Registration Certificate

Registration Certificate is necessary for owning a vehicle in India as per the ‘Motor Vehicles Act, 1988’. It is mandatory under the act for vehicle owners to register their vehicles with the state road transport authority and keep the registration certificate with them at all times they are using their vehicles to prove that they indeed are the owner and that the vehicle is not being used illegally.

The registration certificate proves your ownership and legitimacy of the vehicle while your driving licence proves that you are authorized to drive the vehicle. To drive in India both the registration certificate and the driving licence are essential and the Motor Vehicles Act provides strict provisions against people who drive without a registration certificate.

The vehicle registration certificate is a mandatory document that you must always carry while travelling in your vehicle. The certificate is valid for 15 years only but can be renewed for 5 more years. You can also get a temporary RC which is valid only for a month.

How to get RC book or RC smart card?

RC book or RC smart card is issued by the RTO office of your area and one can choose what type of RC one wants. RC book is the most common type of RC with the Smart Card being now used almost everywhere as a smart and convenient alternative to the RC book. When registering your vehicle at the RTO office, be prepared to get your vehicle inspected.

Some vehicle dealers also provide registration services and you can get your vehicle registered through them.

Documents required for registering your vehicle

For registering your vehicle you need to produce the following documents:

• Vehicle registration application form
• Sales certificate
• Form 22, 22A
• Copy of Pan card
• Invoice from your dealer
• Invoice issued by the manufacturer to the dealer
• Copy of vehicle insurance
• Address proof
• Form 34

Details on your RC smart card

Your RC smart card carries all the relevant details of you and your vehicle like:

• Vehicle Registration Number
• Name of the owner
• Address of the owner
• Vehicle Manufacturer
• Class of the vehicle
• Manufacturing date of the vehicle
• Type of fuel used by the vehicle
• Chassis number
• Engine number
• Engine capacity
• Fuel capacity
• Seating capacity
• Wheelbase
• Weight of the vehicle
• Colour of the vehicle
• Registration date
• Expiration date of the RC
• Owner’s Signature

How to Obtain Duplicate Registration Certificate Card

In case you have lost your RC or it is stolen or it has been damaged, you can apply for a duplicate RC from your local RTO.

Follow these steps in case your RC is stolen or lost:

• Lodge an FIR in the police station in whose area you have lost your RC
• Apply for a duplicate RC at the RTO which issued your original RC
• Get the signature of vehicle financier if the vehicle was purchased on loan on the application
• Submit the application along with form 26 and other supporting documents to the concerned RTO

These are the supporting documents required when applying for a duplicate RC:

• Form 26
• Copy of the FIR for the lost RC
• Original RC if the RC is damaged
• Tax payment details for the last year (4 preceding financial quarters)
• Certificate of Insurance
• N.O.C from the vehicle financier
• Pollution certificate

Application fees for RC

• 2-wheelers: INR 300
• Imported 2 wheelers: INR 5000
• LMV (NT): INR 600
• MGV/MPV: INR 1000
• HGV: INR 1500
• HPMV: INR 5000
• Imported MV: INR 3000

Procedure to convert your RC book to RC smart card:

• Address a letter to the SI(traffic police) stating your intention of replacing your RC book with a RC smart card
• Attach a copy of vehicle insurance and pollution certificate
• Submit the RC book and the required documents to the RTO
• Pay the fees as suggested

Mumbai RTO FAQs

Most frequent questions and answers about mumbai RTO​

• Yes, you can use RC from a state in another
• You only need to get a NOC from the RTO that registered your vehicle

• Registration Number
• Date of registration
• Engine number
• Chassis number
• Colour of the vehicle
• Vehicle Type
• Seating Capacity
• Model Number

• Original RC
• Form 33
• NOC from issuing RTO
• PUC certificate
• Copy of Driving Licence
• Form 60, 61
• Registered Address proof
• New address proof
• NOC by financier if the vehicle is bought on loan

• Visit Sarathi website via parivahan.gov.in/rcdlstatus
• Enter your registration number