The city of Belgaum is located in Karnataka. It is famous for its many temples and it also has several ancient mosques. Due to this, the city receives several pilgrims throughout the year but the roads have no congestion or issues with traffic. The road administration is well taken care of by the KA-22 RTO office which is efficient in all its duties.

Various functions of RTO Belgaum are mentioned below:

• To levy and collect taxes. 

• To conduct driving tests and issue driving licences; to renew driving licences.

• To conduct vehicle fitness tests and issue vehicle fitness certificates.

• To issue No Objection Certificates or NOCs to transfer vehicle ownership.

• To manage motor vehicle permits in order to facilitate growth and development of road transportation. 

• To ensure the enforcement of rules and regulations under the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988 and the Central Motor Vehicle Act 1989. 

• To issue permanent and temporary vehicle registrations.

• To issue tourist vehicle permits and permits for good carriages.

• To enforce measures to control pollution caused by vehicles. 

Different types of driving licences issued in Belgaum are:

• Licence for two-wheelers 

• Licence four-wheelers 

• Licence for vehicles without gear

• Licence for light motor vehicles for commercial and non-transport purposes 

• Licence for heavy passenger motor vehicles and heavy goods motor vehicles 

Different types of vehicle registrations in Belgaum are as follows:

• Permanent Licence

• Temporary Licence

Registration charges for new vehicles under RTO are as follows:

• Charges for registration: ₹600 for every four-wheeler

• Charges for changing of number plate: ₹230 to ₹400; charges are the same for High-Security Registration Plates or HSRP number plates. 

• Hypothecation: ₹1500 for vehicles that are bought on loan

• Temporary Registration Charges: ₹1200 to ₹1500, temporary registration is valid for a month 

RTO Belgaum follows the charges levied by the RTO Karnataka. The road tax rate increases as the vehicle gets older. The Karnataka road tax charges are mentioned below:

• For two-wheelers: 10% to 93% depending on the age of the vehicle

• For four-wheelers: 13% to 93% depending on the age of the vehicle

The government of Karnataka does not levy different road taxes for private and commercial vehicles.

Not following traffic rules makes vehicle owners subject to penalties. RTO Belgaum follows the penalties levied according to  Karnataka traffic fines.  The penalty charges are mentioned below:

• Charges for driving a vehicle without a number plate: ₹1000 for both two-wheelers and four-wheelers

• Charges for driving an unauthorised vehicle: ₹5000

• Charges for using a cell phone while driving: ₹1000

• Charges for driving by a minor: ₹5000

• Charges for driving without a licence: Between ₹1000 to ₹5000

• Charges for blocking the path of emergency vehicles: ₹1000

Yes, it is mandatory to have a motor insurance while driving in Belgaum. Not having proper vehicle insurance will lead to the vehicle owners being subject to penalties. This may also lead to imprisonment. 

Penalty charges for driving without proper insurance are between ₹1000 to ₹4000.

• As per report, an accident of a canter truck carrying a number of passengers turned and fell on a pit in a highway resulting in the death of a minimum of 22 people. The truck driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to drive past a vehicle coming from in front. The truck then fell onto the pit killing 22 passengers and injuring the other 15. The government declared to compensate for the death of the labourers by paying ₹1 lakh to each of their families. While free treatment was provided to all those who suffered injuries. 
• In another report an accident between a Maruti Omni and 2 scooters resulted in 2 people suffering severe injuries. The driver of the car was speeding and collided with 2 scooters. After the collision, both drivers fell from the over bridge to the road below. Both the drivers sustained injuries and the driver of the van was also injured.

The Wise Rider Campaign for safe driving was started by the Rotary Club of Belgaum. The campaign aimed at educating people about the importance of following safety rules. It focused on age groups starting from the age of 10.