Procedure for Registration of a Motor Vehicle

Anamika Rathore

Anamika Rathore

Published on: Dec 26, 2025

Shreya Jain

Updated on: Dec 26, 2025

★★★★★(1 Rating)

33

Introduction

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the mandatory process for registering a motor vehicle with the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in accordance with Central Government legislation. Registration is a legal prerequisite for operating any new or pre-owned vehicle on public roads, serving as official recognition of ownership, identity, and compliance with safety and environmental standards. By assigning a unique registration number and ensuring proper taxation and insurance, this standardized procedure provides owners and authorities with a clear framework for documentation, legal accountability, and road safety.

Applicable Provisions

1. Section 39, 40, 41 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
2. Rules 47, 52(1), 52(3), 53A, 60 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989

Mandatory Requirements

• Application Form
• Proof of ownership (e.g., invoice, sale certificate)
• Proof of identity and address of the owner
• Insurance certificate
• Customs clearance certificate (for imported vehicles)
• Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate
• PAN Card or Form 60/61
• Physical inspection of the vehicle by the Registering Authority
• Verification of engine number and chassis number.

Procedure

1. Vehicle Registration: Owner of a motor vehicle is required to apply for registration with the registering authority having jurisdiction over the area where the owner resides or conducts business, and where the vehicle is normally kept.
2. Application Submission: Owner of a motor vehicle shall submit Form 20 to the registering authority within seven days from the date of taking delivery of the vehicle (excluding journey period), along with the required documents and applicable fees, as prescribed from time to time along with the fees as prescribed, as notified by the Central Government from time to time.
3. Temporary Registration: In case of temporary registration or extension of its validity, apply through the prescribed online portal, along with the applicable fee as notified.
4. Verification and Inspection: The vehicle will undergo a physical inspection to verify engine/chassis numbers and assess roadworthiness.
5. Issuance of Certificate of Registration (RC): Upon successful verification, the Registering Authority shall issue a Certificate of Registration:
   • In the prescribed format
   • Containing vehicle and ownership details
   • Specifying the type of motor vehicle
6. Assignment of Registration Mark: A registration mark (License Plate Number) will be assigned to the vehicle, as per the system allotted by the Central Government and number shall be displayed on the vehicle as per the specified format and visibility standards.
7. Validity and Renewal of Registration: Owner shall submit Form 25 to the registering authority in whose jurisdiction the vehicle is located, within sixty (60) days before the expiry of the current registration and it is valid for 15 years. Renewal is granted for 5 years subject to inspection and payment of the prescribed fee.
8. Dispose of End-of-Life Vehicles through Authorised Vehicle Scrapping Facilities: Motor Vehicle Registration forms the basis for the identification and regulation of End-of-Life Vehicles. As per the End-of-Life vehicle regulatory framework applicable in 2025, vehicle registration data, including age, validity of registration, and fitness certificate, is used to determine whether a vehicle has reached the end of its operational life. Vehicles whose registration has expired, are not renewed, or which fail mandatory fitness testing are classified as End-of-life vehicles. Such vehicles are required to be deregistered and transferred to the authorised vehicle scrapping facilities for environmentally sound dismantling and disposal, in accordance with applicable End-of-Life rules and scrappage regulations