FASTag KYV photos: what the rule asks now

A customer holds out a phone. “I got a message that my FASTag will be blocked unless I send photos of my car. Can you do it here?” Before you say yes or no, find out what the message is actually asking for, who sent it, and what kind of vehicle the tag is on.

The reason is that the KYV rules have changed several times since 2024. The message in front of you might be old. It might also be quoting a rule meant for a truck, not a car. Below, the official documents are in date order, so you can see which rule a message is applying.

What is KYV, and how is it different from KYC?

KYV stands for Know Your Vehicle. It checks the vehicle record behind a tag: the registration number, the chassis number, the vehicle images and the mobile number linked to the tag. KYC, Know Your Customer, is a different check. It’s about the customer’s identity.

IHMCL’s FASTag KYC FAQ says an incomplete KYC is notified by email, SMS or the issuing bank’s application, and updated online. So a customer who says “I already did my KYC” may still be asked for KYV. Ask which message they received, and read it.

The rules in date order

Here’s the short version of how we got here. Each date is explained in the sections that follow.

If a message arrives, work out which row it belongs to. A message that mentions the 2024 deadline is using the first two rows. A message for a new car tag should be using the last one, and it shouldn’t ask for KYV at all.

What did the June 2024 guidelines ask for?

The NPCI guidelines of 20 June 2024 set out Re-KYV for tags that were already issued. They asked for:

• a unique vehicle registration number and chassis number linked to the tag;
• verification against VAHAN, the government vehicle database, or by the issuer;
• front and side vehicle images, plus a clear image of the tag;
• a linked mobile number with KYC behind it;
• a copy of the Registration Certificate (RC).

They set 31 October 2024 as the target for compliance and told issuers to blacklist tags that didn’t comply. They also say Re-KYV “is to be done every 3 years”.

This is the text behind most of the old, scary messages. If a customer’s message sounds like a deadline from two years back, this is probably where it comes from.

What changed in October 2025?

The NHAI announcement published by PIB on 30 October 2025 reports a simpler KYV process under revised IHMCL guidelines. Here it is next to the June 2024 text.

Two things to remember. First, the announcement states the photo change for Car/Jeep/Van only. Don’t apply the front-photo rule to a truck or a bus. Second, a customer can raise KYV queries on the National Highway Helpline 1033, according to the same announcement.

One more detail, so you don’t go hunting for a document that isn’t there: IHMCL’s circulars page lists no separate circular for the October 2025 change. The one-photo rule rests on the PIB report.

What happened from 1 February 2026?

IHMCL’s policy circular 746 of 30 December 2025 applies from 1 February 2026. For all new FASTag issuances in the VC-4 category (Car/Jeep/Van), KYV “shall be discontinued”. Under section 5A, activation happens only after the bank validates the vehicle details from VAHAN.

The NHAI announcement of 1 January 2026 says the same thing, and adds that validation after activation has ended.

In plain words: for a new car tag, the bank checks the vehicle before it switches the tag on. The customer isn’t meant to be chased for photos afterwards. If VAHAN has no record of the vehicle, the bank validates the RC before activation. So if a customer is asked for the RC at that stage, that’s a different matter from a KYV photo request.

When can KYV still be asked for a car tag?

For tags issued before the circular, KYV isn’t a routine requirement for a Car/Jeep/Van. But if a complaint is received against the tag, for example for a loose tag or incorrect issuance, the circular says the tag shall be placed on Exception Code-05. KYV is then mandatory to remove it.

The 1 January 2026 announcement says KYV “will no longer be mandatory as a routine requirement” for existing car tags. So the three-year repeat isn’t routine for them either.

So when an older car tag gets a KYV request, it should come with a reason. Ask the bank what complaint it refers to, and whether Exception Code-05 has been put on the tag. If the request is for a new car tag and arrives after activation, that’s a question for the bank too.

There’s one gap. For older tags, the circular says “prior to the date of issue of these guidelines”. A tag issued between 30 December 2025 and 31 January 2026 doesn’t clearly fall under either date. If your customer’s tag was issued in that window, put the question to the bank in writing.

What about trucks, buses and other vehicles?

Circular 746 ends KYV for VC-4 only. For every other class it says KYV “shall be carried out as per NPCI Circular dated 20.06.2024 and extant NETC Procedural Guidelines”. For a truck, bus or light commercial vehicle, that points back to the June 2024 text.

There’s a grey area. IHMCL’s vehicle classification document also lists the Tata Ace and similar mini light commercial vehicles under tag class 4. The circular doesn’t say whether it covers them, so the bank has to say.

One sentence from October 2025 isn’t limited to cars: services won’t be discontinued for non-compliant vehicles. Even so, confirm the tag class before deciding which rule applies. The class is written on the tag.

Three made-up customers

These are invented examples, so you can see how to read the table.

Customer A has a new car tag, issued in March 2026, and gets a message asking for side photos. A car tag issued after 1 February 2026 isn’t covered by KYV, and side photos aren’t asked for cars anyway. Ask the bank which rule the message relies on.

Customer B has an older car tag. Nothing is wrong with it, but a message says “Re-KYV due”. Under the circular and the NHAI announcement, KYV isn’t required for an older car tag without a complaint. Ask the bank whether any complaint is recorded on the tag.

Customer C has a tag on a small goods carrier that looks like a Tata Ace. The documents give you no clear answer. The classification document lists such vehicles under tag class 4, and the circular is silent about them. Look at the class on the tag and ask the bank to confirm, in writing, which KYV rule applies.

What do you do when a customer shows you a KYV message?

1. Read the sender and the date. PIB says issuer banks send the reminders. Don’t act on a forwarded screenshot, don’t open a link in a forwarded message, and never share an OTP.
2. Get the vehicle class and the issue date. These decide which rule applies. Ask the issuing bank to state the issue date in writing.
3. Match them to the table above. Where the class isn’t Car/Jeep/Van, the issuer’s confirmation decides.
4. Send the customer to the bank’s own upload route. The June 2024 guidelines say issuers must provide a platform to upload documents and images. Don’t upload on the customer’s behalf unless the bank’s route says a counter may.
5. Keep the message and the bank’s reply. If the tag is restricted later, they’re your evidence.

For your own SiOnline account, use SiOnline support with your agent ID and the exact message. SiOnline’s current FASTag agent login page explains its Android-only login route. A customer’s tag question goes to the issuing bank.

What can you say to the customer?

Keep it simple and honest. Something like: “This rule changed. For a new car tag there’s no KYV now. For an older car tag it’s only asked if there’s a complaint. Your message may be old, so let’s find out from your bank what it’s based on.” You’re not refusing to help. You’re pointing the customer to the party who can actually fix it.

Don’t promise that a photo will “clear” a block, and don’t take photos or documents to upload for the customer on a route nobody has confirmed. A wrong upload on someone else’s tag can create a bigger mess than the original message.

Questions customers ask

Is KYV still required for car FASTags?

Not for new Car/Jeep/Van tags issued from 1 February 2026. For older car tags it applies only after a complaint.

What photos does a car KYV need?

One front picture showing the number plate and the FASTag, per the PIB announcement of 30 October 2025. Circular 746 doesn’t repeat the photo rule, so in a complaint case, ask the bank which photos it wants.

What happened to the 31 October 2024 deadline?

It came from the June 2024 guidelines. The October 2025 announcement says services will not be discontinued for non-compliant vehicles. Ask the issuer for the rule behind any deadline.

Sources and checks

• NPCI via IHMCL, guidelines on customer onboarding and Re-KYV, 20 June 2024, retrieved 17 October 2026.
• NHAI via PIB, simplified KYV announcement, 30 October 2025, retrieved 17 October 2026.
• IHMCL, policy circular 746, 30 December 2025, retrieved 17 October 2026.
• NHAI via PIB, announcement of 1 January 2026, retrieved 17 October 2026.
• IHMCL, FASTag KYC FAQ and vehicle classification document, retrieved 17 October 2026.

These rules were checked on 17 October 2026 and have changed repeatedly since 2024. Confirm the current requirement with the issuing bank before you tell a customer to upload anything.