How to Renew Car Registration After 15 Years in India?

The car's registration certificate (RC) is one of the legal requirements to drive your car in India. Your vehicle needs to be registered with the RTO (Regional Transport Office) and have a valid temporary/permanent registration number to drive the car on public roads. That’s the reason whenever you buy a new car, the first thing a dealer does is register the vehicle.

As per The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a motor vehicle plying on public roads should have an active registration number. The rules also state that you should renew the registration after 15 years from the date of registration. Post that, you can renew the registration every five years until the vehicle is considered roadworthy. Read ahead to know how to renew car registration after 15 years in India.

Renewal of Car Registration After 15 Years in India

As per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, non-transport vehicle owners should apply for the renewal of the registration certificate (RC) before 60 days of the expiry of registration. Apart from submitting the documents, you need to take your car to the RTO for inspection. The authorities will check if the vehicle is fit to drive on public roads. If your car is considered roadworthy, you can go ahead with the documentation, pay the required fees, and obtain the renewed registration certificate.

Car Registration Renewal Process 

Once you have compiled all the required documents, you can visit the RTO where the vehicle was initially registered to complete the RC renewal process. Below are the steps to renew the RC of your car.

• Step 1 - Fill Form 25 with the required details.

• Step 2 - Submit the duly filled form and the required documents at the RTO.

• Step 3 -  You may need to pay the taxes levied on the vehicle. If applicable, make the payment at the respective counter.

• Step 4 - Produce your car before the registering authority for inspection.

• Step 5 - Pay the re-registration fee at the respective counter and collect the receipt for the same.

• Step 6 - RTO will issue the renewed registration certificate via mail or collect it yourself.

Documents Required for Renewal of RC

Here are the required documents to renew car registration.

• Duly filled Form 25

• Registration certificate or RC book or smartcard

• PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate

• Car insurance policy certificate

• Fitness certificate

• Vehicle chassis and engine number pencil print

• Copy of car owner’s PAN card or Form and Form 61 (As applicable)

• Signature identification of car owner

• Road tax payment proof

Note: The list of required documents may vary from one state to another.

In India, you need to re-register your car if it's older than 15 years, but there is another scenario where you have to re-register your vehicle. Your vehicle needs a re-registration if you are taking your vehicle to another state for more than one year. If you are shifting to another state for more than one year, you need to re-register the car in that particular state.

Registration of Car for Inter-State Vehicle Transfer

While registering your car in another state, you need to consider the two critical factors: Status of Vehicle Hypothecation and Road Tax.

• Status of Vehicle Hypothecation: If the registration certificate has the financier’s hypothecation, you need to obtain a NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the financier before registering the car in another state.

• Road Tax: You may need to pay the road tax at the depreciated value of the car. If the state has a lower road tax rate, you may receive a refund of the paid tax.

Step-by-step Guide to Re-register Your Car in Another State

Follow the below steps to re-register your car if you are moving to another state.

Obtain NOC (No Objection Certificate)

Here are the steps to obtain a No Objection Certificate.

• Submit a self-declaration affidavit to the RTO (On a stamp paper of Rs. 10 that is attested by a Notary). In this document, you need to declare that all vehicle-related documents are legit and there are no pending dues against your car.

• Obtain a NOC from NCRB (National Crime Record Bureau), which states that your vehicle is not stolen.

• Obtain a Form 35 from the financier (If the vehicle has an active loan).

• Submit three duly filled copies of Form 27, 28, along with NOCs obtained from NCRB, financier and Traffic Police to get a NOC from RTO where the vehicle was initially registered.

• You also need to submit the documents such as Insurance Certificate, PUC certificate, registration certificate/smartcard, identity proof, address proof and copy of chassis imprint at the RTO.

• The RTO will issue the interstate vehicle transfer NOC within 2-3 weeks on completion of documentation.

Arrange Original Documents

You need to submit the original copies of the documents mentioned below to re-register your car in another state.

• Original Vehicle documents: Registration certificate/smartcard, Insurance Certificate and Pollution Under Control (PUC Certificate).

• Original Invoice of the Car: The original invoice of the vehicle is necessary for the RTO to calculate the road tax depending on the vehicle's depreciation.

Re-registration and Road Tax Payment

Once you have arranged all the documents mentioned above, you can move the car to another state and apply for a new registration certificate. You need to submit the following documents to apply for a new RC.

• Vehicle Documents: Original RC/Smartcard, vehicle invoice, PUC certificate, Insurance certificate.

• Identity and address proof (Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, Voter ID, etc.).

• Passport size photographs and self-attested affidavit (if required).

• Receipt of payment of road tax.

• Form 20 (Re-registration application).

• Form 33 (Details of new address).

• Documents related to the transfer of ownership (In case of used car).

• Once the vehicle is registered in another state, you can apply for a tax refund from the originally registered state.

Note: The required documents may vary depending on the state. Visit the Parivahan portal for exact details of documentation for a particular state.

Renewal of registration certificate or re-registration of the vehicle in another state is a straightforward process. All you have to do is collect all the required documents, submit them at the RTO,  and pay the required fees. 

There is no need for an agent to carry out the procedure. Registration Certificate and payment of road tax are the two crucial aspects of owning a car. So, renew the RC on time and re-register your vehicle if you move to another state for more than a year to avoid penalties and unnecessary hassles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and their answers related to car registration renewal.

Why do I need to renew the car registration after 15 years?

Typically, the life cycle of a vehicle is considered 15 years. Post that, the registering authority will inspect the vehicle to assess the roadworthiness. Hence, you need to renew the car registration after 15 years.

When can I renew the registration certificate for my car?

You can renew the car registration certificate before 60 days of the expiration of the registration.

Do I need to pay the road tax while renewing the car registration?

No, if you renew the car registration in the same state where it was originally registered, there is no need to pay the road tax because you have already paid the lifetime road tax while registering the new car.

Do I need to produce my car at the RTO for registration renewal?

Yes, you have to produce the vehicle to the registration authority for inspection. You can only renew the registration after the car if the car is considered fit to be driven on public roads.

What happens if I do not renew the car registration after 15 years?

You will be penalised by the authorities if you are caught driving with an expired registration certificate. Moreover, you may have to pay a late registration penalty while renewing an expired registration certificate.