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What is RTO (Regional Transport Office)?
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) is a government department in India that manages all vehicle and driving-related tasks. It operates under the Motor Vehicles Department, which was set up under Section 213(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Each state and city in India has its own RTO, which keeps records of drivers and vehicles, issues driving licences, registers new vehicles, and ensures that traffic and road safety rules are followed. The RTO also checks pollution control certificates, collects road taxes, and ensures the smooth and lawful running of vehicles.
Objectives of RTO
Also known as the Regional Transport Authority, the main objective of the RTA is to control and manage vehicles and related work in a particular area. It also aims to keep records of drivers and vehicles in that region.
Functions of the Regional Transport Office (RTO)
Most of us know RTO for issuing driving licences and registering vehicles. But, RTO handles many more important tasks as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Let us take a closer look at the main responsibilities of an RTO
Issuing Driving Licences
RTO is responsible for issuing different types of driving licences. This includes issuing and testing for learning licenses, renewal of driving licenses, issuing international driving licences, providing licences to motor driving schools, issuing licences to driving instructors, and issuing conductors' licences.
Vehicle Registration
RTO also manages the legal identity of your vehicle. Its duties include issuing and renewing Registration Certificates (RC), transferring vehicle ownership in RC, adding or removing loan (hypothecation) details in RC, recording any updates or changes in RC, issuing No Objection Certificates (NOC), issuing vehicle fitness certificates, and issuing permits for transport and tourist vehicles.
Collecting Revenue for the Government
RTO also helps in collecting taxes and fees related to vehicles. These include collecting road tax (Motor Vehicle Tax or MV Tax), registration fees, and handling departmental action cases related to tax defaults.
Vehicle Inspection at Checkpoints
RTO officials regularly inspect vehicles at checkposts across regions to ensure road safety and rule compliance. These inspections help identify overloaded, unfit, or illegally modified vehicles and ensure that all vehicles meet safety and pollution standards set under the Motor Vehicles Act.
Environmental Upgradation
RTO plays a key role in reducing pollution levels from vehicles. They check and approve Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) kit installations, and also monitor and approve Pollution Under Control (PUC) testing centres.
Promoting Road Safety
With over 150,000 road deaths in India each year, the RTO also focuses on improving road safety by enforcing rules and spreading awareness to reduce accidents.
Services Provided By RTO
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) offers a wide range of services for drivers and vehicle owners. These include:
Issuing and renewing learner's and permanent driving licences
Collecting road tax on motor vehicles
Inspecting vehicles involved in accidents
Issuing licences for public transport vehicles
Issuing international driving permits
Recording vehicle loans and related details
Taking driving tests
Keeping a record of all registered vehicles
Checking if motor vehicles have valid insurance
Registering new vehicles
List of Documents Required for Vehicle Registration with RTO Online
To register your vehicle with the RTO, you need to submit the following documents:
- Proof of address, proof of age, and PAN card (KYC documents)
- A recent passport-sized photograph
- Valid insurance papers for the vehicle
- Sales certificate (Form 21)
- Application for registration (Form 20)
- Fitness certificate from the manufacturer (Form 22)
- Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate
- Invoice for the vehicle purchase
- Temporary registration number
- No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the previous RTO (if applicable)
- Customs clearance certificate (for imported vehicles)
- Sales tax certificate
- Loan agreement form (Form 34), if the vehicle is financed
How to Check Vehicle Registration Details Online?
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MORTH), Government of India, has launched the VAHAN portal to help citizens with various vehicle-related services like registration, ownership transfer, permit renewal, fitness certificate, and more.
To check your vehicle registration details online through the Parivahan portal, follow these simple steps:
- 1 Go to the official Parivahan portal.
- 2 From the top menu, click on 'Informational Services'.
- 3 Choose 'Know Your Vehicle Details' from the dropdown.
- 4 Log in using your mobile number, or create a new account if you do not have one.
- 5 Enter the OTP sent to your mobile and the captcha code shown on the screen.
- 6 Click on 'Get Details' to view your vehicle's registration information.
List of RTO State Codes of India
| RTO Locations | RTO Code |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | AP |
| Arunachal Pradesh | AR |
| Assam | AS |
| Bihar | BR |
| Chhattisgarh | CG |
| Goa | GA |
| Gujarat | GJ |
| Haryana | HR |
| Himachal Pradesh | HP |
| Jharkhand | JH |
| Karnataka | KA |
| Kerala | KL |
| Madhya Pradesh | MP |
| Maharashtra | MH |
| Manipur | MN |
| Meghalaya | ML |
| Mizoram | MZ |
| Nagaland | NL |
| Orissa | OD |
| Punjab | PB |
| Rajasthan | RJ |
| Sikkim | SK |
| Tamil Nadu | TN |
| Telangana | TG |
| Tripura | TR |
| Uttar Pradesh | UP |
| Uttrakhand | UK |
| West Bengal | WB |
RTO Fee Charges
| Services | Fees Applicable |
|---|---|
| Number Plate | 250 to 400 INR |
| Hypothecation Charges | 1500 INR |
| Transfer of Ownership | 300 to 3000 INR |
| Temporary Registration | 1500 to 2500 INR |
| Duplicate RC | 25 to 1500 INR |
| Issue or Renewal of RC | 50 to 3000 INR |
RTO Codes for Union Territories
| RTO Locations | RTO Code |
|---|---|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | AN |
| Chandigarh | CH |
| Daman and Diu | DD |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli | DN |
| Delhi | DL |
| Jammu and Kashmir | JK |
| Lakshadweep | LD |
| Puducherry | PY |
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FAQs
The full form of RTO is the Regional Transport Office. It is a government body that manages vehicle and driver-related services across different regions in India.
You can check RTO vehicle information online through the official Parivahan portal. Just visit the site, go to "Know Your Vehicle Details" under Informational Services, and enter your vehicle number to view the RTO details.
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) provides several services like issuing driving licences, registering vehicles, collecting road tax, conducting fitness tests, and offering permits for public and commercial transport.
To find RTO vehicle owner details, you can use the VAHAN or Parivahan portal by entering the vehicle number. The site shows basic RTO information like the owner's name, vehicle type, registration date, and more.
To register a vehicle at the RTO, you need documents like Form 20, sales certificate (Form 21), insurance papers, address proof, PUC certificate, and the vehicle invoice, among others.
Yes, you can access RTO online for most states in India through the Parivahan portal. It gives you access to vehicle registration, ownership details, tax payment, and other RTO check services.
To do an RTO check, go to the Parivahan portal, enter your vehicle number in the "Know Your Vehicle Details" section, and you will get complete RTO information, including the owner's name, fuel type, and registration date.