If you own a car or commercial vehicle in India, your FASTag is now a regulated prepaid wallet, not just a sticker on your windscreen. That means the same Know Your Customer (KYC) rules that apply to a bank account also apply to your SBI FASTag account, and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increasingly allows that verification to be done over a supervised video call known as V-CIP, the Video-based Customer Identification Process.
This guide explains, in plain English, how SBI FASTag Video KYC works in 2026, what the RBI's periodic re-KYC rule really says (it is widely misquoted), how that differs from the separate NHAI/IHMCL 'FASTag 3-year' rule, what documents and photos you need, and what to do if you get a 'KYC pending' SMS. We are an authorised SBI FASTag partner and handle these requests regularly, so the steps below are the practical ones, not a copy of a marketing page.
What V-CIP (Video KYC) actually is
V-CIP is a live, supervised video call with a trained bank official who verifies your identity in real time. RBI treats a correctly conducted V-CIP as equivalent to meeting the officer in person, which is why it can be used to open or re-verify a FASTag wallet without you visiting a branch.
It is important to understand that V-CIP is not the same as a quick Aadhaar OTP. RBI's framework requires several controls to be present in a genuine video KYC session, and a session missing any of them can be rejected.
- A live, trained officer on the call (not a fully automated bot)
- Live capture (not a pre-uploaded scan) of a valid Officially Valid Document (OVD) such as Aadhaar, passport, voter ID or driving licence; PAN is also captured for identification
- A liveness check and a face match against your document photo
- Live GPS geo-tagging plus a date-time stamp on the recording, used to confirm you are physically in India
- An encrypted recording that the bank stores, plus a separate maker-checker review by a second officer before approval
- Typical duration of roughly 5 to 10 minutes when your documents are ready, though this varies
The RBI re-KYC cycle vs the FASTag '3-year rule'
This is the single most misunderstood point, so read it carefully. There are two different timelines, and people constantly mix them up.
First, the RBI Master Direction on KYC sets a risk-based periodic re-KYC cycle for the underlying account or prepaid instrument. Under current RBI instructions, that cycle is at least once every 2 years for high-risk customers, every 8 years for medium-risk customers, and every 10 years for low-risk customers. Periodic updation can now be done digitally, including by video, rather than only at a branch, and RBI's 2025 amendments added more customer-friendly ways to complete it.
Second, and separately, NHAI/IHMCL introduced an operational FASTag rule (rolled out from 2024) under which FASTags whose accounts are over 3 years old must have their KYC re-validated, and tags that are over 5 years old should be replaced. So the well-known 'FASTag 3-year re-KYC rule' is an NHAI/IHMCL housekeeping requirement specific to toll tags, not the RBI risk-based cycle. Both can apply to you at the same time. When in doubt, treat any 'KYC pending' message from your issuer as the trigger, regardless of which timeline caused it.
KYC vs KYV: two different checks
Your FASTag has two verification layers, and confusing them causes a lot of rejected uploads.
KYC verifies you, the customer (identity and address via an OVD). KYV, or Know Your Vehicle, links the tag to the correct vehicle and class so you are charged the right toll. NHAI simplified the KYV process from late October 2025: for private cars, jeeps and vans the side photo is no longer required, and the focus has shifted toward verification at the bank/issuer onboarding stage. Commercial and larger vehicles can still face additional vehicle verification.
- KYC documents: one OVD for identity, plus address proof if required by the bank
- KYV documents: Registration Certificate (RC) and a clear front photo of the vehicle showing the number plate with the FASTag affixed on the windscreen
- Cars, jeeps and vans no longer need to upload a separate side photo under the simplified KYV rules (October 2025 onwards)
- Image rejections are allowed only a limited number of times (commonly up to five) before the tag can be closed, so upload sharp, well-lit photos the first time
- New tags generally must complete KYV within about three days of registration, or the tag can be hotlisted
How to complete SBI FASTag Video KYC, step by step
SBI offers both a self-service online route and an authorised-partner route. The online route is fine if you are comfortable with portals and have good light and a stable connection; the partner route is convenient if you want it handled for you. Exact screens and labels can change, so follow the prompts on the live portal.
- Online: log in to the SBI FASTag customer portal (fastag.sbi.bank.in) with your registered mobile number; your first-time password is sent by SMS, or use 'forgot password' on the login page
- Open the KYC / KYV upload section under your profile and select Update; this is usually enabled only for pending or rejected cases
- Complete the video step when prompted: keep your original OVD and RC ready, sit in good light, and allow camera, microphone and location access
- Upload the required images (the RC and the vehicle-with-FASTag front photo) and submit
- Wait for the bank's maker-checker review; you will get an SMS for approval or rejection, often within a couple of working days, though it can take longer in some cases
- If rejected, re-upload corrected images promptly, before you exhaust the limited number of attempts
- Partner route: an authorised SBI FASTag partner can guide you through the video KYC and KYV upload. CareAll typically helps complete this over WhatsApp at 90420 10180, and a new tag (if you need one) is couriered, usually within a few days.
Fees, and the cost of ignoring a 'KYC pending' SMS
Updating KYC/KYV on an existing tag is generally free, including when done through an authorised partner. You may pay only if you are issuing a brand-new tag, where a one-time joining fee plus a refundable security deposit and a minimum first recharge usually apply. These amounts vary by issuer and vehicle class and change over time, so confirm the current figures with us or directly with your FASTag issuer rather than relying on an old number you saw online.
Ignoring a 'KYC pending' message is the expensive mistake. SBI sends reminders well in advance, typically over several months before the deadline. After the grace period, an unverified tag can be hotlisted or moved to a restricted status. At the toll plaza that can mean the tag is rejected and you pay double the toll as a penalty. With National Highway toll plazas moving toward cashless, barrier-free operation (cash acceptance is expected to be phased out around 1 April 2026), a working, KYC-compliant FASTag is no longer optional.