RTO Registration

• Protect yourself with third party or comprehensive cover
• Use bumper to bumper policies to reduce your liability
• Enjoy facilities like zero depreciation and roadside assistance covers

The primary role of RTO is to maintain a database that contains details about all the motor vehicles plying the Indian roads. It is mandatory for all motor vehicles to be registered in this database. A registration certificate will be issued by the RTO once a vehicle is successfully registered. All new vehicles will be allocated a unique registration number during this process. This number cannot be changed by anyone even at the time of resale. RTO has the right to enforce vehicle registration rules put forth by the government. It is worth noting that driving an unregistered vehicle is a criminal offense punishable by the law. Let’s discuss in detail the whole process associated with RTO registration.

Temporary registration

When a vehicle is bought from a dealer, it will come with a temporary registration from the dealer. The registration process will take a little time, and it is necessary to have this temporary registration before you get a permanent one. This will be given by the dealer itself when you take the vehicle from the showroom. It is valid for a maximum of one month. Within this period, you must get the permanent registration.

Vehicle registration process

The registration process usually takes two to three days, but it can last up to a maximum of seven days. Since you are not legally allowed to use your vehicle before registration, it is better to go ahead with it as soon as possible. In order to register your vehicle, you must submit a range of documents and proofs to the RTO. The documents required for registration are listed as follows:

• Duly filled application form (Form 20)
• Identity proof - PAN, Aadhar, Voter ID, Passport, Driving License, etc.
• Proof of residence - Family card (ration card), utility bill, Aadhar, rental agreement, voter ID, account statement from a nationalised bank, etc.
• Passport size photographs
• Temporary registration certificate issued by the dealer
• Insurance certificate for the vehicle
• Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate
• Original sales bill/invoice issued by the dealer
• Form 34 (in case of loan hypothecation)

Along with these documents, you must have the registration fee to pay the RTO. These documents must be submitted to the concerned officer to proceed with the registration process. The officer will verify the details and issue the registration certificate within the concerned time.

Re-registration of vehicle

There are times when people to move to other states, and they wish to bring their vehicles along with them. RTOs function within state limits in India. Moving from one state to another requires re-registration of the vehicle in the concerned state. Here, the vehicle owner must forgo the registration in the original RTO and apply for registration in the new state’s RTO. The process involved in re-registration is given as follows:

• No objection certificate from the original RTO (Form 28)
• Duly filled application form (Form 20)
• Identity proof
• Proof of residence
• Valid insurance certificate

Along with these documents, you have to pay the re-registration fee to the RTO and get it registered. If you are transferring your vehicle from one state to another, you can also get a refund on your road tax from the home state. This tax must be paid to the RTO in the state where you are moving. The RTO will issue a new registration number for the vehicle once the application is processed. This whole process could take a maximum of 15 to 20 days.

Transfer of ownership

India has a large used vehicle market for both cars and bikes. When the ownership of a vehicle is transferred from one person to another, it must be registered in the RTO database. In this case, the buyer has to undergo the registration process and update the record as the new owner. The documents required for the transfer of ownership are listed as follows:

• Form 29 and 30 for the sale and transfer of ownership
• Identity proof of the buyer
• Proof of residence
• Passport size photographs
• Valid insurance certificate
• Original registration certificate
• Affidavit for the transfer of ownership

Along with these documents, the buyer has to pay the fee for registering the transfer of ownership. Once the documents are verified by the RTO, the ownership transfer will be recorded in the database. The buyer will also receive the updated registration certificate with the new ownership information.

RTO application forms

There are different types of application forms used by the RTOs to help customers file new requests. The most commonly used forms are listed as follows:

• Form 20 - Registration of a new vehicle
• Form 21- Sale certificate
• Form 23- Certificate of registration
• Form 24- Registration of motor vehicle
• Form 29- Notice of transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle
• Form 30 - Intimation and transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle
• Form 38 A- Report of inspection
• Form 50- Bill of lading
• Form 51- Certificate of insurance
• Form 54- Accident information report
• Form 57- Certificate for foreign insurance

These forms can be downloaded from the concerned RTO’s official website. If you download it beforehand, you can save some time while visiting the RTO with some specific request.

Conclusion

The registration process has been simplified by the RTO for the benefit of users. The RTO’s portal, Vahan, can be used by vehicle owners for any queries or application requests. You may also use the Vahan portal to check the details about a vehicle. When buying a new vehicle, you may also use the services of your dealer to register the vehicle. Almost all major dealers provide this service in exchange for a price. However, if you wish to do the registration by yourself, you may proceed by following the steps mentioned above.