Moving your car permanently to another state - or buying a used car registered elsewhere - means a full inter-state RC transfer, not a simple ownership change. You will need a Form 28 NOC, road tax in the new state, re-registration and a new number plate. Here is the complete step-by-step process, with a Delhi-to-Bangalore example and realistic timelines.
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Under Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a vehicle kept continuously in a new state for more than 12 months must be re-registered there. This applies when you relocate permanently or buy a used car registered in another state. A simple address change within the same state is not inter-state transfer - re-registration involves an NOC, road tax in the new state, a new registration number and a new number plate.
Form 28 is the Application for No Objection Certificate for removing a vehicle from a state. Apply at the RTO where the vehicle is registered (or online via the Parivahan portal) with the original RC, insurance, PUC and ID proof. The RTO checks for pending challans, hypothecation and court cases. The NOC is usually issued in 7-15 working days and is valid for 6 months.
If the vehicle still has a loan, you need the bank's written consent first - clear it via our hypothecation removal guide.
Every state levies a one-time road tax at registration. You pay the new state's tax and can claim a proportional refund of the original state's tax for the unexpired period by filing Form 16 at the old RTO. Rates vary widely by state, and refunds can take 3-6 months of active follow-up - many owners skip it and forfeit the amount.
With the NOC and road tax receipt, apply using Form 20 at the new state's RTO. The vehicle is physically inspected (chassis and engine check), a new registration number is issued from the new state's series, and the old number is cancelled. High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) are mandatory. New RC issuance typically takes 15-30 days.
Done correctly with all documents ready, the end-to-end process takes about 60-90 days. The main delays are the NOC, RTO queues, and the road tax refund from the original state.
Outstanding challans block NOC issuance, so check and clear pending challans first, and verify the RC details to confirm ownership and hypothecation status. For the general ownership-change process, see the full RC transfer guide.
Under Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, you can drive a vehicle in another state for up to 12 continuous months without re-registration. After that, re-registration is mandatory. Traffic police in cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad actively check out-of-state plates that have been present for extended periods.
Form 28 is the Application for No Objection Certificate (NOC) required when moving a vehicle from one state to another for permanent re-registration. It is issued by the RTO where the vehicle is currently registered, is valid for 6 months, and must be submitted with Form 20 to the new state's RTO for the new registration.
Yes. You are entitled to a proportional refund of the road tax paid in the original state for the unexpired registration period. File Form 16 at the original state RTO after re-registration. The refund is based on the remaining years of the vehicle's life relative to the tax paid and can take 3-6 months to process.
You can, but you need written consent from the bank or financier because they hold a lien on the vehicle. Some lenders have geographic restrictions on their vehicle finance registrations. Contact your bank's loan servicing team for their process - it usually involves updating the loan address and issuing an NOC for the state-to-state movement.
Typically 60-90 days if all documents are in order. The NOC from the original state takes 7-15 days, road tax payment and application at the new RTO take another 10-20 days, and the new RC issues in 15-30 days. The road tax refund from the original state can take a further 3-6 months on top.