Registering a New Car at the RTO

Firstly, when you buy a new car, you have to register it with the Regional Transport Office (RTO). Remember that despite taking a loan from a bank, you are entirely responsible for the registration of the car. Also, every car has its own Certificate of Registration (RC) book that tracks the history of the car.

Moreover, as a car buyer, you need to ensure that all the legal forms should be filled in completely and submitted to the right authorities. Say, you live in Mumbai and bought a new car. You need to submit the relevant documents to the RTO under whose jurisdiction your address falls.

If the new car is from another state, you will need to obtain a certificate of temporary registration from the RTO. In most places, this certificate is valid only for a very short period, after which a permanent registration number has to be obtained. While driving the new car to the RTO for registration, take the following with you:

1. Application for new car registration or Form 20
2. Photocopy of the invoice, insurance policy, ration card or telephone bill as proof of address
3. Original Sale Certificate or Form No 23, Sales Tax Receipt, Octroi Receipt
4. Pollution Under Control Certificate from the manufacturer or Form No 22
5. Letter from the financier, in case you have taken a loan to purchase a car, addressed to the RTO asking them to endorse their lien on your car registration certificate book or Form No 34
6. Your PAN number
7. Imprint of your car’s chassis number.