What is registration certificate?

In order to drive a car on Indian roads, you must have a driver’s licence and a vehicle registration certificate. A registration certificate, or RC, is an official document indicating that your car has been registered with the Indian government. It serves as evidence of the registration of your motor vehicle.

The Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, 1988, requires every vehicle owner in India to have a valid registration certificate to operate a motor vehicle on Indian roadways. The MV Act prohibits driving a vehicle on Indian highways without a valid registration certificate.

A vehicle registration certificate is valid for 15 years from the date of issuance and can be renewed for 5 years after expiration. A certificate of temporary registration is valid for one month from the date of issuance and cannot be renewed. The rules of the Motor Vehicles Act, of 1988 must be followed while registering a car in any state or Union territory.

Registration certificate: How to acquire an RC Book or RC Smart Card?

Every vehicle owner (private or non-commercial) must register his/her car at the RTO office closest to him/her. As part of the registration process, an inspecting authority inspects the vehicle at the RTO office/zonal office.

You can also register your vehicle through motor vehicle dealers with the registration authority. In this instance, self-registering dealers will only deliver the motor vehicle to the buyer after registering it.

Registration certificate: Documents required for vehicle registration

Here is a list of the documents required to obtain a certificate of registration for your vehicle:

• Form 20, the application for registration of a motor vehicle, duly completed
• Form 21, or certificate of sale, issued by a vehicle dealer
• Form 22, Form 22- A, i.e., a certificate of roadworthiness provided by the manufacturer
• Pan card
• Size of a passport photograph
• invoices from dealers and manufacturers
• Proof of automobile insurance
• Certified copy of proof of address
• Form 34, Registration Fees, signed by the proprietor and financier

Registration certificate: Available entries on RC card

Here are a few details listed on your RC card:

• Number of vehicle registration
• Address of the vehicle’s registered owner
• Manufacturer’s class and vehicle type
• Month and year of automobile production
• Fuel used
• The chassis and engine numbers
• Type of automobile body
• Cubic capacity
• Capacity to seat
• Wheelbase
• Colour of the automobile
• Unladen weight
• Registration date and expiration date
• Signature of the proprietor

Registration certificate: Procedure for requesting a replacement Registration Certificate card

If your RC is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can obtain a replacement by following the steps below.

• File a police report at the nearby station where you misplaced your driver’s licence.
• Submit a request for a duplicate RC. Form 26 must be obtained for this.
• Obtain the signature of your vehicle’s financier if you financed its acquisition.
• Submit Form 26 along with supporting documentation and a letter of complaint to the RTO office that granted your original driver’s licence.

Registration certificate: Required paperwork for obtaining a replica RC book

• Form 26, which is a request for a duplicate RC
• FIR copy in the event of RC loss
• Original copy in the event of RC damage
• Tax token and tax payment information for the past four quarters
• Insurance certificate
• Certificate of no objection (NOC) from the financier
• Valid pollution under control certificate

Registration certificate: Conversion of RC books to RC Smart Cards 

Follow the below steps to convert your RC book into an RC smart card.

• Send a letter to the chief of traffic police in your city detailing your desire to have your RC book transformed into a smart card.
• Take a copy of your vehicle’s proof of insurance and emission certification.
• Pay the necessary fees.
• Submit the RC book and the documentation listed above to your local RTO office.
• Within a week, you will receive the RC smart card at your registered address.

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