Regional Transport Office or the RTO is a dedicated department tasked with overseeing all the issues related to transportation in India. RTOs have been set up across the country under the Motor Vehicle Act 1988. The primary task of the RTO is to preserve the database of all the Indian vehicles. Along with handling the database, RTOs also issue driving licences and pollution fitness certificates, collect road tax, check motor insurance and regulate transportation rules. Every state and union territory has its own RTO, which enforce the rules enshrined in the motor vehicles law and ensure safety on the roads.
India has a large and complex road network which supports an ever-expanding number of vehicles. With millions of vehicles plying on Indian roads, RTO offices have gained immense importance.
The basic function of RTOs is to implement and enforce various rules enshrined in the Motor Vehicle Act 1988. Other functions are:
All new vehicles in the country have to undergo RTO registration
The RTO office has to maintain the database of all the vehicles in India
RTOs issue driving licence to vehicle users
Routine inspection of vehicles
Issuance of vehicle fitness certificates
Collection of the road tax
RTO offices regulate and manage commercial permits given to trucks, taxis and autos
Implementation of the changes brought in the motor vehicle act
Issuance of pollution certificate after checking emission
Ensure a comprehensive growth of road transport through the implementation of various rules
RTO Location |
RTO Code |
RTO Location |
RTO Code |
Andhra Pradesh |
AP |
Meghalaya |
ML |
Arunachal Pradesh |
AR |
Mizoram |
MZ |
Assam |
AS |
Nagaland |
NL |
Bihar |
BR |
Odisha |
OD |
Chattisgarh |
CG |
Punjab |
PB |
Goa |
GA |
Rajasthan |
RJ |
Gujarat |
GJ |
Sikkim |
SK |
Haryana |
HR |
Tamil Nadu |
TN |
Himachal Pradesh |
HP |
Telangana |
TS |
Jharkhand |
JH |
Tripura |
TR |
Karnataka |
KA |
Uttar Pradesh |
UP |
Kerala |
KL |
Uttarakhand |
UK |
Madhya Pradesh |
MP |
West Bengal |
WB |
Maharashtra |
MH |
||
Manipur |
MN |
RTO Location |
RTO Code |
Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
AN |
Chandigarh |
CH |
Dadra and Nagar Haveli |
DN |
Daman and Diu |
DD |
Lakshadweep |
LD |
NCT of Delhi |
DL |
Puducherry |
PY |
Jammu and Kashmir |
JK |
Ladakh |
LA |
Rising internet penetration has led to the digitisation of an increasing number of public services. One does not need to stand in never-ending queues to submit an application or get a document issued. A number of functions at RTO offices have been digitised and do not require the physical presence of the applicant. However, one will have to reach out to a nearby RTO to get certain things done. Here are a few RTO online activities.
The activities listed above can be completed online, but RTOs still have to ask applicants to be available physically for other services. You will have to drop in an RTO office for the following activities:
A driving licence is an essential document needed when you want to drive in India. The RTO is responsible for issuing the learning/permanent driving licence. A few other responsibilities that fall under the licence category for RTO includes –
The following are the types of driving licence the RTO issues –
A brand new vehicle has to be compulsorily registered with the concerned RTO office according to the Motor Vehicle Act. When you buy a car, the RTO registration is taken care of by the dealer. The total price displayed by vehicle dealers generally includes RTO registration charges. The dealership completed the registration process without the vehicle owner having to visit the RTO office. However, if you do not want to involve the dealer, you can get the vehicle registered yourself. A few documents are required while applying for a vehicle registration at an RTO.
These documents will have to be submitted in an RTO office while registering a new vehicle. After the submission, the documents as well as the vehicle will be inspected by an RTO official. As soon as the verification gets over, the RTO office issues the driving licence. The entire process may take around seven days.
The RTO offers two types of vehicle registrations –
The vehicle dealers issue the temporary vehicle registration when you buy a new motor vehicle. With this permit, you can use the new vehicle for the first seven days from the date of vehicle delivery and has an extension of up to one month. After this, you (the vehicle owner) should purchase a permanent vehicle registration permit.
Any new vehicle purchased should have a valid vehicle registration certificate issued by the RTO. It can be obtained by submitting the necessary documents related to you (the vehicle owner) and the motor vehicle.
If you are familiar with the pricing structure of vehicles, you must have heard of two terms—the ex-showroom price and the on-road price. The ex-showroom price is the company’s price of the vehicle, while the on-road price is the showroom price with added charges. Before you start driving the vehicle, you have to bear certain additional costs such as road tax and registration charges. Here are the various charges levied during the registration of the vehicle.
The government levies a one-time road tax on vehicle owners to develop and maintain the network of roads in India. The dealership generally charges the road tax while selling the vehicle and submits to the RTO. In case the road tax has already been paid by you, collect the requisite document and submit it in the RTO office along with other documents.
The fee levied by RTOs to verify the documents and complete the registration process is known as the registration fee. The registration charges depend on the type of vehicle.
Most people avail a car loan to buy a vehicle. The RTO office levies an additional charge to process the hypothecation documents.
The following is the list of vehicle registration forms and various other forms that you get at the RTO.
One can download most of these forms from the Parivahan website. Here’s how you can do that –
To check the vehicle registration details online, follow the steps below –
The registration certificate issued by the RTO must be kept securely, but sometimes people lose it. However, if the registration document gets lost or stolen, one can easily get a copy from the RTO. Follow the simple steps given below to get a copy of the registration certificate.
You need to register online on the Parivahan website to get a personalised vehicle number. Ideally, each state government official is allotted a few computer-generated numbers between 1 and 9999. To get a personalised number for your vehicle, you have to bid on a given date and pay a specific price for it.
Follow these steps to get yourself a unique vehicle registration number –
Buying a pre-used vehicle is as common as buying a new one. India has a large second-hand vehicle market, but when you trade in pre-owned vehicles, you have to get the ownership transferred to the new owner. The RTO office facilitates ownership transfer of vehicles. One has to follow a few simple steps to get the ownership transferred:
The network of RTOs across the country plays an important role in supporting the transportation and automobile sectors of India. RTO is one of the first places to visit after purchasing a vehicle.
But before going to an RTO, you will have to visit an insurer because motor insurance is compulsory in India. To avoid long queues and unnecessary documentation, opt for a comprehensive Motor Insurance, available on Finserv MARKETS. You can get a four-wheeler insurance as well as a two-wheeler insurance with extensive coverage options through Finserv MARKETS.
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