Karnataka Regional Transport Office (Karnataka RTO)
The provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, state that any vehicle plying on Indian road needs to be registered in the Regional Transport Office of their respective state. The Karnataka Regional Transport Department (RTO Karnataka) implements these provisions per the Act. The Karnataka Regional Transport Office or RTO Karnataka is an indispensable part of the transport department of Karnataka. It operates under the administration of the Transport Commissioner. The Transport government is responsible for the collection of tax on vehicles, registration of motor vehicles, control of Air pollution, control of noise pollution, issuance of a licence, verification of pollution-free vehicles and enforcement of various provisions, rules and regulations provided under the following rules and acts.
- The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
- The Karnataka Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989
- Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Rules, 1957
- Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989
- The Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1957
- Any other Rule & Regulation as may be provided under the aforesaid Acts.
In recent years, Karnataka RTO has made important strides to make transport-related services through a digital network, enabling the citizens to get reliable and efficient assistance for their vehicles and their transport needs.
Services Provided by Karnataka Regional Transport Office
Karnataka RTO provides the following services under the various Acts, rules and regulations.
Motor Vehicle Registration in Karnataka RTO
The vehicle owner can reach Karnataka RTO for vehicle registration-related services.
- Issuing Temporary Registration Certificate of the Vehicle
- Registration of New Vehicle with the registration details
- Issuing and Renewing of Trade Certificates
- Issuing and Renewing Fitness Certificate
- Issuing any Fresh Registration certificate, duplicate registration certificate or re-registration certificate of any vehicle
- Change of address of the vehicle owner
- Provides no objection or clearance certificate to the vehicle
- Providing a certificate of transferring ownership of the vehicle
- Renewal of the registration certificate of non-transport vehicle like Cars, Jeeps, Motorcycles, etc
- Noting and termination of Hypothecation, Hire Purchase or Lease Agreement
- Providing refund for tax in case of Lifetime tax
- Surrender and release of vehicle records or Cancellation of the Registration certificate
- Any other function as may be provided under the aforesaid Acts, rules and regulations
Issuance of License in Karnataka RTO
Karnataka Regional Transport Office provide the following license-related services.
- Issue and renewal of Driving license
- Issue of learner license
- Issue of Duplicate license
- Issue permit for International Driving
- Renewal of Driving or Conductor license
Collection of Taxes on Motor Vehicles in Karnataka RTO
Karnataka RTO’s responsibility includes collecting the following taxes on motor vehicles and noting various tax exemptions provided under the act.
- Quarterly Tax
- Border Tax
- Lifetime Tax
- Composite Tax
- Green Tax
- Any other tax as may be provided
Issuance of Permit in Karnataka RTO
Karnataka RTO’s service includes the issuance of a permit, both temporary and permanent, to various passengers as well as good vehicles, which include the following:
- Luxury cabs
- Maxi cabs
- Auto rickshaw
- Prepaid Taxi
- City Cabs]
- Private sector vehicles like cars, motorbikes, etc.
- Goods carriage
- Buses of Educational Institutes
Other Functions of RTO Karnataka
Karnataka RTO provides the following additional services and primary services mentioned above.
- Measures for Road Safety: Karnataka RTO ensures to undertake various safety measures on the road and ensure its implications. It also enforces traffic rules.
- Measures for Control of Air and Noise Pollution: Karnataka RTO ensures the proper check of Air and Noise Pollution and enforces rules and regulations to keep pollution in check. Karnataka Regional Transport office also ensures that all the vehicles have a pollution-free certificate before plying on the road and are subject to a fine in case of failure.
Various Charges of Karnataka Regional Transport Office
There are various charges levied on the registration of a vehicle by Karnataka RTO, which must be paid at the RTO counter at the time of registration. The charges include the following:
- The registration fee for the application is to be paid by the applicant.
- The fee for the fitness certificate is applicable.
- To avoid the Smart Card facility- Rs 137 is paid at the counter, and later, Rs 63 has to be paid online to the vendor of the Smart card.
- In case of registration of two-wheelers- Rs 6,000 for normal registration or Rs 25,000 for fancy registration.
- In case of registration of four-wheelers- Rs 25,000 for normal registration or Rs 75,000 for fancy registration.
- For other vehicles, the normal registration cost is Rs 30,000 or Rs 75,000 for fancy registration.
Karnataka RTO List with Address
There are 67 Regional Transport Offices in Karnataka actively functioning in the state. The table below contains all the RTOs in Karnataka, stating their locations, addresses, RTO codes and working hours.
Address of Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety: Shantinagar, Bengaluru ( 1st Floor, A Block) – 560027
Phone number: 080-22210994
Email: transcom@nic.in
Fax: 080-22235804
How to Know Your Karnataka Regional Transport Office?
Follow the mentioned process to know your Karnataka RTO details.
- To register your vehicle, you can visit the Regional Transport Office in your area or locate your RTO based on your Pincode or region. The RTO located in your region will only provide permanent vehicle registration. In some cases, the car provider and temporary registration also provide permanent registration on your behalf after providing you with the prescribed documents. Your region is according to your permanent address, and the RTO in your area is to be applied for permanent registration.
- In other cases, after registering, you can check the vehicle's number plate to know your Karnataka RTO. The first alphanumeric digits state the RTO of the vehicle. The first two alphabets are the state code- KA for Karnataka, and the next two digits are the RTO code in which it is registered.
Why do You Need to Register Your Vehicle in Karnataka?
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act 59 of 1988) prohibits anyone from driving a vehicle in a public place or plying on the road without validating the vehicle. Therefore, a vehicle owner needs to freely register one or more vehicles to use their mode of transport in the state. Permanent Registration is required for all vehicles which have Temporary Registration. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 prohibits a vehicle without a valid registration to run on the road. Every vehicle must be registered at the Karnataka Regional Transport Office to drive freely in Karnataka.
Types of Vehicle Registration in Karnataka RTO
Karnataka RTO offers the following two types of vehicle registration that allow the vehicle owner to drive their vehicle legally in India.
- Temporary Registration: Every car dealer provides a temporary registration number to the car owner in Karnataka.
- The temporary registration number is issued at the time of purchase of the car. It is valid only for 7 days/30 days from the date of issuance of the temporary registration number by the car dealer to the vehicle owner.
- The owner has to apply within 7/30 days for the permanent registration of the vehicle in the Regional Transport Office of their regional area.
- Permanent Registration: Permanent Registration is required for all vehicles with temporary registration. To register a vehicle, including a car, motorcycle, bike, etc., permanently in Karnataka, you must approach the Karnataka Regional Transport Office in the area you belong to. The application should be made in Form 20, Form 21, Form 22 and Form 22A, and prescribed documents. This must be done within 7 days from the date of delivery of the vehicle. Under the Permanent Registration, a vehicle is registered for 15 years and will be re-registered after the period expires. The owner of the vehicle is given the concerned Karnataka RTO registration numbers.
After the expiry of the tenure, it also can be renewed for a further period of years after physical inspection.
Process of Vehicle Registration in Karnataka RTO
Follow the process to register your vehicle temporarily and permanently at the Karnataka regional transport office.
1) Process of Temporary Registration: The applicant must submit the following documents at the time of purchase of the vehicle along with payment of applicable fees and taxes.
- Proof of Address- PAN Card/ Electricity Bill/ Aadhaar Card
- Vehicle Insurance certificate
- Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUF)
- Form 21- Vehicle Sales Certificate from the authorities (only in case of Ex-army Vehicles)
- In the case of imported vehicles, you are also required to submit a customs clearance certificate
- Form 22- Road Worthiness Certificate provided by the Vehicle Manufacturer
- In case of Semi-Trailer/ Trailer Vehicles, you must also submit a Design approval copy of the Semi-Trailer/Trailer approval.
2) Process of Permanent Registration: The permanent registration number of the vehicle is allotted by the Karnataka RTO after submitting the below documents and applicable application fees and taxes, including road tax. The vehicle number is assigned electronically and generated based on an ongoing series at the RTO Karnataka.
Once the number is registered with the RTO Karnataka, a vehicle registration certificate is sent through speed post to the vehicle owner's registered address.
- Temporary Registration Number of the vehicle.
- Invoice of the vehicle
- Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUC) of the vehicle.
- Form 21- Sales certificate
- Form 22- Roadworthiness certificate of the vehicle by the vehicle manufacturer.
- Age and Address proof documents include PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, Electricity Bill (for address proof), and passport-sized photographs.
- Vehicle Insurance Certificate.
- In case of Semi-Trailer/ Trailer Vehicles, you must also submit a Design approval copy of Semi-Trailer/Trailer approval.
- In case of imported Vehicles, you must also submit a custom clearance certificate.
- In case of Loan hypothecation of the vehicle, form 34 must be filled and submitted.
3) Process of Registration of Vehicles Brought From Outside Karnataka: If you have purchased a second-hand vehicle from outside Karnataka, you must register your vehicle in one of the Karnataka Regional Transport Office. For registration vehicles brought from any other state, you will have to submit the following documents at Karnataka RTO:
- Age and Address proof documents, which include PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, and Electricity Bill (for address proof) along with passport-size photographs
- Vehicle Insurance Certificate
- Print of the Chassis copy
- Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUC) of the vehicle
- Application in Form FT and Form 27
- Form 28- No- Objection Certificate obtained from the Regional Transport Office when the vehicle was registered there
- Form 29- Notice of transfer of ownership of the motor vehicle.
- Form 30 and Form 33 for change of ownership and address are required to be filled and submitted.
4) Process of Transfer of Ownership of Vehicles at Karnataka RTO: If you wish to transfer your owner vehicle legally to any other person outside the state of Karnataka, then you must visit Karnataka RTO with the below-stated documents:
- Form 29 and Form 30-Vehicle Transfer Application filled with required details
- Form 31- In case of transfer of Vehicle due to inheritance
- Form 32- In the case of transfer of the Vehicle through a public auction
- An affidavit in which the sale and purchase of a Vehicle is stated should be submitted
- Registration Certificate of the Vehicle
- Original Copy of the vehicle chassis number
- The insurance Certificate of the Vehicle is to be submitted
- No-Objection certificate has to be obtained from the original registration authority, that is RTO Karnataka
- In case the owner has purchased the Vehicle on loan, No- Objection certificate is also required to be obtained from the financer
- Age and Address proof documents, which include PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, and Electricity Bill (for address proof) along with passport size photographs
Fancy Number Registration in Karnataka Regional Transfer Office
If you want a fancy registration number for your vehicle at Karnataka RTO, you must pay additional charges.
- Price for Fancy Registration:
- For two-wheeler vehicles- The cost is Rs.25,000/- for fancy number registration
- For four-wheeler vehicles- The cost is Rs.75,000/- for fancy number registration
- For other vehicles: The cost is Rs.75,000/- for fancy number registration
- Process of Fancy Registration: The process and documents required for fancy registration are the same as those required for Permanent registration of the vehicle, with just a higher amount of registration fees to be paid at the time of application.
Note* Read more articles related to RTO here.
Karnataka RTO FAQ
How can I check RC details in Karnataka?
Ans. Visit the Parivahan official portal. Scroll to the vehicle-related services section and go to the vehicle registration tab. Provide your state name as Karnataka, then your registration number, and select the concerned Karnataka RTO. You can check the RC details and download the updated RC there.
2. Which registration is Ka 67?
Ans. Vehicles registered under Chintamani RTO have the registration number plate with KA-67.
3. Which district is KA 63 in?
Ans. KA 63 reflects the vehicle registered in Hubli RTO in Karnataka.
4. Which district is KA39 in?
Ans. The vehicles registered under Bhalki City RTO are distributed with the RTO code KA 39.