What is RTO?

The Regional Transport Office (RTO) is a government organization established to oversee all transport-related operations in India. It exists in every state and Union Territory. RTO is responsible for carrying out the functions and activities of the Motor Vehicles Act, of 1988. It’s a government body that assures all the provisions of this central act is enforced in their regions. Moreover, the department also engages in various other activities like pollution checks, tax collection and enforcement of road transportation rules.

Functions of RTO

RTO functions as per the rules and regulations of the Motor Vehicle Act. Some of the key functions of RTO are as follows-

1. Collection of Taxes & Charges

All vehicles must pay the road tax levied by the government on different types of vehicles. The tax rates vary according to the type and size of the vehicle. The collection of these taxes is known as Motor Vehicle Tax (MV Tax). It is the responsibility of the RTO of that respective area. Apart from this, RTO collects the innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle (IMV) fees. It also charges for departmental action cases.

2. Road Safety

RTO must see that all motor vehicles avoid over-speeding and follow traffic rules. Also, it ensured that people obey all points of road safety measures. In addition, it ensures that drivers comply with the rules under Motor Vehicles Act to avoid unwarranted risks. Likewise, RTO also keeps a record that all registered vehicles have third-party liability insurance. As a result, it may cancel the driver’s license or the vehicle’s registration if found without insurance.

3. Vehicle Registration

RTO is the one that carries out the registration of motor vehicles. It also provides transport permits and issues NOC (No Objection Certificate). There is a NOC requirement when a vehicle’s registration is transferred from one RTO to another state’s RTO. It is to use a vehicle purchased from one state to another. Therefore, RTO is also concerned with the registration update of the vehicle with the new owner when there is a vehicle sale.

4. Provision of DL

It is the RTO that issues the driving licenses to the riders and drivers. So, the RTO conducts driving tests and obtains all details about the driver. It also checks the authorized class of vehicles. RTO issues Learner’s Driving License, Permanent DL, Commercial DL, or International Driving Permit accordingly. It also performs License renewal or duplicate license issuing. Also, it matters if the vehicle is with/without gear. The license type differs if the vehicle is a passenger-carrying one or for goods transportation.

5. Vehicle Inspection

Time-to-time inspection of the vehicles is done by the RTO. It is to check the condition of the vehicles running on the road. Hence, they check if the vehicles are registered and all other relevant documents. Also, if they have an updated and valid No Pollution Certificate/NPC. They also see if the vehicle is in proper condition and worth driving on the road being harmless to others.

6. Environmental Norms

RTO ascertains if the vehicles on road can address the environmental concerns by keeping a check on their pollution status. Accordingly, RTO issues a Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate to vehicles. In other words, it checks the condition of the vehicle and the related equipment. For instance, the smoke released from its parts. Also, it refers to the CNG/LPG conversion of vehicles to reduce pollution.

7. Providing Unique Number Registration to Vehicles

Some people want to have a unique number on their vehicle plates. Therefore, you can approach the RTO if you wish to have such a fancy registration number. Similarly, you can use the online mobile application of mParivahan.

Note: mParivahan is a mobile application for all RTO-related information. It is designed and developed by the National Informatics Centre.

Difference between RTO and DTO

RTO stands for Regional Transport Office. Whereas DTO is an acronym for District Transport Office. A state may have one or a couple of more RTOs. So, there can be innumerable DTOs, as many as the number of districts or more. RTO covers a large region to look after the rules and regulations for vehicles and transportation. It may have several DTOs under it. However, a DTO looks after the norms and laws of the Motor Vehicles Act in a district. In conclusion, the major difference between the two is the jurisdiction area.

Wrapping it up:

Every state has its specific website of RTO wherein, you can raise the relevant request online by submitting forms for vehicle registration, DL, PUC, and so on. You can also do it on the mParivahan mobile app or visit the nearest RTO.