Kohima is the capital city of Nagaland and the most important city in the state. Being one of the most populous cities in the state, Kohima's local government ensures a well-maintained city life. In this regard, all vehicle-related matters are monitored and regulated by Kohima RTO, which has the code number NL-01. 

Kohima RTO is responsible for maintaining smooth traffic throughout the city, helping drivers with licence and vehicle registration, making traffic laws and enforcing them, etc.

All the functions of Kohima RTO are listed below:

• Vehicle registration

• Offering learner’s and permanent driving licences

• Transferring vehicle ownership

• Vehicle inspection and providing vehicle fitness certificate

• Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates

• Providing NOC while registering vehicles in the other states

Different types of driving licence provided by Kohima RTO are as follows:

• Learners’ Licence

• Permanent Driving Licence

• International Driving Licence

• Commercial Driving Licence

After the complete verification of documents, Kohima RTO provides registration certificates to the individuals. Like all other parts of Nagaland, here, people also get two types of vehicle registration:

• Temporary Registration 

• Permanent registration

As per the type of vehicle, drivers need to pay a fixed amount to Kohima RTO as a registration charge. These charges are:

• Invalid Carriages: ₹50

• Non-transport LMVs: ₹600

• Transport LMVs: ₹1000

• Imported LMVs: ₹5000

• Medium goods and passenger vehicles: ₹1000

• Motor cycle: ₹300

• Imported motorcycle: ₹2500

• HMVs: ₹1500

Kohima RTO follows the Nagaland road tax structure. These road taxes are fixed as per the price and weight of the vehicles. The list is mentioned below:

• Two-wheelers: 5% of the vehicle’s cost

• Three-wheelers: 10% of the vehicle’s cost

• Four-wheelers: 5% of the vehicle’s cost

• Transport vehicles 

  • 1-2 metric tonnes: ₹500 per year
  • 2 to 5 metric tonnes: ₹1000 per year
  • 5 to 10 metric tonnes: ₹1500 per year
  • 10 to 20 metric tonnes: ₹2000 per year
  • 20 to 30 metric tonnes: ₹2500 per year
  • Above 30 metric tonnes: ₹3000 per year

• Non-transport vehicles: 5% of the vehicle’s cost

Kohima RTO monitors traffic rules throughout the city and also levies fines on people who disobey these rules. The traffic fines in Kohima are as follows:

• Triple riding: ₹1000

• Driving without a seatbelt and helmet: ₹1000

• Minor driving: ₹25000

• Rash driving (first time): ₹5000

• Rash driving (subsequent times): ₹10000

• Drunken driving: ₹10000

• Overloading: ₹2000

• Driving without a licence: ₹5000

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

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

• Breaking traffic signals (first time): ₹5000

• Breaking traffic signals (subsequent times): ₹10000

• Talking on a phone while driving (first time): ₹5000

• Talking on a phone while driving (subsequent time): ₹10000

Yes, it is mandatory to have motor insurance to drive a vehicle in Kohima. Vehicle insurance is a 3rd party insurance where you get money coverage to manage any accident damage to your vehicle. Driving without insurance is an offence in Kohima, and you have to pay ₹2000 as a fine.

Kohima has witnessed several unfortunate road events recently. One of them is the news of the death of 1 person and the injury of 8 because of an SUV accident. The car fell into a deep gorge on 20th May 2023, which caused this fatal accident. Another same incident was reported at the end of the previous year, where two people died, and four got injured.

Apart from these, throughout Nagaland, including Kohima, overloading is spotted as a serious and repeated issue which is why the Motor Vehicles Department of Nagaland Transport has been taking preventive measures.

A recent road safety campaign was organised by Kohima Police in the latter part of 2022, where people have got knowledge of traffic rules and how to be safe on roads. Apart from this, the local government is also taking effective steps to monitor traffic offences and make people understand the value of obeying traffic rules.