What will the RTO charge me?

What this covers, and what it deliberately does not

Every figure here comes from Rule 81 and Rule 32 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989. Those rules are central, so the amounts are the same whichever state you are in. That is precisely why they can be published with confidence.

Road tax is included only for the states verified below. It is set by each state under its own taxation act, it varies by price, engine capacity and fuel, and it is far larger than anything else on this page. Asserting a figure for an unverified state would mean guessing at one of 36 different schedules, so 4 states (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh) are covered so far, each checked against an official gazette or the state's own Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, and the rest show the central fee only until they are. Our guide on how RTO charges for a new bike are calculated explains which part of an on-road price is which.

Why the RTO fee is the small number

People arrive expecting the RTO to explain the gap between ex-showroom and on-road price. It does not. Registering a motorcycle costs ₹300 under the rule, and a car ₹600. The gap is road tax and insurance almost entirely.

The late fees are per month, and they compound quietly

A late registration renewal or a late no objection certificate is charged ₹300 a month for a motorcycle and ₹500 a month for other non-transport vehicles. Part of a month counts as a whole month, so being a day late costs the same as being three weeks late.

A driving licence renewed after the grace period works differently: the renewal fee itself is higher, and an additional amount is charged for each year or part of a year since the grace period ended.