So, you’ve finally bought your dream motorbike. Now you can't wait to get your motor runnin’ and hit the streets for a spin. Before you kick-start the machine, you have double-checked all the necessary documents. Licence? Check. PUC? Check. Ready to go! Not yet. What remains is the Bike RC (Registration Certificate). While a driver’s licence is required to drive a motor vehicle on Indian roads, obtaining a registration certificate is also a must before you ride your bike whether on highways or in the streets. Within 7 days of purchasing your vehicle, you must mandatorily register it. But, why? And what makes it unavoidable? Let's deep-dive into Bike Registration Certificate.
What is a Bike Registration Certificate?
A bike registration certificate (RC) is a vital legal document that verifies your bike’s registration with the government’s road transport department. It, like a driver’s licence, is required to ride a bike on Indian roads. According to the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, you must carry the bike RC with you at all times while driving. The RC is a proof that your bike is registered with the relevant RTO (Regional Transport Office). Though a bike RC is issued as either a book or a smart card, of late it’s available only as a smart card. The RC includes information such as the registration number, engine number, type of vehicle, chassis number, registration date, the colour of the vehicle, seating capacity and model number of the bike. Normally, your RC is valid for 15 years from the date of issuance. It can be renewed for another 5 years after the expiry, subject to certain conditions. If you are given a temporary RC, it will only be valid for one month and it cannot be renewed.
What if I don’t have an RC?
RC is a vital document that you are required to keep with you at all times while riding your motorcycle or two-wheeler. A hard copy or soft copy of the Bbike RC is required to be available while the vehicle is on the road. If you do not comply, the traffic police officer may seize your bike, and you may be liable to pay a penalty of INRRs. 2,000.
So How to Get a Bike Registration Certificate?
To get a Bbike RC for your new vehicle, all you need to do is follow a simple procedure:
- Visit your nearest RTO (Regional Transport Office) with your bike as it will be inspected by the inspecting authority.
- Next, you will have to fill out Form 20 for the RC. The information required here includes owner’s personal details, address, PAN card and place of birth, type of vehicle, month and year of manufacture, type of body, engine details (like horse power, number of cylinders and cubic capacity), chassis number, seating capacity, unladen weight, colour of the bike and particulars of previous registrations (if any).
- Authorities will take an imprint of your bike’s chassis number.
- Then, you need to submit the required documents, pay the registration fees and collect the receipt. The documents required for this include:
- Form 20 (application for registration of motor vehicle) duly filled
- Form 21 (sales certificate that will be issued by the bike dealer)
- PAN card of the owner
- Form 22 and Form 22A or a roadworthiness certificate issued by the manufacturer
- Manufacturer and dealer invoice
- Attested copy of address proof and bike insurance
- Form 34 (signed by the financer and owner). This form is needed when you buy the bike through a hire-purchase, lease or hypothecation agreement and you need an RC for such bike.
After these are done, you will get your RC in few days’ time.
This procedure stands valid when you go to the RTO for registration. Many times, your motor dealer can also arrange for the RC. But for that, the auto dealers must have a current state RTO trade certificate. Login credentials are given to the dealer, and they can get to the website from their current location. The request for RC can be processed after entering the details and submitting the documents. The state RTO will issue and distribute the original RC document. You will save time during the entire procedure.
But I h’e taken a second-hand bike. Does the procedure remain the same for registration and RC?
How to Transfer Two-wheeler Registration in Your Name?
When buying a used bike, a person may request a two-wheeler ownership transfer. This ensures that the vehicle’s new owner retains all legal possession rights. The transfer of bike ownership may also be important in the event of a person's death and subsequent transfer of the vehicle to their heir. Bike ownership transfer, on the other hand, is primarily a legal procedure that must be carried out in accordance with specific procedures and the collection of required documents. The transfer of bike ownership is a relatively simple process. The steps include:
1. First, you must fill out an ownership transfer application and submit it to the RTO where the vehicle was registered. This process is handled by the bike’s seller in the event of a sale. It is done by the person to whom it is transferred in the event of the owner’s death.
2. All necessary documents of the two-wheeler must be transferred to the new owner of the bike. These include:
- Original Bbike RC from the previous owner
- Insurance certificate of the bike and PUC certificate.
- Form 28—the NOC (No objection certificate). The seller needs to submit 3 copies of this form. It’ll be required only if you want to take the vehicle out of the state.
- Form 29—a motorcycle’s Notice of Transfer of Ownership used to notify the RTO that the bike has been sold. The seller is required to submit two copies of this form.
- Form 30—It's a motorcycle’s Report of Transfer of Ownership. It serves as the Form 29 confirmation. The RTO requires two copies of this form to be submitted.
- Road Tax cCertificate
- Sales receipt
3. Finally, the concerned RTO must be notified of the bike’s sale or transfer within a certain time frame. Within two weeks, in-state ownership transfers must be reported, while out-of-state ownership transfers must be reported within 45 days.
Can I Get All These Procedures Done Online?
Yes, of course. Getting a bike registered online, like all other procedures, is becoming more digitised over time. Bike registration is done online to make the process as quick and painless as possible for the owner. You must go to the Vahan portal (vahan.parivahan.gov.in) in order to get your bike's registration certificate online. You can also get the fitness certificate for your bike, renew your Bike RC, and apply for ownership transfer in addition to the RC Certificate.
Getting your dream bike registered in your name is a feeling of joy that comes with owning something precious. Remember, it is necessary to register your vehicle and obtain the Bike RC, as this will be the official document and is mandatory. Whether you are buying a new bike or a second-hand bike or moving with your bike to a new state, just follow the procedures to ensure all your ownership rights. It’s simple and easy.
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