India / Driving licence and vehicles

Transfer vehicle ownership (RC transfer) on Vahan

The seller reports the sale in Form 29 and the buyer applies in Form 30, both on the Vahan citizen portal. The buyer must apply within 14 days for a vehicle from the same state and within 45 days, with an NOC, for one from another state. The central fee is half the registration fee for that class, plus state charges.

Fee: Half the registration fee for the class (Rs 150 motor cycle, Rs 300 private car) plus state charges and tax
Time: Apply within 14 days (same state) or 45 days (other state); approval time varies by RTO
How: Online on Vahan; RTO visit if your state requires it

Checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. See the 12 sources.

Not confirmed

These points could not be confirmed on an official page on 13 October 2026. Check them with the office or portal before you rely on them.

Section 50 of the Act gives the transferee thirty days to report the transfer, while the Parivahan page (rule 55) says the Form 30 application is due within 14 days for a same state vehicle; the guide gives the shorter period. Whether the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 changed any period in section 50 could not be checked because the amended Act text could not be opened
The Parivahan fee table may not reflect every amendment to rule 81 made in 2025 and 2026; the transfer fee should be confirmed on the Vahan fee panel
Road tax, transfer tax, green tax and other state levies on transfer are not listed because they are set by each state
Whether both buyer and seller must authenticate by Aadhaar OTP, and whether the vehicle must be produced for inspection, differs by state and was not checked state by state
The fee for an NOC application in Form 28 is not shown as a separate entry on the fee page opened
The screens after entering a registration number on Vahan were not opened (they need a real vehicle and OTP); the step names are from the Parivahan FAQ

Quick answer

Seller and buyer complete Form 29 (notice of transfer, by the seller) and Form 30 (application for transfer, by the buyer). On the Vahan citizen portal enter the vehicle registration number, choose Transfer of Ownership, verify by OTP, fill the service and insurance details, pay the fee and, if your state asks, upload documents and book an appointment. The application then goes to the RTO for approval.

Deadlines: 14 days from the sale if the vehicle is registered in the same state, 45 days if it is registered in another state. For another state you also need an NOC from the original RTO. If there is a loan on the vehicle, the hypothecation must be dealt with first.

Who can apply

Situation	Who applies	Form	Time limit
Normal sale	Seller reports; buyer applies	Form 29 and Form 30	Buyer: within 14 days (same state) or 45 days (other state)
Death of the registered owner	Person succeeding to possession	Form 31	Inform the RTO within 30 days of the death; apply within three months. The successor may use the vehicle for three months as if it were transferred
Bought at a government public auction	Buyer	Form 32	Within 30 days of taking possession

The buyer applies to the registering authority where the buyer lives or keeps the vehicle.

Documents you need

For a normal sale, as listed by Parivahan:

Always (Document A)

Form 29 and Form 30, signed by seller and buyer
Certificate of registration (RC)
Certificate of insurance

May be required in some states

Pollution under control (PUC) certificate
PAN card of seller and buyer, or Form 60
Pencil print of chassis and engine number
Proof of date of birth and proof of address of the buyer
Buyer's undertaking, passport size photograph
Tax clearance certificate

Extra for a vehicle registered in another state (Document B)

The no objection certificate (NOC) granted by the original registering authority; or
the order refusing the NOC; or
if neither has been received, a declaration by the seller to that effect, with the receipt for the NOC application or the postal acknowledgement.

If the RC shows a loan (hypothecation)

The financier's consent or NOC, and Form 35 signed by the registered owner and the financier to terminate the entry, or Form 34 if the buyer is taking a new loan on the vehicle.

Death of the owner

Form 31, RC, insurance, death certificate, and as states require: proof of succession, declaration by all legal heirs, Form 20 verification, PAN or Form 60, address and age proof.

Auction

Form 32, RC, insurance, the certificate or order confirming the sale signed by the auctioning authority, and a certified copy of the government order authorising the auction.

Steps

Before you start

Check pending challans on the eChallan portal and get them cleared. A vehicle with an accepted but unpaid challan is flagged "Not to be Transacted" and registration applications are not processed.
Check that insurance is valid and that the mobile number on the vehicle record is current, because the OTP goes there. Vahan and Parivahan link to the official mobile number update page.
If the RC has a hypothecation entry, clear the loan and get the financier's papers.
If the buyer is in another state, the seller applies for the NOC first (see below). While an NOC application is pending, no other online service can be applied for on that vehicle.

Online (same state)

Open https://vahan.parivahan.gov.in/vahanservice/vahan/ and check the address bar; the portal itself warns about fraudulent sites.
Enter the Vehicle Registration No., accept the declaration and click Proceed.
Select the Basic Services option. Enter the last 5 digits of the chassis number and click Validate Regn_no/Chasi_no.
Generate OTP, enter it and submit.
Select Transfer of Ownership. If there is a loan, also select the hypothecation service you need (for example removing the lender's name once the loan is closed).
Enter Service Details as the screen asks (the new owner's particulars and the kind of transfer).
Update Insurance Details.
Review the Fee Panel and proceed. Pay the fee and any tax shown.
Upload documents, if your state has configured uploads.
Take an appointment, if your state has configured appointments.
A receipt is generated with the application number. Print the receipt and the filled forms (Status, then Reprint Receipt/forms).
The application moves to the RTO. Where a visit is required, seller and buyer papers are submitted in original on the appointment date.

Vehicle registered in another state

Seller applies for the NOC: on Vahan, Online Services, then NOC; enter the registration number and last 5 digits of the chassis number, verify by OTP, fill Service Details, update insurance, pay the fee and take the receipt. The application is in Form 28 and goes to the RTO where the vehicle is registered. Tax must be paid up to date. Transport vehicles need permit surrender and tax, challan and fitness clearances as well.
Once the NOC is issued, the buyer applies for transfer at the RTO of the new state within 45 days of the sale, with Document A and Document B.
The new state will collect its own motor vehicle tax. If the vehicle is kept in the new state for more than twelve months, a new registration mark has to be applied for in Form 27.
Late submission of the NOC attracts an additional fee for each month or part of a month of delay.

In person

Where the state has not enabled the online service ("This service has not been activated for the concern State/RTO"), or the vehicle record is not on Vahan ("No record found"), submit Forms 29 and 30 with the documents and fee at the RTO.

Selling through a dealer

Sales through authorised dealers of registered vehicles follow a separate set of forms (Form 29C for delivery to the dealer). The ownership still changes only when Form 30 is filed on the portal in the final buyer's name. Draft amendments to this procedure were published in July 2026.

Fees

Central fee for transfer of ownership: half of the registration fee for the class of vehicle.

Class of vehicle	Registration fee	Transfer fee (half)
Invalid carriage	Rs 50	Rs 25
Motor cycle	Rs 300	Rs 150
Three wheeler, quadricycle, light motor vehicle: non-transport	Rs 600	Rs 300
Three wheeler, quadricycle, light motor vehicle: transport	Rs 1,000	Rs 500
Medium goods or passenger vehicle	Rs 1,000	Rs 500
Heavy goods or passenger vehicle	Rs 1,500	Rs 750
Imported motor cycle	Rs 2,500	Rs 1,250
Imported motor vehicle	Rs 5,000	Rs 2,500
Any other vehicle	Rs 3,000	Rs 1,500

Other central amounts on the same official table:

Smart card type registration certificate: Rs 200 extra where one is issued.
Delay in submitting the NOC: Rs 300 for each month or part of a month for motor cycles, Rs 500 for other vehicles.
Endorsing a new hire purchase, lease or hypothecation agreement: Rs 500 (motor cycle), Rs 1,500 (three wheeler, quadricycle, light motor vehicle), Rs 3,000 (medium or heavy vehicle). No separate fee for cancelling the entry.

State taxes and charges are extra and differ widely, especially for a vehicle brought from another state. The Vahan Fee Panel shows the exact amount before you pay. Late reporting of a transfer can also attract an amount fixed by the state under section 50 of the Act.

How long it takes

Your part has fixed deadlines: 14 days (same state) or 45 days (other state) from the transfer. There is no single national time limit for RTO approval on the pages opened; it depends on the state and on whether documents and inspection are in order. Until the transfer is entered in the registration record, the seller remains the registered owner, and challans are issued in the registered owner's name.

How to check status

On the Vahan citizen portal:

Status, then Check Pending Transaction: enter the registration number and last 5 digits of the chassis number, or the transaction number.
Status, then Reprint Receipt/forms for the receipt and forms.
Know Your Payment Transaction Status if money was debited without a receipt.
To withdraw, Status, then Dispose Application.

After approval, check that the new owner's name appears in the vehicle record and get the updated RC.

Common problems

Seller has not signed or cannot be traced. Without Form 29 and 30 signed by the seller the RTO cannot treat it as a normal sale. Get the signatures at the time of payment, not later.
Buyer never transfers the vehicle. The seller stays the registered owner and keeps receiving challans. The seller should report the transfer in Form 29 to the RTO within the time limit and keep an acknowledged copy and the delivery receipt.
Hypothecation still on the RC. Get Form 35 and the financier's NOC and apply for hypothecation termination together with the transfer.
"Vehicle is blacklisted" or "Not to be Transacted". Clear the reason (unpaid challan, tax, or a police or department hold) with the authority concerned, then apply.
OTP goes to the old owner's or an old number. Update the mobile number through the official Vahan mobile update page first.
Previous transaction pending. Use Check Pending Transaction to complete or clear it.
NOC issued but buyer delayed. The additional monthly fee applies; apply as soon as possible.
Mistake after submission. Open the application again from Online Services with the registration number and chassis digits and use Edit, as the FAQ describes.
Someone offers "RC transfer in one day". Use only the Vahan portal and the RTO counter. Do not hand over signed blank Forms 29 and 30.

FAQ

What are Form 29 and Form 30?

Form 29 is the seller's notice to the registering authority that the vehicle has been transferred. Form 30 is the buyer's application to have the transfer recorded. Both are needed for a normal sale.

Within how many days must the RC be transferred after sale?

The buyer's application is due within 14 days of the transfer if the vehicle is registered in the same state, and within 45 days if it is registered in another state.

What is the fee for RC transfer?

Half the registration fee for that class: Rs 150 for a motor cycle, Rs 300 for a private car, more for transport and heavy vehicles. State charges, smart card fee and tax are added.

Is an NOC needed to transfer a vehicle within the same state?

The Parivahan document list asks for the NOC (Document B) only for a vehicle registered outside the state. Some states have their own rules for transfers between RTOs, so check the Vahan screen for your RTO.

Can I transfer a vehicle that has a loan on it?

Only with the financier involved. The hypothecation entry is ended with Form 35 signed by the owner and the financier, or continued or added afresh for the buyer's lender with Form 34.

How do I transfer a vehicle after the owner's death?

The successor informs the RTO within 30 days of the death and applies in Form 31 within three months, with the death certificate, RC, insurance and the succession papers the state requires.

Can RC transfer be done fully online?

The application and payment are online on Vahan. Document upload and appointments depend on how your state has configured the service, and the FAQ notes that the application then moves to the RTO for further processing, where originals may be asked for.

Will pending challans stop the transfer?

Yes, once a challan is treated as accepted and remains unpaid, registration applications for that vehicle are not processed until it is paid.

Official links

Sources

Every fee, time limit, form and address above was read on these official pages on 13 October 2026.

Parivahan Sewa, Transfer Of Ownership Supports The three kinds of transfer (sale, death, public auction); Form 29 by transferor; Form 30 by transferee within 14 days (same state) or 45 days (other state); Form 31 within three months and the 30 day intimation on death; Form 32 within 30 days for auction; Document A and Document B lists; which documents are state specific; sections and rules cited
Parivahan Sewa, Fees and User Charges Supports Registration fee by class (serial 4); transfer of ownership at half of that fee (serial 6); additional fee for delay in submitting the NOC (Rs 300 a month motor cycles, Rs 500 a month others); Rs 200 extra where a smart card type certificate is issued; hypothecation endorsement fees and no fee for cancellation (serial 9)
Parivahan Sewa, FAQ Supports Step by step route on Vahan for Transfer of Ownership, NOC, hypothecation termination; upload and appointment only if configured by the state; status menus (Check Pending Transaction, Reprint Receipt/forms, Dispose Application); no other service while an NOC application is pending; motor vehicle tax is a state subject; "No record found" and blacklisted vehicle messages
Vahan 4.0 Citizen Services Supports Entry by Vehicle Registration No. or by state and registering authority; security advisory to verify the URL; Know Your Payment Transaction Status and Verify Receipt links; mobile number update notice
Parivahan Sewa, No Objection Certificate Supports NOC under section 48 applied for in Form 28 to the registering authority where the vehicle is registered; documents; extra evidence for transport vehicles
Parivahan Sewa, HP Termination Supports Form 35 signed by the registered owner and the financier to end a hypothecation entry; documents
Parivahan Sewa, HP Endorsement Supports Form 34 signed by owner and financier to add a hypothecation entry
Parivahan Sewa, Reassignment Of Registration Mark Supports New registration mark in Form 27 when a vehicle is kept in another state for more than twelve months
India Code, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (PDF, pre-2019 text) Supports Section 50, duties of transferor and transferee, the transferee's thirty day period in the Act, amount payable for late reporting set by the state, entry of transfer in the certificate
Gazette of India, G.S.R. 48(E) dated 20 January 2026 (rule 167) Supports Registration applications are not processed and the vehicle is flagged Not to be Transacted while an accepted challan is unpaid
MoRTH, S.O. 3680(E) dated 6 July 2026 Supports Transfer of ownership, transfer in death cases and NOC for removal to another state are Vahan services with voluntary Aadhaar authentication
MoRTH, draft G.S.R. 649(E) dated 21 July 2026 Supports Draft only; shows that sales through authorised dealers of registered vehicles use Form 29C, with Form 30 filed on the portal

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