Sabarkantha is a district located in the north eastern part of the Indian state of Gujarat, and is famous for its underground temple of Shiva, Idar fort and Polo forest. This populous region relies on its Regional Transport Office (GJ-09) for smooth traffic along with other needs such as vehicle registration, issuance of driving licence etc.

There are various functions of Sabarkantha RTO, such as: 

• Granting transfer of vehicle ownership 

• Issuance of duplicate registration certificate

• Change of address in driving licence 

• Hypothecation, termination, and endorsement 

• Change of address in the registration certificate 

• Issuance of permanent driving licence 

• Inspection of vehicles at check posts 

• Issuance of duplicate driving licence 

• Conducting driving tests

• Issuance of registration certificates for private and commercial vehicles 

• Under existing DL, adding newly purchased vehicles 

• Providing international driving licence 

• Providing CNG or LPG conversions 

• Issuance of national permits 

• Issuance of NOC and PUC 

• Collection of fines and road taxes 

• Issuance of fitness certificates

Among several types of driving licence, Sabarkantha RTO provides the following:

• Learner’s licence 

• Permanent licence 

• Commercial driving licence 

• International driving permit

Sabarkantha RTO provides two types of vehicle registration: 

• Permanent registration

• Temporary Registration 

After successfully completing the registration process, one will get a number from the RTO for display on the number plate. It is noteworthy that a driver has to keep the RC while driving on public roads in Sabarkantha.

In Sabarkantha, there are various charges related to the registration process. Here is a list mentioning some of them: 

• Parking fee (Or, State Development Charges): ₹4000 (For vehicles costing over ₹4 lakh), ₹2000 (For vehicles costing under ₹4 lakh) 

• Registration charges: ₹600 for every vehicle

• Temporary registration charges: ₹1200 – ₹1500 

• Number plate charges (including HSRP number plates): ₹230 - ₹400 

• Hypothecation charges: ₹1500 (In case a vehicle is purchased on a loan) 

• FasTag charges: ₹600

Road tax in Sabarkantha is similar to the Gujarat road tax. This list will provide a primary idea:  

• Auto Rickshaw: 2.5% of the vehicle’s price

  • Seating capacity of more than 3 and up to 6: 6% of the vehicle’s cost
  • Seating capacity up to 3: 2.5% of the price of the vehicle

• Motorcycle: 6% of the price of the vehicle 

• Four-wheeler: 6% of the price of the vehicle 

• Tractor: 3% of the price of the vehicle

There are fines and penalties for breaking traffic rules in Sabarkantha. Here are some common traffic rule violations and their fines: 

• Driving without a licence: ₹3000 (for three and four-wheelers), ₹2000 (for two-wheelers)

• Using mobile while driving: ₹500 (first time), ₹1000 (subsequent times)

• Overloading two-wheeler: ₹100

• Obstructing emergency vehicles: ₹1000

• Driving without a seatbelt: ₹500

• Drunk driving: ₹10000 (may include 6 months prison), ₹15000 (may include 2 years prison for subsequent offence) 

• Driving without a helmet: ₹500

• Driving unregistered vehicles: ₹1000 (for two-wheelers), ₹5000 (for buses, trucks, etc.), ₹2000 (for three-wheelers),₹3000 (for smaller four-wheelers)

According to the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988, it is mandatory to have motor insurance in Sabarkantha. In Gujarat, one can buy insurance online or offline. Vehicle Insurance generally comes in 2 types: 

• Third-party Insurance: Third-party insurance covers all bodily injuries that come with accidents. It also compensates for physical mutilation and death. 

• Comprehensive Insurance: Comprehensive insurance covers both the owner’s and third-party’s damages. It includes damage to the owner, the vehicle, a third-party property, and a third person. It also compensates for man-made and natural disasters. 

It is noteworthy that imprisonment and cancellation of DL and vehicle registration can apply if someone drives a vehicle without insurance. 

According to a Times Now 16th February report, 6 people from the same family were injured in an accident where their car flipped over a number of times and crashed into the boundary wall of a petrol pump. 

The car was unhurriedly moving towards Idar when another car lost control and hit it with enough speed to roll it over a couple of times near Salal village. All the passengers are under treatment after this incident.  

January 2023, observed the road safety week in the entire Sabarkantha district. According to Divya Bhaskar’s Gujarati News report, RTO officials were set to visit several schools and make students aware of the traffic rules and their role. 

Furthermore, during this road safety week, ST drivers swore to strictly abide by the traffic rules with a clearer understanding of special road safety.