Commercial Vehicle Token Tax Rates in Punjab: Rickshaw, Taxi, Bus and Goods Truck

Short answer: In Punjab, a goods vehicle up to 4,060 kg pays Rs 1,000 a year in motor vehicle tax, and a taxi up to 1000cc pays Rs 700. A rickshaw is listed at Rs 3,000 as a lump sum. These figures are from the Excise Department's own motor vehicle tax page, read on 13 October 2026.

Ask ten rickshaw drivers what token tax they pay and you will get ten answers. Most people only see the private car rate. Commercial vehicles have their own scale, and it runs by weight, seats or engine size, not by the value of the vehicle.

We read the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department's Motor Vehicle Tax page on 13 October 2026. All rates below come from that page. We have not checked them against a live challan, and the page contains a few visible typing slips, which we point out.

Goods vehicles pay by weight carried

For goods vehicles, the annual motor vehicle tax follows maximum laden capacity, which means the heaviest load the vehicle may carry. It starts at Rs 1,000 up to 4,060 kg and rises to Rs 8,000 above 16,000 kg.

A vehicle drawing another trailer pays the matching rate above plus Rs 400. A commercial tractor is listed with a token tax of Rs 2,600, professional tax of Rs 200 and income tax of Rs 7,200.

Taxis and cabs pay by engine size

For motor cabs with seating for no more than six people, the annual tax runs from Rs 700 up to 1000cc to Rs 5,000 above 2500cc. The scale steps up at 1300cc, 1500cc, 2000cc and 2500cc.

1. Find your engine size on the registration book or smart card.
2. Match it to the band in the table below.
3. Add the income tax and professional tax lines that apply to your vehicle.
4. Pay before 31 August if you want the 10% rebate on a full year.

The 10% rebate is on the annual token tax when the full year is paid on or before 31 August of the financial year. Missing it also matters for penalties, which is explained in the article on the token tax crackdown that began on 1 October 2026.

Rickshaws and buses are charged per vehicle or per seat

The page lists a rickshaw, meaning a motor cab rickshaw or motorcycle rickshaw with seating for not more than three or six persons, at Rs 3,000 as a lump sum. Buses and larger passenger vehicles are charged per seat, and air conditioning costs more.

Seats for the driver and conductor are not counted. If you run a rickshaw or bus, you also need a route permit, which is a separate cost covered in the guides to a rickshaw route permit in Punjab and a bus or goods vehicle route permit.

Income tax is charged on top for commercial transport

The page also lists income tax on commercial transport. Goods transport pays Rs 2.5 per kg of laden weight for a filer and Rs 7.5 per kg for a non-filer. Passenger transport plying on hire pays Rs 500 per seat a year.

This is why a truck owner's bill is larger than the motor vehicle tax alone. The line items are separate and each is paid at the same time on the challan, as the guide to paying token tax online shows. Check the amounts on the e-Pay challan against the lines above. If they differ, ask the excise office to explain which line is which.

Two slips on the page to watch

The Excise page has visible typing errors elsewhere on the same page, such as a hire purchase endorsement line that shows Rs 1850 for the largest engine band, below the Rs 9,075 shown for the middle band. We did not use those lines here. Treat every figure as the published figure and confirm on the challan.

The page also does not say how the rates apply to electric commercial vehicles, to vehicles registered before 2026-27, or to the new e-taxi scheme described in the guide to the Punjab e-taxi scheme. For those, ask the excise office.

Common questions

How much token tax does a rickshaw pay in Punjab?

The Excise page lists Rs 3,000 as a lump sum for a rickshaw with seating for not more than three or six persons. It does not say how often it is charged.

What is the token tax for a small goods van?

It is Rs 1,000 a year for a vehicle, including a delivery van, with a maximum laden capacity up to 4,060 kg.

What does a taxi pay?

A motor cab with up to six seats pays Rs 700 up to 1000cc and up to Rs 5,000 above 2500cc, by engine size band.

Is there a rebate for commercial vehicles?

The page gives a 10% rebate on annual token tax if the whole year is paid on or before 31 August. It does not limit the rebate to private cars.

Why is my challan higher than these rates?

Income tax and professional tax are charged on top of motor vehicle tax. Goods transport income tax is Rs 2.5 per kg of laden weight for a filer.

Do these rates apply to the whole year?

The page lists them as annual rates under the Motor Vehicle Tax heading. Ask the excise office if you are registering part way through a year.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department's Motor Vehicle Tax page, including its sections on commercial vehicles and rebates. We did not test a live challan. The page has some visible typing errors, and several of its rate lines are written without a clear effective date.