Ernakulam is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala. Besides being an important trade centre in ancient times, it is the commercial capital of Kerala generating the highest revenue among all the districts. So, more and more people are looking to settle here which has increased the traffic of the place. Ernakulam RTO (KL-07) regulates seamless traffic conditions in the vicinity of Ernakulam offering motor vehicle permits, pollution control certificates, etc.

Here is the list of functions Ernakulam RTO performs:

• Monitor the rules of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways 

• Collect road taxes

• Issue and renew driving licences

• Undertake vehicle inspection

• Grant motor vehicle permits 

• Issue vehicle fitness certificates

• Issue and renew vehicle registration certificates

• Provide PUC certificates

• Conduct vehicle fitness tests 

• Transfer vehicle ownership

• Conduct traffic awareness campaigns

The residents of Ernakulam can avail all these types of driving licences Ernakulam RTO offers: 

• Learner’s Licence

• Permanent Driving Licence

• Commercial Driving Licence

• International Driving Licence

It is obligatory to register a vehicle immediately after purchasing it as per the Motor Vehicle Act. Ernakulam RTO offers 2 types of vehicle registration to the people: 

• Permanent Registration

• Temporary Registration 

The RTO verifies the documents of the applicants and issues a unique registration number on the vehicle.

Following are the vehicle registration charges of Ernakulam RTO: 

• Number Plate Charges (same for HSRP Number Plate): ₹230 to ₹400

• Registration Charges: ₹600 (for all cars)

• Temporary Registration Charges (for up to 1 month): ₹1500 to ₹2500

• Hypothecation Charges (if purchased on a loan): ₹1500

• Parking Fee or State Development Charges: ₹2000 (cars under ₹4 Lakhs) to ₹4000 (cars above ₹4 Lakhs)

• FasTag Charges: ₹500 to ₹600

Ernakulam RTO follows the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation Act of 1976, according to which every individual owning a vehicle has to pay Kerala road taxes: 

Two-wheelers:

• New motorcycles: 6% of the value of the vehicle

Four-wheelers:

• Less than ₹5 Lakhs: 6% of the value of the vehicle

• Between ₹5 Lakhs to ₹10 Lakhs: 8% of the value of the vehicle

• Between ₹10 Lakhs to ₹20 Lakhs: 10% to 15% of the value of the vehicle

• Above ₹20 Lakhs: 20% of the value of the vehicle

• Engine capacity within 1500 cc (under ₹20 Lakhs): 6% of the value of the vehicle

• Engine capacity within 1500 cc (above ₹20 Lakhs): 20% of the value of the vehicle

Vehicles from Other Indian States:

• Up to 1 year: 6% of the purchase value

• Between 1 year and 5 years: 5.58% to 4.38% of the purchase value

• Between 5 years and 10 years: 4.02% to 2.40% of the purchase value

• More than 10 years and below 15 years: 1.98% to 0.24% of the purchase value

If you don’t follow traffic rules in Ernakulam, you can be penalised as per the provisions of the traffic fines in Kerala. These are the most occurring traffic fines in Ernakulam: 

• Driving without a Licence: ₹5000 or/and community service

• Driving with No Seat Belt On: ₹1000 or/and community service

• Using Mobile while Driving: ₹5000

• Over-speeding: ₹1000 to ₹2000 (LMV) and ₹2000 to ₹4000 (MPV or HPV) along with licence seizure

• Drunk Driving: ₹10000 and/or 6 months in prison and ₹15000 and/or 2 years in prison for repetitive violation

• Riding with No Helmet On: ₹1000 and or licence seizure and community service for 3 months

• Blocking Emergency Vehicles: ₹10000 or/and community service

• Violating Road Rules: ₹500 to ₹1000

Yes, it is mandatory to have motor insurance while driving in Ernakulam. If the RTO officials catch someone without insurance, that individual is liable to pay a ₹2000 fine for the first offence. However, the penalty will be ₹4000 for the second time.

Ernakulam district witnessed a significant rise in road accidents and related fatalities recently. A report states 6479 accidents occurred in 2022 in this district. Another recent report confirms 2 youngsters' death in two separate road accidents in the city. Both victims were reported as motorcyclists. They died after the cars hit them.

To reduce road accidents, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) Shipyard launched a campaign in Ernakulam. It was named Thanks, Sorry, Please (TSP culture on Road Traffic) along with Cochin Shipyard. The primary objective was to incorporate a good road traffic culture to increase public awareness.

Another event reports the Motor Vehicles Department to exhort motorists to uphold road ethics with Kerala High Court judge Devan Ramachandran. They also highlighted the Thanks, Sorry, Please (TSP) culture on this note.