Shillong is a pristine mountain city in the state of Meghalaya and is a famous tourist destination. Being the capital city of Meghalaya, Shillong is also the headquarter of many important government organisations. 

To maintain the smooth traffic flow and convenience throughout the city, there are 4 RTO offices in Shillong. The codes are ML-01, ML-02, ML-03 and ML-05. These RTO offices are responsible for governing traffic laws in the vicinity and monitoring traffic offences.

The list of functions that Shillong RTO offices perform are:

• Vehicle registration 

• Transferring vehicle ownership

• Removing hypothecation

• Issuance of vehicle fitness certificate

• Motor vehicle tax collection

• Issuance and renewal of driving licence

• Issuance of duplicate driving licence

• Providing special driving permits

• Providing Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates

Shillong RTO offers different types of driving licence to people, which are as follows:

• Two-wheelers with gear driving licence

• Light motor vehicle driving licence

• Transport vehicle driving licence

Shillong RTO is responsible for offering vehicle registration certificates to drivers. They are as follows:

• Temporary registration 

• Permanent registration

Shillong RTO offices follow the vehicle registration charges of Meghalaya. These charges are as follows:

• Less than 65 kg two-wheelers: ₹300

• 65 kgs to 90 kgs two-wheelers: ₹300

• 90 kgs to 135 kgs two-wheelers: ₹300

• Two-wheelers above 135 kg: ₹300

• Private three-wheelers: ₹600

• Four-wheelers up to ₹3 lakh: ₹600

• Four-wheelers above ₹3 lakh: ₹600

• Four-wheelers up to ₹15 lakh: ₹600

• Four-wheelers up to ₹20 lakh: ₹600

The Meghalaya road tax structure is followed throughout Shillong. This tax structure is mentioned below:

• Less than 65 kg two-wheelers: ₹1100 

• 65 kgs to 90 kgs two-wheelers: ₹1800

• 90 kgs to 135 kgs two-wheelers: ₹2500

• Two-wheelers above 135 kg: ₹2990

• Private three-wheelers: ₹2500

• Four-wheelers up to ₹3 lakh: 4% on the vehicle’s original cost

• Four-wheelers above ₹3 lakh: 6% on the vehicle’s original cost

• Four-wheelers up to ₹15 lakh: 8% on the vehicle’s original cost

• Four-wheelers up to ₹20 lakh: 10% on the vehicle’s original cost

If you do not follow the traffic rules in Shillong, you will need to pay the traffic fines. Like all other parts of the state, Shillong also follows the same traffic fine structure as Meghalaya. Following is the traffic fine structure followed in Shillong as well as throughout Meghalaya:

• Driving without wearing a seatbelt or helmet: ₹1000

• Excess luggage carrying(first time): ₹500

• Excess luggage carrying(subsequent times): ₹1500

• Minor driving: ₹25000

• Drunken driving: ₹10000

• Driving unregistered vehicle: ₹2000

• Overspeeding LMVs: ₹1000

• Overspeeding medium goods and passenger vehicles: ₹2000

• Without licence driving: ₹5000

• Disobeying no-parking (first time): ₹500

• Disobeying no-parking (subsequent times): ₹1500

• Rash driving (first time): ₹5000

• Rash driving (subsequent times): ₹10000

• Drunken driving: ₹10000

• Triple riding: ₹1000

• Blocking passage of emergency vehicles: ₹10000

Like all other parts of Meghalaya, Shillong RTOs also consider it mandatory to have motor insurance while driving on the road. Vehicle insurance helps to manage accident damage, and it is also legally important. Disobeying this rule can cause a fine of ₹2000.

Shillong is a hilly region, and due to this, local people have witnessed different unfortunate road events. The news has been reported of the death of a priest and three nuns in north Shillong because of a truck and car collision.

However, local RTOs are very prompt in managing all vehicle-related matters in the city, and they also take effective steps to spread traffic rule awareness.

On January 2023, employees of Reliance Jio and Shillong Traffic Police organised a road safety awareness program in Shillong. The main motive of this campaign was to reduce the chances of drunken driving, overspeeding and other traffic rules breaking instances.