As much as getting a driving license for driving a motor vehicle on Indian roads is mandatory, getting a registration certificate issued is also of equal importance. A registration certificate or RC is an official document stating that your vehicle is registered with the Indian government. It acts as a document proving the registration of your motor vehicle.
In India, it is essential for a vehicle owner to obtain a registration certificate as the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, 1988 makes it mandatory for every vehicle owner to have a valid RC to be able to drive a motor vehicle on Indian roads. The MV Act states that no person can drive a vehicle on Indian roads without a registration certificate.
A vehicle registration certificate is valid for 15 years from the date of issue and can be renewed for a period of 5 years after expiry. A temporary registration certificate is valid for one month from the date of issue and cannot be renewed.
The registration of a vehicle in any state or Union territory has to be done in accordance with the rules of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Note: Just like a registration certificate is required to drive or ride a vehicle insurance, having a vehicle is also mandatory. Every registered vehicle must have insurance as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Every vehicle owner (private or non-commercial vehicle) is required to register his vehicle at the nearest RTO office. As a part of the registration procedure, the vehicle is inspected by an inspecting authority at the RTO office/zonal office.
You can also get your vehicle registered through motor vehicle dealers who have the registration powers. In this case, the self-registering dealers will deliver the motor vehicle to the customer only after getting the vehicle registered.
Here is a list of documents that are required for obtaining a registration certificate for your vehicle:
Entries available in Registration Certificate (RC) Card
Here are a few details that your RC card mentions:
If your RC is stolen, misplaced or torn, then you can get a duplicate RC by following the below procedure:
Documents required for getting duplicate RC book
Yes, you can transfer your registration certificate from one state to other, but you will have to get a no objection certificate issued from the RTO that first registered your vehicle.
RC smart card contains the below information:
The following documents are required for change of address in the registration certificate: -Original RC certificate -Form 33 -NOC from original registering authority in Form 28 -Attested copy of PUC certificate and valid driving license -Attested copy of PAN card or Form 60 and Form 61 (as applicable) -Attested copy of the registered address proof and new address proof -No objection certificate by the financier if the hypothecation is endorsed in the registration certificate
Ideally, your RC is delivered at your doorstep within 7 days. But if you want to check your RC status, then visit this link parivahan.gov.in/rcdl status and enter your registration number and the status will be displayed on the screen.
