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The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) is a co-operative industrial research association of the Indian automotive industry, established in 1966 and working with the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India. Headquartered at Kothrud, Pune, ARAI is the country's oldest and widest-scope automotive testing, certification and R&D body.
ARAI is a designated test agency under Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989. In this capacity it evaluates vehicle and component prototypes against applicable Automotive Industry Standards (AIS), Indian Standards and CMVR provisions, and issues the Type Approval Certificate (TAC) and Conformity of Production (COP) certificate that a manufacturer or importer must hold before a vehicle can be sold, registered or cleared through Indian customs.
Beyond certification, ARAI acts as secretariat support to the Automotive Industry Standards Committee (AISC) under MoRTH, contributes to national standard formulation and regulatory harmonisation, and assists Indian manufacturers with export homologation for overseas markets.
Manufacturers of two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger cars, buses, trucks and off-highway vehicles requiring CMVR type approval before market launch.
Importers bringing CBU, CKD or SKD vehicles into India, who must homologate under Rule 126 before customs clearance and registration.
Makers of safety-critical components — lights, mirrors, horns, brakes, glass, seat belts, helmets, tyres — certified under AIS-017.
Electric two-wheeler, three-wheeler and four-wheeler makers and battery pack suppliers requiring AIS-038 Rev 2 / AIS-156 approval.
Manufacturers of diesel and gas engines, gensets under CPCB IV+ norms and construction equipment vehicles under CEV BS-V.
Indian manufacturers seeking export homologation and foreign OEMs entering the Indian market through a local representative.
ARAI operates several distinct certification routes depending on whether the applicant is homologating a complete vehicle, an engine, a component, a retrofitment kit or a genset. Our consultants identify the correct route and scope for your product and manage the entire process from application to certificate.
| ARAI Service / Scheme | Purpose | Validity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Type Approval (TAC) | Full CMVR homologation of a vehicle model against applicable AIS/CMVR requirements. | Model life | Mandatory |
| Component Type Approval | Certification of safety-critical components under AIS-017 procedure. | Model life | Mandatory |
| Engine Type Approval | Emission and performance approval of automotive and non-automotive engines. | Model life | Mandatory |
| Genset Type Approval | Certification of diesel/gas generating sets under CPCB IV+ emission norms. | Model life | Mandatory |
| CEV / Tractor Type Approval | Approval of construction equipment vehicles and agricultural tractors under CEV BS-V / TREM. | Model life | Mandatory |
| Retrofitment Kit Approval | Type approval of CNG, LPG and electric retrofitment kits under AIS-123. | Model life | Mandatory |
| Conformity of Production (COP) | Periodic audit confirming series production matches the approved type (Rule 126A). | Annual / periodic | Mandatory |
| ISC & IUPR | In-Service Conformity and In-Use Performance Ratio monitoring under BS-VI. | Per programme | BS-VI |
| Export Homologation Support | Testing and documentation for UN ECE, GCC, ASEAN and other overseas approvals. | Per market | Optional |
| Bus Body Code Certification | Approval of bus body builders and body designs under AIS-052 and Rule 93. | As per scope | Mandatory |
| UAS / Drone Certification | Type certification of unmanned aircraft systems as a notified Certification Body. | Per certificate | Mandatory |
| Lab Accreditation (AIS-161) | Assessment and accreditation of manufacturer in-house test laboratories. | As per grant | Optional |
From category classification to final Type Approval Certificate, PCN Global India manages the complete ARAI homologation process — regulation mapping, CMVR-TAS portal filing, AIS-007 documentation, prototype submission, witness testing coordination, deviation closure and annual COP support.
Classification of the vehicle or component under AIS-053 categories (L, M, N, T, CEV) and identification of every applicable CMVR rule and AIS standard.
Creation of the manufacturer account on ARAI's CMVR-TAS portal, application filing, fee payment and scope definition.
Preparation of the technical specification file in the prescribed AIS-007 format, along with drawings, BoM and system descriptions.
Review of design data, existing test evidence and prior approvals to identify failure risks before prototypes are submitted.
Coordination of sample delivery to ARAI Pune, test scheduling, and attendance at witness tests across emission, safety, EMC and durability labs.
Technical response preparation for observations, design correction advice, re-test planning and closure of non-conformities.
Review of the draft certificate, verification of specification data and issuance of the ARAI TAC and Form 22 enablement.
Annual Conformity of Production audit preparation, variant extension filings, design-change assessments and renewal management.
Timelines assume complete documentation at submission and no major re-test. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete technical files or a failed test requiring design change.
Documentation requirements vary substantially by vehicle category and certification route. We issue a customised checklist after the initial technical consultation; the lists below cover what is typically required.
ARAI's notified scope spans virtually the entire road transport spectrum, along with non-automotive engines and gensets.
Type approval is granted against a defined set of Automotive Industry Standards and CMVR rules. The applicable list depends on the vehicle category, powertrain and intended use.
| Standard / Rule | Subject | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| CMVR Rule 126 | Type approval by notified test agency | All vehicles & components |
| CMVR Rule 126A | Conformity of Production requirements | All approved types |
| CMVR Rule 126E | Bharat NCAP star rating assessment | M1 vehicles (voluntary) |
| CMVR Rule 115 / 115A | Mass emission standards (BS-VI) | All powered vehicles |
| CMVR Rule 120 | Noise limits for motor vehicles | All powered vehicles |
| AIS-007 | Format for technical specifications | All type approval files |
| AIS-017 | Type approval & COP for components | Safety-critical components |
| AIS-037 | Type approval & COP procedure for vehicles | All vehicle categories |
| AIS-053 | Automotive vehicle types — terminology | Category classification |
| AIS-038 (Rev 2) | Electric power train vehicles — safety | M & N category EVs |
| AIS-156 | Specific requirements for L-category EV powertrain | Electric 2W & 3W |
| AIS-102 (Part 1 & 2) | EV conductive charging system | EVs and chargers |
| AIS-123 | CNG / LPG / electric retrofitment kits | Retrofit kit makers |
| AIS-140 | Vehicle location tracking and panic button | Public service vehicles |
| AIS-052 | Code of practice for bus body design | Bus body builders |
| AIS-161 | Accreditation of in-house test laboratories | Manufacturer labs |
ARAI operates a large campus at Kothrud, Pune along with a Homologation and Research Centre at Chakan/Takwe. Test slot availability varies by lab; we help sequence testing so that dependent tests are booked in the right order.
| Laboratory / Facility | Capability Highlights | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|
| Emission Certification Laboratory | Chassis dyno, BS-VI emission, RDE, fuel economy | All powered vehicles |
| Passive Safety Laboratory | Full-vehicle crash, sled, pedestrian, dummy testing | M1 / BNCAP programmes |
| Safety & Homologation Laboratory | Braking, lighting, glazing, mirrors, seat belts | Component approvals |
| Automotive Electronics Department | EMC, functional safety, ADAS, ECU validation | Electronics & EVs |
| NVH Laboratory | Pass-by noise, semi-anechoic chamber, sound power | Noise compliance |
| Engine Development Laboratory | Engine dyno, performance, endurance, altitude sim | Engines & gensets |
| Structural Dynamics Laboratory | Road load data, durability, vibration, shaker rigs | Chassis & body |
| Fatigue & Materials CoE | Material characterisation, fatigue, metallurgy | Component durability |
| Vehicle Evaluation Laboratory | Ride, handling, brake performance, track testing | Full vehicle dynamics |
| E-Mobility Centre of Excellence | Battery, motor, BMS, charger and EV safety testing | EV & hybrid makers |
Common questions about ARAI certification, CMVR type approval, COP and homologation in India.
ARAI certification is the Type Approval granted by the Automotive Research Association of India, a test agency notified under Rule 126 of the CMVR, 1989. It confirms that a vehicle, engine or component model complies with all applicable Indian safety, emission and performance regulations, and is a legal precondition for sale, registration and import in India.
Yes. Under Rule 126 of the CMVR, a prototype of every vehicle manufactured in or imported into India must be tested by a notified agency. Without a valid Type Approval Certificate, Form 22 cannot be issued, the vehicle cannot be registered with an RTO, and imported consignments will not be cleared by customs.
Type Approval (TAC) is the one-time certification of a model, granted after prototype testing. Conformity of Production (COP) under Rule 126A is the recurring audit — usually annual — that confirms vehicles coming off the production line still match the approved specification. Both are required; a lapsed COP effectively suspends the value of the TAC.
Yes. All are notified under Rule 126 and a manufacturer may approach any of them, subject to that agency having the notified scope and facility for the specific test. In practice the choice is driven by scope coverage, geographic proximity, lab queue length and cost. We advise on this at the outset.
A typical full-vehicle homologation runs 10–26 weeks end-to-end, comprising 2–4 weeks of documentation and application, 6–16 weeks of testing, and 2–6 weeks for report review and certificate issuance. Component approvals are faster; crash and emission-heavy programmes are slower.
There is no single fee. Cost is the sum of application charges, per-test laboratory fees for each applicable regulation, sample and logistics costs, and any re-test charges. A two-wheeler component approval may run into low lakhs while a full M1 homologation with crash and BS-VI emission testing is substantially higher. We provide a line-item estimate after scope mapping.
A foreign OEM normally applies through an Indian subsidiary, importer or an appointed Authorised Indian Representative, who takes responsibility for the application, fee payment, sample handling, COP obligations and post-market liability. We can structure and support this arrangement.
Not automatically. India is a contracting party to the 1998 Agreement and many AIS standards are harmonised with UN ECE regulations, so foreign reports from recognised labs may be considered as supporting evidence or may reduce the test scope in specific cases. Acceptance is at the discretion of the test agency and never blanket — assume Indian testing is required unless confirmed otherwise.
Any change affecting a certified parameter requires an extension or fresh approval. Minor variants can often be covered by a Type Approval extension using the existing base certificate; changes to powertrain, structure, braking or emissions typically need fresh testing. Undeclared changes are a COP violation.
A TAC remains valid for the life of the approved model provided the design is unchanged, the applicable regulation has not been superseded, and COP is maintained. When a regulation is amended with a compliance date, existing approvals must be upgraded by that date.
Delays in homologation directly delay launch, registration and customs clearance. Our consultants manage the complete ARAI process — regulation mapping, CMVR-TAS filing, AIS-007 documentation, test coordination at Pune, observation closure and annual COP — so your product reaches the market on schedule.
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