The tax regime in West Bengal required vehicle owners to pay taxes every five years; the processwas even more tedious earlier wherein the vehicle tax was collected annually. However, the state government has now made further amendments to allow buyers to pay ‘lifetime tax’ on two wheelers, four wheelers and certain utility vehicles that are not registered as transport vehicles.
The new tax structure will be enforced from today – 3 September, which will include lifetime tax and revised onetime tax (for five years). As per the new slab rates, new vehicles below 900cc will pay to pay Rs 40,000 or 10 per cent of the vehicle cost (whichever is higher) as lifetime tax, onetime tax rate will be 5.5 per cent of value or Rs 17,000. Similarly, cars with engine capacity ranging between 900cc and 14900cc will be taxed at 10 per cent of value or Rs 55,000 – onetime tax will be Rs 25,000 or 5.5 per cent of value.
For cars between 1490cc and 2000cc the minimum lifetime tax if Rs 80,000 or 10 per of value, the base rate for one-time tax of five years is Rs 35,000.All vehicles above 2000cc will have to pay Rs 1 lakh or more depending upon value, while onetime tax will be Rs 45,000 or 5.5 per cent.
