☐ Customer fitment completed by the customer
- In Vahan, the Devices (IMEI) and SIM that are associated with the vehicle are checked.
- Panic alert tested and confirmed to the monitoring centre: • ☐ Yes • ☐ No
- Whether a vehicle-level fitment certificate was secured or not:
- Indoors, it was confirmed that the device is live and transmitting to the state backend.
If any box is not checked, the car could be rejected for fitness or permit renewal — use the list as a checklist to begin with when presenting the vehicle.
Compliance is directly linked to the permit.
The key practical issue for operators is that AIS-140 is not just enforced at roadside but the permit/fitness-certificate process. Most states require a vehicle to be equipped and registered with a VLTD for the vehicle's transport permit or fitness certificate to be issued or renewed. The presence of a physical checkpoint at renewal has been reduced as the VLTD status of a vehicle comes directly to the attention of transport officers, instead of having to check at a checkpoint.
The commercial impact is immediate – a non-compliant vehicle may find it has a difficult time being able to generate revenue legally since fitness certificates, permits and — in the case of cabs — access to aggregator platforms often rely on a valid active transmitting VLTD. If the certificate lapses (expires) for ride-hailing service operators, they may lose access to the platform.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
The exact penalties are enforced at the state level, and are reported to range from refusal of the fitness certificate to suspension or cancellation of the transport permit, monetary fines, detention of the vehicle at enforcement checkposts, show-cause notices to the aggregators, and suspension of the school-bus permit. The risk isn't so much that the car will be ticketed once, it's that the car won't be roadworthy; the practical enforcement goes through renewals with Vahan. The amounts and processes of penalties vary by state, check your state transport authority for current penalty amounts and processes in your state.
School/Staff transport: Additional Responsibilities.
Children are transported in vehicles that are treated with extra care in accordance with the Supreme Court and MoRTH guidelines on the safety of school buses. Many states required school transport to be one of the first categories, and the other requirements layered on top of the basic VLTD usually include providing the driver and the bus attendant with a panic button, and providing real-time data to school management and parent not only to the authorities. Some states also require audio-visual surveillance of school vehicles (also known as CCTV or dashcam). School-transport rules vary from state to state, and operators—whether operating vehicles for pick-up or drop—they should check the school-routes rules applicable to their state because they may be more stringent than the general rule.
What's Changing
AIS-140 is a living standard and some of the elements are still developing rather than finalized for discussion. States are progressing on implementing and streamlining their VLTD programmes with notified timelines, empanelled vendors and penalties. MoRTH has mooted the idea of putting more safety barriers in commercial vehicles, as reported in draft rules on the implementation of advanced driver-assistance systems; and from time to time, courts have had to lay down directions relating to fitness and enforcement. Some of these are still in draft/Proposals stage and so the status of any particular rule would be verified on the official MoRTH site (morth.nic.in) and with your state authorities before assuming that they are in effect.
FAQs
In simple terms what is AIS-140?It's an Indian standard that mandates covering commercial vehicles to be equipped with a tracking device (VLTD) with GPS/NavIC and panic button, which would constantly communicate with a government back-end for real-time visibility and in case of an emergency, the passenger could raise an emergency alert.
Must be installed in all vehicles?No. It is valid for several vehicles used in commerce or public services, such as buses, taxis, school transport and all types of permit vehicles, but not for personal vehicles. The nature of the training and the dates will differ from state to state, please check with your RTO.
Do the normal GPS tracker satisfy with AIS-140?Only the devices that have ARAI/ICAT type approval and NavIC support and have a physical panic button and are registered on the government backend are acceptable. There is NO compliance value in a standard tracker, even a good one.A standard tracker, even a good one will NOT pass the RTO inspection.
What is a VLTD?An AIS-140 certified tracking unit is officially known as a Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD). It's the specific, certified product the standard demands as opposed to a generic GPS tracker.
What are the ways to enforce AIS-140?Mainly via permit and fitness certificate system. The requirement to obtain and renew permits or fitness certificates without a fitted and registered VLTD is not a reality in most states and the increasing use of the Vahan system for enforcement is no substitute for road-side checks.
Is there anything about school buses that AIS-140 doesn't cover?Yes, in many states, and sometimes with additional mandates, such as the ability for the driver and attendant to press a panic button, and the driver's and attendant's tracking being accessible to parents and schools. CCTV is also a requirement in some states. Check the regulations for transporting students to school in your state.
What is the price of AIS-140 GPS in India?There isn't any official price, and the numbers differ according to gadget course of, vendor and state, some of which even inform a set installation charge. While this is a general guideline, third-party market guides typically quote the certified VLTD device cost in the tens of thousands of rupees per vehicle, and then also add on the cost of professional fitment, M2M SIM and data plan, and any backend/software subscription for the first-year cost. These are market estimates which are not Fleet Stack prices or official tariffs, they are a guide, multiple items quotes are available, details of device, installation, SIM and certification are required and should be confirmed before payment.
How to check if a device is truly AIS-140 certified?Please enquire the ARAI/ICAT type-approval certificate number from the vendor, verify the model from the official ARAI approved-device list and your state's empanelled list and verify if the device and SIM are matched with your vehicle on Vahan portal. Printed "AIS-140" label with no verifiable approval number and behind the label registration is not a valid AIS-140 label.
What is the latest information on rules for my state?The Vahan/parivahan official portals or Your State Transport Authority or RTO is the final and authentic source. Applicability, deadlines and approved-device lists vary from state to state, and they're constantly changing, so it's crucial to check the latest information there.
Both official sources and where to verify are important.
Since regulation information is constantly evolving and state-to-state the same, please always use primary sources instead of third-party summaries (including this) when taking any action:
- ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) — araiindia.com: is the standards body which has developed AIS-140 and publishes type approved VLTD models.
- ICAT — a notified testing agency, which is also a type approver of VLTDs.
- MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways): morth.nic.in, the ministry that publishes such rules and any changes in the rules as per Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
- The national portal that is used to tie up a device to a car's registration and is used by RTOs for verification, is Vahan / Parivahan — vahan.parivahan.gov.in.
- The definitive source for the categories, deadlines, quoted prices and empanelled vendors for you is your State Transport Authority / RTO and state VLTD/VLTS portal.
The references to regulations above are based on widely reported information as of the last update below; please refer to the official portals for the latest information and up to date status of the regulations before acting on them.
Spending a day with AIS-140 and Fleet Stack
Fleet Stack is a self hosted GPS tracking and fleet ERP platform specifically designed for fleet operations in India, with compliance level tracking integrated with the big picture of fleet operations (live tracking, emergency/alert tracking, freight billing, e-way bills, and more) all within a single system, on infrastructure you own and control. AIS 140 is a certification for VLTD hardware, so Fleet Stack cannot be a certified solution – always check the device and vehicle for certification and state registration.
Next steps: review the supported devices list to plan compliant devices, review the white-label platform if you are a fleet-tracking service provider, and discuss with the Fleet Stack team about operating compliant fleet tracking on your own infrastructure. Please check the current AIS-140 rules for your category with your RTO before purchasing.
This guide is for general information only, and not legal or compliance advice. The applicability, time limits and enforcement of AIS-140 vary from state-to-state and are subject to change.
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