Yes, you need an e-pass to ride to Ooty, and to Kodaikanal. Since May 2024, the Madras High Court has required every tourist vehicle entering the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal to carry one, and that includes your bike. It's free, it's issued per vehicle, and in the summer peak the number of passes is capped. Here's how it works, checked on 10 October 2026.
Quick Summary:
- Who needs it: Every tourist vehicle entering the Nilgiris (Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri) or Kodaikanal, bikes included. One pass covers the vehicle and everyone on it.
- Where to apply: Free, online at epass.tnega.org. Ooty and Kodaikanal are separate districts, so apply separately for each.
- Summer caps (April–June): Nilgiris: 6,000 vehicles on weekdays, 8,000 at weekends. Kodaikanal: 4,000 and 6,000. Electric vehicles get priority.
- Who's exempt: Local vehicles, government, commercial and agricultural vehicles, and tourists arriving by train or bus.
- Valparai too: Valparai has needed an e-pass since late 2025, checked at the Aliyar check post, with a reported weekend cap of 750 vehicles.
Verified by MileMarked · Last verified: October 2026
Sources: ANI on the Madras High Court's original e-pass order (May 2024); DT Next on the caps and exemptions (March 2025); The Federal on the vehicle restrictions (March 2025); Simplicity on Valparai enforcement (May 2026). Checked 10 Oct 2026.
Do you need an e-pass for Ooty on a bike?
Yes. The High Court's direction covers every vehicle entering the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal, and current guides confirm that non-local bikes and scooters need one. The pass is tied to your vehicle, not to people: one pass covers the bike and your pillion.
The e-pass is free. If anyone asks you to pay for one, you're not on the official portal.
It isn't the same thing as the green tax, a separate entry charge collected at the check posts. Local guides report it's collected in cash, so carry some.
How to get the e-pass
- Go to epass.tnega.org and choose the destination: the Nilgiris for Ooty, Coonoor or Kotagiri, or Kodaikanal. They're separate passes.
- Enter your details: name, address, vehicle type and number, number of travellers, dates, and where you're staying.
- Download the QR pass. Check-post staff scan the QR code when you enter, so keep it on your phone and carry a printout. Signal is weak near some check posts.
Apply before you leave home, not at the check post. In the summer peak, passes for weekends can run out.
The caps: how many vehicles get in
The High Court capped daily entries for the April–June peak:
| Destination | Weekdays | Weekends |
|---|---|---|
| Nilgiris (Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri) | 6,000 vehicles | 8,000 vehicles |
| Kodaikanal | 4,000 vehicles | 6,000 vehicles |
These were the 2025 caps, ordered in March 2025, and local guides report the same caps for the 2026 season. Private electric vehicles get priority when passes are issued.
The court's concern was capacity. The state told it that about 20,000 vehicles enter the hills on a summer day, while there's accommodation for about 20,000 tourists in total.
What it means for a rider: outside April to June, getting a pass is easy, but you still need one. During the peak, book as soon as your dates are fixed, especially for a Saturday entry.
Who doesn't need one
According to the March 2025 order:
- Local vehicles. Nilgiris-registered vehicles are exempt from the caps.
- Government, commercial and agricultural vehicles.
- Tourists who arrive by train or bus. If you take the Nilgiri Mountain Railway or a state bus up to Ooty and rent a local bike there, you don't need a pass for the trip up.
Where the e-pass is checked
The QR code is scanned at the district check posts. According to local guides, after the court revised the system in 2025, verification happens at the main entry points: Kallar (the Mettupalayam–Coonoor road), Kunjapanai (Kotagiri), Masinagudi, Mel Gudalur and Geddai. Some border posts, including Kakkanalla, reportedly no longer check passes.
So if you ride in from Mysuru through Bandipur and Mudumalai, expect the check at Mel Gudalur on the climb to Ooty, not at the state border.
Which road to ride into the Nilgiris
- From Mysuru or Bengaluru: through Bandipur and Mudumalai, then Gudalur and the Naduvattam climb to Ooty. The Masinagudi–Kalhatti shortcut is closed to most tourist traffic since May 2026. Our Bandipur and Mudumalai road timings guide covers the forest cut-offs: 6 PM for bikes at Bandipur.
- From Coimbatore: the Mettupalayam–Coonoor ghat, checked at Kallar.
- Leaving towards Coimbatore: the authorities' suggested way down from Ooty is Kotagiri–Mettupalayam.
Routes on MileMarked that need an e-pass: Madurai to Ooty via Kodaikanal and Coimbatore, which needs both passes; Ooty to Bangalore via Wayanad and Mysore; and Mysuru to Ooty, which now climbs via Gudalur because of the 2026 Kalhatti restrictions. For route ideas, see our Mysore–Ooty bike route guide and the Ooty and Coorg bike trip guide.
📋 Complete Madurai to Ooty Itinerary on MileMarked This route climbs to both Kodaikanal and Ooty and has a verified day-by-day plan, fuel stops and a packing checklist. Visit the Madurai to Ooty via Kodaikanal and Coimbatore trip page on MileMarked to download the complete planning kit.
Kodaikanal: a separate pass
Kodaikanal is in Dindigul district, so it needs its own e-pass on the same portal, even if you're doing Ooty on the same trip. The caps are lower: 4,000 vehicles on weekdays and 6,000 at weekends in the April–June peak.
Valparai now needs one too
Valparai, in the Anamalai hills, joined the e-pass system in late 2025. The Forest Department checks passes at the Aliyar check post, at the foot of the 40 hairpin bends, and turns back vehicles without one. In May 2026, entries were capped at 750 vehicles on Saturdays and Sundays (Simplicity, 9 May 2026). Local guides say you must cross Aliyar before 6 PM.
The road from Valparai down to Athirappilly in Kerala was fully closed for repairs in November 2025 and again from May 2026. Local reports say traffic resumed on 6 June 2026, with forest check-post entry roughly 6 AM to 4:30 PM. Bike access on the forest stretch has been restricted in the past, so confirm at the Malakkappara check post. Our Coimbatore–Valparai–Athirappilly loop has the details.
The rules here come from court orders that are revised season by season. If something on this page is out of date, tell us. We re-check it every 90 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an e-pass required for Ooty on a bike?
Yes. Every tourist vehicle entering the Nilgiris needs an e-pass, two-wheelers included. It's free on epass.tnega.org, and one pass covers the vehicle and everyone on it. Local vehicles and tourists arriving by train or bus are exempt.
How much does the Ooty e-pass cost?
Nothing. The e-pass is free. It's separate from the green tax, an entry charge collected at the check posts, which local guides say is taken in cash.
How many vehicles are allowed into Ooty per day?
During the April–June peak, the Madras High Court capped entries to the Nilgiris at 6,000 vehicles on weekdays and 8,000 at weekends, and to Kodaikanal at 4,000 and 6,000. Outside the peak, you still need a pass, but they're easy to get.
Do I need separate e-passes for Ooty and Kodaikanal?
Yes. The Nilgiris and Kodaikanal are in different districts, so you apply for each on the same portal.
Does Valparai need an e-pass?
Yes. Valparai has required an e-pass since late 2025. It's checked at the Aliyar check post, and in May 2026 weekend entries were capped at 750 vehicles. Local guides say you must cross Aliyar before 6 PM.
