[haria]

Experience of two-wheeler renewal of registration without agent

My wife's TVS-XL was due for registration renewal in June 2019.

When I checked with few agents doing RTO work, I was quoted figures ranging from 2k to 3k, excluding the fees.
They also told me that if I do on my own, I will face a lot of problems and will have to go multiple times.

I thought I will give it a whirl on my own, and if it doesn't work, I will use an agent's help.

The whole process is online and one has to make the payment, fill the form, etc. online and then go to the RTO.
The vaahan website is laid out well and quite easy to navigate. The karanataka Govts office transport site is also well designed, with the steps detailed out nicely. A link is there which takes one directly to the Vahan's website.


Link to KA RTO website:
http://transport.karnataka.gov.in/in...enewal_reg_ntv


clicking on a link in the services section took me to the vahan's website.
https://vahan.parivahan.gov.in/vahan...homepage.xhtml


Obstacle #1
I Checked the vehicle details in the VAAHAN site.
It asks for the vehicle number and the last 5 digits of the chassis number, I fed it in, hey presto, it was validated and opens up a page with a list of services. Hurrah! I thought, these guys have updated all the details and I was impressed. But my joy was short-lived.

When I tried to select the service option for this vehicle, bham - it give a message that since the vehicle is shown as active in multiple RTOs, you cannot proceed, contact RTO blah blah….

The bike was a pre-owned one and there were entries for the vehicle in two RTOs. Bangalore south and Janabharathi - Both were shown as active.

Shucks, I thought - so much for doing all the stuff online, I have to make a visit to RTO.

I downloaded the form 25 for renewal of RC and also form 33 for affecting an address change.


The form is pretty easy to fill and all the details will be found in the RC book.



Documents Required:

Form 25
Original RC Book
PUC Certificate (Emission Check)
Valid Insurance
Form 33 ((if address is to be changed))
Address proof - xerox

I made a neat file with all this, along with a self-addressed envelope and the necessary stamps and decided to go the KR Puram RTO which is only couple of KMs from house.

Checked with a guard there and he directed me to go to the 2nd floor room no: 3. I went there and gave the form

First, the clerk told that this vehicle is registered in a different RTO, you have to go to that RTO only. When I told him that my friend has got his renewal done from a different RTO within the same city, he just muttered something about smart alecks wasting his time and took the file grumpily . He checked all the papers in the file and said who is the owner ? When I told him that it was my wife and she is at work, he told that she has to be here in person and submit the form. The application form has clearly two signatures - one for the applicant and one for the registered owner - so I knew he was sprouting some bullshit. But we can't call them out on this, if we need our work to be done. I just told him that she has signed in the form and I checked with the website where they have mentioned that the documents can be submitted by the owner's representative/agent. He mumbled something more and started writing the various fees on the corner of the application

Road safety tax/Cess : 500
Smart card fee : 200
Green tax : 250
Renewal of registration : 300
Change of address : 150

Told me to go the data entry section and get it entered in the system and then pay the fees.

I took the file to the required counter, and the clerk there raised the #2 obstacle - He told that this vehicle details is not opening up in his login as it is not from KR Puram RTO. He told me to go to the original RTO and get the record details transferred. He told me that he doesn't have authorization for that and I have to go to the original RTO only. This chap seems to be a bit more considerate and I asked him is there some way I can initiate this without making a trip to the Jananabharati RTO, which is a good 25 odd Km from my house and travelling to-and-fro to that in Bangalore's morning traffic will take a good couple of hours each way. He expressed his inability and told me to contact the network administrator who sits in first floor to see whether he can do anything about it. I thanked him and went to that counter.


This seems to be a pretty common problem - as soon as he heard my issue, he took a photo of my rc book and sent it to a whatsapp contact - who I presume must be in the other RTO. I asked him by when it will be done, he told it will take min. 1 day and asked me to come next day. I hung around there and requested him to expedite this. He told he will try and after 1 hour he again messaged that contact and then told me that it has been done. I thanked him and proceeded back to the data entry counter. This time he could open up the details and made the entries in the system and asked me to pay the requisite fees at the cash counter.

The fees came to a total of : 1337

Road safety tax/Cess : 500
Smart card fee : 137
Green tax : 250
Renewal of registration : 300
Change of address : 150

One has also to take a RC sticker by paying Rs.74 from another counter (Ground floor Room #1), for which no receipt is given.

Again took the form to the Counter #2 in 2nd floor, the clerk just flipped thru the files, initialed and then asked me to take the file to MVI (motor vehicle inspector). He told me to check either in GF room #3 or First floor room #2 and wait for him.

I spent 10 minutes trying to locate him in first floor, then a helpful guard told me that the MVI will be taking Learner's license test during this hour and will be there in ground floor in the LL test room. There is a big line of about 50-60 people waiting to take their LL and I saw this MVI doing basic eye sight check - asking the applicant to read some signs with one eye closed alternatively before directing them to a computer test. He was clearing them at a brisk pace and soon most of the applicants were done. But this line never seems to shrink as new applicants keep coming into the line. I asked a guard there, I have come for renewal of RC, should I see this MVI or some other person. He told me only one MVI is there and the same person will see - only after 12:30pm. The time was around 11:45 so that meant a wait of about 45 minutes.

A tea vendor outside told that the MVI will inspect the vehicles outside the RTO in the road adjacent to the building. He told me to take my bike there and wait. These vendors and shop fellows are quite helpful, if you ask politely.

Around 12:45, the MVI came out accompanied with a bunch of agents and people. There were about 10 vehicles which had come either for new registration or renewal. The new registrations went thru briskly with only checking the chasis number/engine number. The older vehicles was put thru a bit more detailed exam.

My turn came after about 20 minutes and he asked me to start the vehicle, sound the horn, switch on the lights, turn on the indicators. Took about five minutes. He indicated a place in the form and asked me to take a pencil stencil of the chassis number. I did not take the stencil print earlier as the mechanic asked me to do it only after the MVI says where he wants it. Apparently there is no standard place where this should be and some MVIs ask it to be taken on the top of the 1st page, some others on the last page and some on the side of the page #1.

I really underestimated the process of taking a pencil stencil print of the chassis !! This was really a painful task.- at least for a tvs-50. Fortunately, I had the foresight to first try it out on some other paper before doing it on the form. I tried with different pencils - HB, 2HB , 2H , but nothing seems to be proper. The damn thing always was fully smudged and nothing could be seen properly. I spent a good 30 minutes on this and was getting hot and bothered. I was at my wits end, fortunately one chap outside who saw me struggling told that it is quite difficult to get the print of some bikes on the standard a4 sheets which are quite thick. He told me to apply some oil/petrol on the part of the paper to make it a bit more light and then take the impression. This was a real useful tip and I dripped few drops of petrol taken from my bike onto the paper on the side of the sheet and when the paper became a little more transparent, the stencil impression came out ok, though not very clear. Whew! I heaved a sigh of relief and went back to the room #3. The MVI came in after finishing all the road tests (for DL), he glanced cursorily over the file and signed and a clerk put the seal. Gave the file back to me and told me to take it back to #2 floor room 3.

The file was again verified by the clerk (same one) and he initialed it OK and told me to give it to receiving section.


I thought it was all over, but alas, there was still a twist. The lady at this section told me that the nice self-addressed buff envelope which I attached in the file is not proper and the postal dept will not accept it. She wanted ONLY the light green sort of paper/thread envelope. She told me that the envelope I had attached will tear and the contents will be damaged and the PO will not accept it etc etc.I vainly tried to convince her that the envelope I had included was water proof and would not be possible to even tear it without using a scissors or a knife. But no luck, she was adamant and told that only the green envelope is accepted. By this time, it was about 1:28pm and she told that the counter will close at 1:30 and asked me to submit it tomorrow. I pleaded with her and told her that I will just run out and get the envelope and be back in couple of mins, but no luck. She condescended as if bestowing a great favor that if I submit it exactly at 2:30pm after her lunch hour, she will take it, else I have to submit only the next day.

With no other option, I went outside, got the required type of envelope, affixed the stamps and put this in the file and decided to wait there itself. After an hour of wait, exactly on the dot at 2:30pm ( She was very punctual, anyway) she opened the counter and accepted my file. Filled up the details in her register and gave me the acknowledgement slip and told that the renewed RC will be sent within 30 days.

Phew. At last the process was over.

Some pointers/Tips:

Do get your RC renewed before expiry. One can initiate this process 60 days before expiry. There is a penalty for renewal after expiry for each month/part of month

The process is quite simple and anybody can do it on their own. The only issue is wait time b/w the process. Even if one decides to go thru the agent, he/she still will need to spend some time (esp. for the inspection).

Unlike few years back, at the RTO there is absolutely no solicitation by agents/brokers offering to do the job. The agents/brokers ARE there, but one has to approach them not the other way round.

Having said that, at each stage, I felt there is a passive push back by the staff, citing various nonsensical reasons. Probably they want us to go thru an agent/broker so that they get a cut/commission

Being polite but firm, can help you navigate thru this. If you show aggression or frustration, there is a good chance they will throw back some more rules and make you struggle more. I saw couple of fellows who were complaining all the time having a tough time. At the end of the day, you will save time and remain stress free, if you follow this.

The online application/fees payment is the preferred way - excepting when you run into issues like mine (where RC records are there in multiple RTOs) or if the RC has expired or reasons like that.

If you speak the local lingo, you can definitely have a more smoother experience. But even if you speak in English, you can get your work done.

Plan your time: be at the counter 10am, if everything is ok, it will max. take about 20 minutes.
Be at the inspection ground/place at around 12:30pm - This will take about another 30 minutes.
If you do your homework and everything is proper, the whole process will take about 3 -4 hours max. In this, you will have couple of hours free, where you can do your other work or just relax.
It took an hour longer for me because of the fiasco with the envelope.

Use only the preferred type of self-addressed envelopes, even though you may have envelopes with better quality.

Try practicing to take the pencil impression before itself. I had a frustrating 30 minutes under the hot sun, trying to take this. Do try this on some other paper before doing it on the form. If you mess up your form, again you have to go thru all this rigmarole. Take the pencil print only after the MVI indicates where he wants it.


Definitely doable by self and not so hard and complicated as made out by the agent/brokers. You can also save the money and use it to buy some accessory of your choice! :-)

[majumon]

Thank you so much for this , seems encouraging , my bike is due in December.

[desideep]

Hats off to you, you were really patient. I would have lost my mind.

One I had to get HP removed from my car's RC. I went to the “FORMWALA” outside the RTO in my city. Asked him if I could find someone who can get this done for me. This man looked at me top to bottom and said "AAPKE JAISE PADHE LIKHE ANPAD BAHUT AATE HAI"(He gets to see many educated aka uneducated people like me).
And he gave me the forms. I have ashamed of myself. Started filling up the forms there and then. He helped me with a few fields.
Went to the counter and submitted the form. The fee was less than Rs. 250 and I got the RC in the next 3 hours.
If the man would not have embarrassed me, I would have spent around 3000 on the same job.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by haria

Definitely doable by self and not so hard and complicated as made out by the agent/brokers. You can also save the money and use it to buy some accessory of your choice! :-)[/indent]

Brilliant! Echoes my experience of self registering my Abarth (Registering a car at the Navi Mumbai RTO - Step by step guidelines) 3 years back.

Generally the process is easier than its made out to be. Further thanks to online system, its even faster these days as your data is captured from the system and then compared to documents submitted.

Thanks for sharing your experience and hopefully others too will have a go at it so that the impression that its a 'sarkari work' and 'must be done via an agent' is no longer there.

[theqca]

Nice to see you took the trouble to do it on your own.

Reading about it makes me realise that there is still a hell lot of running around needed inspite of it all being "online" as they say. My understanding of records being digitized / online was that you wouldn't have to run around with forms from one desk to another but I guess that is not the case. The online bit is just the basic entry where you get the appointment.

I'd like to see a digital online process where you upload forms and documents etc and you don't have to run around with the form from one desk to another and put up with bored govt clerks.

I have a 2 old bullets for which I need to get the RC renewed in Bombay. Will give it a shot in August on my own. Lets see how it goes!

[anand.shankar]

Wow, hats off to you. You really need some patience to work with the RTO, or any Govt office for that matter. I know its a lot better these days but a long way to go. I tried to get a reprint of my license last month from the new KA03 RTO, Half way through the process i had enough of their drama, i just went to a RTO agent and got it done for 500 bucks.

[tchsvy]

Here in Hyderabad, in the last week of May this year I had to terminate HP for my car and tried to book a slot on the online portal of Telangana Transport department, it seemed easy enough with few required columns to fill up viz registration number, last 5 digits of chassis number etc., which I did and the portal fetched all the details of the vehicle, further requiring me to fill few more columns, which I did, and there were few text boxes that were disabled, the cursor didn't even move to those text boxes, with mobile number column being one of them. After filling all the columns I tried to submit the online form only to be presented with an error that the mobile number text box should not be empty!

Tried multiple times and gave up, approached an agent and voila a slot was booked for the same day. And also the website did not mention that a statement from the bank had to be submitted but the agent told me that without the statement (specially in case of four wheelers) HP will not be terminated. Even if I was successful in booking a slot they might have told me to get the statement and come another day.

All in all I felt like the whole process is set up in favour of the agents. I had to shell out 1500 for a work that should not cost me more than 600-700. During the registration of my car and scooter I skipped the agents and saved few bucks, the process of new vehicle registration was fairly easy but even then I had to approach a constable to get through few counters.

The online system is name sake and we have to run around few counters to get our work done. I hope there will be major changes in the system and a true online system will be made available. But a recent news tells me that the present servers can't cope up with the work load and a request to upgrade the servers is pending with the Government, so there's that.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

The vaahan / parivaahan site is introducing a parivahan in the RTO system. It gives enough leeway for the agent system so that nobody gets offended. It also gives the persistent DIY guys the transparency to get things done on their own.



Right now, I'm in process of getting our new vehicle registered and the site has a transparent system for fancy / specific (preferred but non - fancy) numbers.



The driving licence and permit system too are now through this site.



I'm told that transfer of ownership and endorsing and lifting hypothecation does not require visit to the RTO at all. YMMV.



Let's hope this initiative will help reduce touts and middlemen and corruption at RTOs.



The parivahan url below:-



https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/

[ravib]

Wow. Thank you so much Haria for a very detailed post and sharing your experience. Much apprecited. My 14+ year old TVS Vicor bike is due for RC/FC renewal in next few months in KA-03 RTO and i was thinking about the approach to go through. Your post was very timely and gives confidence this can be done by ourselves, albeit with patience.

-Ravi

[haria]

Originally Posted by majumon

seems encouraging , my bike is due in December.

Originally Posted by ravib

My 14+ year old TVS Vicor bike is due for RC/FC renewal in next few months in KA-03 RTO and i was thinking about the approach to go through

Originally Posted by theqca

I have a 2 old bullets for which I need to get the RC renewed in Bombay. Will give it a shot in August on my own. Lets see how it goes!

All the best! You can definitely do it yourself. In fact, if your vehicle details are present only in one RTO, things are much much more simple.


Just one thing, give your bike a nice cleaning and remove any worn-out tank cover/etc which may make it look uncared for. These MVIs are really observant and they are adept in spotting the small things. He saw the grease in the front brake and commented on that and asked whether I recently serviced it. When I replied in affirmative, the inspection was more casual.



One another vehicle, (a hero Honda cd-100) which also had come for inspection - he failed it, commenting that the bike was looking too dusty and uncared for. The inspection went on for quite long and he checked too many finer details and ultimately he failed it.


Also do remember to practice taking the pencil impression... This was the ONLY difficult thing which I experienced. The rest - running around various counters, waiting etc. was more or less mundane. But the stencil thing - almost defeated me. Thankfully someone gave me the advice of making the paper more transparent by using petrol/oil. Otherwise, I would have made a mess of it!


Some shops near the RTO will sell the form + brown cover + tag + stamp affixed envelope + plastic cover for Rs.50 or so. Even though you can buy the stamps (Rs.18) and the envelope yourself, it may be better if you pick up this from these shops, lest you get into problems of the envelope which I faced.

Check with nearby shops/guards in RTO for details on where the inspection will be done. If one is polite, they are quite helpful. This will also help to plan your time/process better.



One more tip: Pick an "inauspicious" date for your renewal. There will be less "new" vehicles which come for registration on these days! so you will have less wait time for the inspection.

Originally Posted by blackwasp

hopefully others too will have a go at it so that the impression that its a 'sarkari work' and 'must be done via an agent' is no longer there.

Absolutely. Actually there is very less work involved in this. Only waiting time and few rounds of back/forth. The charges asked by the agent is also quite high for this very simple activity! I was quoted 2k to 3k for this work - the actual fees was extra!.

[Viraat13]

Great job! I always believe it is better to skip the agents and do the work yourself. I've done the following tasks before the online payment and appointment system started in Delhi

1. My own learners permit and driving license
2. Car transfer (with HP)
3. Car transfer (without HP)
4. Car fitness/RC renewal
5. License renewal (for father and grandfather)

For some things I had to make multiple trips, but for others I managed to do them just fine in one go. Fitness test was the most challenging, as I had to take my W124 into a lane fit only for 2 wheelers.

Getting my grandfather's license renewed was a piece of cake. He is a (super) senior citizen, and could go right to the front of the line at all the counters.

For one of my cars, the RTO had not digitized the records, and they had lost the file (big surprise), so I had to submit an affidavit (don't remember the details) for the transfer to be completed. This was by far the most difficult transfer I had done, as it took nearly 60 days and half a dozen visits.

[ashkamath]

Thanks for the useful thread. Guys, our Bengaluru (Yeshwanthpur RTO) registered Indica DLS will complete 15 years this July and I intend to get the RC renewed. Now the car is still first owner and is in my younger brother's name who is in USA. I live in Goa and I need to specifically drive down to Bengaluru for this work only. My brother will send me the duly signed Form 25 which I shall provide to RTO. Now our address has also changed (from Malleswaram to HSR Layout now, though we have rented out the property as we brothers don't live in Bengaluru as of date).

I am not sure if I can stay for long and run behind the RTO guys. Further I hope my brothers absence won't create any problems. So what's the better way out. Should I use an agent or do it myself? Address change I have my brother's Aadhaar with new property address. I don't mind trying to get it done myself. But red flags are my brother (the owner) out of country and limited time I can spend on this matter and I world prefer to get the new RC smart card in my hand instead of it going by post to our property. (Tenants are both Software professional couple and they might miss the courier as they will be at work during working hours).

I am just mulling upon the best way to manage this matter. What do you guys advice me.

[haria]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Bengaluru (Yeshwanthpur RTO) registered Indica DLS will complete 15 years this July and I intend to get the RC renewed. Now the car is still first owner and is in my younger brother's name who is in USA. I live in Goa and I need to specifically drive down to Bengaluru for this work only.

The car is in BLR or in Goa ? If it is in BLR, you can save a journey and get it done by an agent. If it is in Goa, I guess you don't have much of a choice. You will need to make a trip to BLR, unless, of course, the agent is able to renew the RC without the need for a physical inspection of the vehicle. I doubt whether this will be allowed, neverthless you can check whether this is possible - if so, you can get it done via an agent.


AFAIK, an agent will charge around 3.5 to 5K for RC renewal for a car - excluding the fees. The fees may be around 1.8k or so.



Get a Form 33 (for change of address) also signed by your brother. You can attach a xerox copy of the address proof and get both the process done at the same time.

Your brother need not be present in the RTO as long as he has signed in form 25/ form 33 .



I doubt whether you will get the RC card given directly to you. It will be send by speed-post to the address mentioned.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by haria

The car is in BLR or in Goa ?

The Car is with me at Goa. I need to drive down to Bengaluru for this work only. As I have no choice I shall drive down and get the work done.

Originally Posted by haria

AFAIK, an agent will charge around 3.5 to 5K for RC renewal for a car - excluding the fees. The fees may be around 1.8k or so.

Thanks for the ballpoint figure. Seems high to me. But given no option, I might take it.

Originally Posted by haria

Get a Form 33 (for change of address) also signed by your brother. You can attach a xerox copy of the address proof and get both the process done at the same time.

Yup. Will get it done.

Originally Posted by haria

Your brother need not be present in the RTO as long as he has signed in form 25/ form 33 .

That's really comforting to know. thanks.

Originally Posted by haria

I doubt whether you will get the RC card given directly to you. It will be send by speed-post to the address mentioned.

A few months ago I got my 15 year old TVS scooty RC renewed at Bengaluru. Similar to the car, the scooty was at Goa and I took it to Bengaluru by train as luggage. I engaged an agent who charged me about 2.5K and after a month he handed the new RC smart card to a friend of mine ( whom I asked to collect it as I was at Goa). So with agents, I think it is possible.

Thanks man. much appreciated.

[DudeWithaFiat]

Think it depends on various RTOs.

My cases (without an RTO agent):

1) Car ownership transfer in Indira Nagar RTO, Bangalore in 2015:
The whole thing (including standing in the queue) took less than an hour and costed only a few hundreds as fees for RC transfer. Less than Rs.500/- if I recall correctly.

2) Dad's Fiat Uno's fitness test and re-registration in Kochi:
Hassle free. Only delay was waiting for more an hour at the test site for RTO officials to arrive.

Through an RTO agent:

My W124's fitness test and registration renewal in Kochi last month:
The registration had expired two years back and Tax had lapsed for two months. Went through an authorized RTO agent since it was a complicated case. He took only Rs.500 or so as his fees. All the paper work was done by him. We only had to take the car to the test site. Wait time : Around an hour for the RTO officials to arrive.