GENERAL DISCUSSION Kerala

Opened by Motorly Editorial · 06 Jul 2026 · 1 views

Every few months, a WhatsApp forward does the rounds claiming Kerala's about to allow all modifications, or in the opposite direction, that some completely normal accessory just got banned. Neither version is usually accurate, and the confusion isn't really anyone's fault — the actual rules sit split across the central Motor Vehicles Act, state transport department circulars, and, as of mid-2026, a fresh state transport commissioner's report that's actually moved the needle on a few things. Here's where things genuinely stand. Start with the legal foundation everyone's operating under: Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, says an owner can't alter a vehicle such that its details no longer match the registration certificate. Anything that changes what's written on your RC needs prior approval; anything that doesn't is generally fair game. What's genuinely fine without paperwork, per the transport commissioner's own report submitted this year: seat covers, floor mats, steering wheel covers, dash cams, reverse cameras, parking sensors, GPS trackers, roof carriers, and sun films (more on those below), plus stickers or decals of your choice, with the one caveat being decent for public display. The one genuine relaxation rather than restatement of existing practice: extra speakers and additional lights are now explicitly permitted without prior approval. Sun films and tint are where it gets genuinely misunderstood. This one's been settled a couple of years now by a Kerala High Court verdict, independent of the newer report — films are allowed only if RTO-approved and within visible light transmission limits, at least 70% on front and rear windscreens, 50% on the side windows. The all-black, near-opaque tint job that shows up on plenty of cars in Kochi and Kozhikode traffic is not legal, and it's one of the more commonly enforced checkpoint fines specifically because it's so visually obvious from outside the vehicle — fines typically run from around Rs.1,000 up to Rs.10,000, with repeat offenders in stricter drives having films forcibly removed or vehicles impounded. What still needs prior RTO approval, a fee, and an RC update, no shortcuts: any change of vehicle colour, fitting a CNG or LPG tank, converting a vehicle to be disabled-friendly, converting a petrol or diesel vehicle to electric, swapping an engine, or altering the chassis. The colour-change trap catching a lot of younger owners right now specifically is coloured Paint Protection Film — clear PPF protecting factory paint isn't a colour change, but coloured PPF functionally is one under existing law regardless of how it's marketed, and applying one without approval puts you in the same position as an unapproved respray. Exhausts sit in their own bucket — modifying one needs RTO approval on its own merits, and the line that actually gets checked at checkpoints is noise, not looks: anything above 80 decibels is treated as illegal, with fines up to Rs.10,000 and, in some cities' enforcement drives, on-the-spot seizure for repeat cases. The honest summary if you're deciding what to modify this month: interior accessories, RTO-compliant films, and this year's newly-permitted extra lights and speakers are safe territory. Anything touching colour, fuel system, engine, or chassis needs paperwork first, not after.

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