Buyer's guide · Paperwork

RTO ownership transfer: Form 29 & 30 explained.

Buying the car is the easy part — getting the Registration Certificate into your name is what actually makes you the owner. In India that runs on two RTO forms, Form 29 and Form 30, plus a few extras for interstate cars and closed loans. This guide explains each form, the documents you'll need, the timelines, and how to do it on the Parivahan portal.

General guidance based on the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Exact documents, fees and steps vary by state and RTO — check your local RTO or the Parivahan portal for current requirements.

Form 29 vs Form 30 — what each one is

• Form 29 — Notice of Transfer of Ownership.The seller's notice to the RTO that the vehicle has been sold. It's usually submitted in duplicate — one copy stays with the RTO, one is endorsed and kept by the seller as proof they intimated the transfer.
• Form 30 — Report of Transfer of Ownership. The application to actually record the new owner against the registration. It is signed by both the seller and the buyer and filed together with Form 29.

In short: Form 29 says "I'm selling it," Form 30 says "and here's who's buying it." Both go to the RTO where the vehicle is registered.

Documents you'll need

• Original Registration Certificate (RC).
• Form 29 (in duplicate) and Form 30, signed as required.
• Valid insurance certificate and a valid PUC certificate.
• Buyer's and seller's address & ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, etc.) and passport photos.
• Proof that road tax is paid.
• The applicable transfer fee (and any smart-card RC charge).
• Form 35 + lender NOC if the car had a loan (see below).
• Form 28 NOC if the car is moving to another state (see below).

If the car had a loan — Form 35

If the RC shows hypothecation(a financier's name), the loan must be closed and the hypothecation removed before — or as part of — the transfer. This is done with Form 35 together with a no-dues / NOC from the lender. Never pay for a financed car until the loan is closed and you have the Form 35 and NOC in hand, or the RC already shows the loan removed.

If the car is from another state — Form 28 NOC

To re-register a vehicle in a different state you need a No Objection Certificate (Form 28) from the original registering RTO. With the NOC, the car is registered in the destination state, assigned a new registration number, and you may need to pay road tax there (often with a refund claimable from the original state). Interstate transfers take longer — plan for it.

Timelines that matter

• The seller should report the transfer (Form 29) within about 14 days of the sale.
• The buyer should apply for the transfer within about 30 days for an intra-state sale (longer windows apply for inter-state cases).
• The updated RC is generally issued within a few weeks of a complete application.

Doing it online (Parivahan)

• Go to the Ministry's Parivahan portal (parivahan.gov.in) → Vehicle Related Services.
• Select your state/RTO, enter the registration number, and choose Transfer of Ownership.
• Fill the details, generate/upload the forms, pay the fee online, and book an RTO appointment if your RTO requires document verification or inspection.
• Track the application status with the generated number; collect or receive the updated RC.

Online availability and the exact steps vary by state — some RTOs still require an in-person visit for verification.

Before you reach the transfer stage

Make sure the car is worth transferring first — run the inspection checklist and check the odometer — and confirm the price is fair against the market.

Common questions