Punjab Introduces New Law for End-of-Life Vehicles

The Punjab government has introduced a new ordinance requiring end-of-life vehicles to be scrapped as part of its efforts to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality across the province.

Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan promulgated the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Ordinance 2026 with immediate effect because the Punjab Assembly was not in session. The ordinance amends the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965, by adding a new chapter that defines end-of-life vehicles and makes their scrapping mandatory.

Under the new law, a vehicle will qualify as an end-of-life vehicle if its registration has expired or been canceled, if it fails mandatory fitness or emission tests and cannot obtain the required certificates, or if it has been severely damaged by fire, natural disasters, accidents, or other calamities and the owner declares it as scrap.

Vehicle owners can also voluntarily send their vehicles to an authorized scrapping facility. The ordinance defines scrapping as the disposal, recycling, depollution, recovery of reusable parts, or crushing of non-reusable vehicle components for recycling.

The law requires owners to scrap end-of-life vehicles through a private authorized facility or one established by the Punjab Transport and Mass Transit Department. It also authorizes the provincial government to issue rules for implementing the new system.

According to the statement of objects and reasons, the ordinance aims to strengthen air quality management by reducing vehicle emissions. The government said the legal framework will also support the transition to electric vehicles and environmentally friendly public transport.

Officials said the government will issue detailed rules later to define vehicle age limits, testing procedures, and the responsibilities of authorized scrapping centers. The policy is expected to affect both private and commercial vehicle owners while supporting the growth of the vehicle recycling industry in Punjab.