Located in the western part of Tamil Nadu State, Coimbatore is lively and has prominent industries, which lead to a rapid influx in traffic. Therefore, the RTO and its offices in Coimbatore are necessary if order in traffic movement is to be ensured. 

The RTO Coimbatore effectively provides vehicle-related services such as accreditation, licencing, and pollution.

This guide would be helpful if you want information regarding RTO offices in Coimbatore and their services.

The RTO offices in Coimbatore play a significant role in delivering important public services concerning vehicle ownership and registration, thus enhancing road safety. 

Here are the essential services of RTOs in the city of Coimbatore:

1. Vehicle Registration

In order to acquire a registration number, any vehicle, whether new or used, needs to be registered. All the services of Coimbatore RTO that pertain to the registration of the vehicle include the following:

• New Vehicle Registration: 

It should be noted that both personal and commercial vehicles MUST be registered with the R TO. Upon completion of registration, a Registration Certificate (RC) is generated. The registration certificate for a private car is valid for 15 years, while it is only valid for 2 years for a commercial vehicle.

Required Documents: Sale invoice, insurance, identity proof, address proof, and a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate are necessary.

• Temporary and Permanent Registration: 

Dealers often provide temporary registration for up to one month or seven days. At this time, the vehicle owner must obtain permanent registration.

• Transfer of Ownership: 

Every time a second-hand vehicle is purchased or sold, its ownership is recorded in the proper records. The RTO makes the necessary changes to RC with reasons according to the ownership change.

• Renewal of Registration: 

Once the initial registration expires (after 15 years for personal vehicles), the owner must renew the RC to continue using the vehicle legally.

2. Driving Licences

The RTO Coimbatore issues driving licences for different categories depending on the driver's needs.

• Learner's Licence: 

It is the first step towards getting a driving licence. A learner’s licence is issued to a person who passes a test on the principles of the road and the appropriate road signals.

• Permanent Driving Licence: 

Learning a learner’s licence is held for at least 30 days; then the applicants get a permanent driving licence.

• Renewal of Driving Licence: 

A person wishing to renew the driving licence is obliged to wait at least every 20 years and no more than when he/she turns 50 years.

• International Driving Permit (IDP): 

Coimbatore RTO also issues International driving permits where those who possess them can drive in the after-issued countries for not more than a year.

• Duplicate Driving Licence: 

If a driving licence is lost, stolen, or damaged, a duplicate can be issued upon providing the required documents and paying the necessary fee. 

• Licence Endorsements and Upgrades: 

Drivers can upgrade their licences to include new categories, such as moving from a private to a commercial vehicle licence.

3. Vehicle Permits

The Coimbatore RTO regulates permits for commercial vehicles to ensure legal compliance.

• Commercial Vehicle Permits: 

Vehicles such as taxis, buses, and trucks need permits to travel across state borders.

• Temporary and National Permits: 

Temporary permits allow vehicles to be used for specific short-term purposes, while national permits are needed for interstate transport of goods and passengers.

4. Road Tax Collection

Road tax is payable at the time of new vehicle registration for the first time or re-registration.

•  Lifetime Road Tax: 

Private vehicles are subject to a one-time road tax payment at registration, calculated based on the class and value of the vehicle.

• Annual Road Tax: 

Commercial vehicles must pay an annual road tax, based on the vehicle’s size and type.

5. Fitness Certificate for Vehicles

All persons using commercial vehicles should have them licenced under the fitness regulations within the country. The RTO provides the following services:

• Issuance of Fitness Certificate: 

The vehicle fitness certificates of the commercial vehicles are issued at the RTO within the stipulated time and except for the validity once issued, should be renewed following a vehicle safety assessment.

• Renewal of Fitness Certificate: 

Fitness certificates, like registration, are issued for specific durations and must be renewed according to the vehicle’s type and usage.

6. Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUC)

The non-pollution certificate has been issued to the vehicles which comply with certain permissible limits of emissions. The RTO administers this process:

• Issuance of PUC: 

Here vehicles are provided a PUC certificate after conformity to the emission test, with the certificate being valid for a period of between 6 months and a year. This reduces the level of air pollution on the roads.

• PUC Verification: 

The RTO regularly checks vehicles on the road to ensure they carry a valid PUC certificate.

7. No Objection Certificates (NOC)

When a vehicle is transferred to another state or RTO jurisdiction, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) is required. This service enhances the more legal way of handing over the vehicle:

• Transfer of Vehicle to Another State:

A NOC from the current RTO is necessary to register the vehicle in a new state without complications.

• Inter-RTO Transfer: 

Even when moving a vehicle within the same state but to a different RTO area, NOC is necessary for the movement of the vehicle from one RTO to the other.

8. Hypothecation Services

In case a vehicle is bought by a loan, the details about the lender are added to the RC at the time of registration. These hypothecation services are available in Coimbatore RTO:

• Addition of Hypothecation: 

When a vehicle is financed, the lender’s details are included in the RC, reflecting the loan arrangement.

• Removal of Hypothecation: 

Once the loan has been cleared by the borrower, the borrower can request to have the hypothecator's details deleted from the RC.

9. Enforcement and Road Safety Measures

The RTO ensures that traffic laws are followed and promotes road safety. These involve the following:

• Enforcement of Traffic Laws: 

The construction and maintenance of RTOs is chiefly to enforce traffic laws and impose penalties on traffic offences such as over-speeding, drinking & driving.

•  Road Safety Awareness Programs: 

Trust of the RTO with other institutions helps in holding programs, whose aim is to inform the societies of traffic regulations and ways of driving safely.

The services provided by the Coimbatore RTO proves at every point to be of great to ensuring that the transportation system of the city is effective and safe for all road users.

Driving licence is mandatory for all drivers to drive in India. The Coimbatore’s RTO offices conduct these tests. They provide these types of driving licences to the residents. 

• Permanent driving licences
• Learner’s Licence
• Commercial driving licence
• International Licence

The RTO offices in Coimbatore are in charge of ensuring that all vehicles go through the legal registration process, whether it is temporary or permanent. They manage registration systems for vehicles for their types and purposes. The Coimbatore RTO provides two types of registration services mainly described below:

1. Temporary Registration

Temporary registration is a provisional number plate which has been assigned for a vehicle to a temporary state before formal registration of the vehicle is undertaken. This is usually arranged by the dealer at the time of buying the car or just before allowing the car to be driven with the permanent plates still being processed.

Key Points: 

• Validity: The temporary registration, on the other hand, is valid for a period not exceeding 1 month from the date it was issued.
• Purpose: This provision permits the vehicle owner to drive the car on the roads without being penalized for lack of registration especially when the process of permanent registration is underway.
• Issuing Authority: Though temporary registration is often handled by the dealer, it can also be obtained directly from the RTO. There are cases where vehicle owners may need immediate use of the car, and in such instances, temporary registration or duplicates are provided by dealers.

If the permanent registration hasn’t been completed before the expiry of the temporary registration, then the vehicle owner can apply for the extension. However, this extension is granted only under specific conditions.

2. Permanent Registration

In India, all motor vehicles are required to have a permanent registration. Permanent registration is valid for 15 years in the case of private vehicles and only for 2 years for commercial vehicles in most cases. Once this process has been taken to completion, the vehicle owners get the legal right to drive on the road.

Key Points: 

• Application Timeline: Applications for permanent registration must be submitted before the temporary registration period expires.
• Registration Certificate (RC): RC is the proof of vehicle ownership and is issued by the relevant authority RTO and is a very important document that a vehicle owner must have while driving a vehicle. 
• Validity: For personal vehicles, the permanent registration is valid for 15 years and must be renewed every 5 years after that. 

Commercial vehicles require renewal every 2 years.

Permanent registration is mandatory. Not permanently registering a vehicle within the times prescribed would entail fines or other forms of punishment.

The RTO offices in Coimbatore issue various types of number plates, each catering to different kinds of vehicles. Here is a summary of the types of number plates provided by the RTO.

• Blue number plate
• White number plate
• Red number plate
• Number plate with an upward arrow
• Yellow number plate
• Green number plate
• Red number plate with an emblem of India

When registering a new vehicle, RTO offices in Coimbatore impose specific registration fees. Below are the charges applicable in the city:

• Two-Wheelers/Bikes Registration Charge: ₹300
• Four-Wheelers/Cars Registration Charge: ₹600
• Light Goods Vehicle Registration Charge: ₹1,000
• Auto Rickshaw Registration Charge: ₹1,000
• Tourist Taxi Registration Charge: ₹1,000
• Maxi Cab or Cars Over 6 sq. mt Registration Charge: ₹1,000

Road tax is a major revenue source for the government. The RTO offices in Coimbatore collect road taxes following a system similar to the Tamil Nadu road tax structure. Here’s a breakdown of the applicable road tax:

For Two-wheelers

• Two-Wheelers/Bikes Road Tax: 8% of the vehicle’s valuation
• Light Goods Vehicle Road Tax: ₹19,200

For Four-wheelers

• Four-Wheelers/Cars Road Tax: 10% of the vehicle’s valuation for cars priced within ₹10 lakhs, and 15% of the vehicle’s valuation for cars priced above ₹10 lakhs.
• Auto Rickshaw Road Tax: ₹1,400 for five years.
• Tourist Taxi Road Tax: 10% of the vehicle’s valuation for taxis priced within ₹10 lakhs, and 15% for those priced above ₹10 lakhs
• Maxi Cab or Cars Over 6 sq. mt Road Tax: 10% of the vehicle’s valuation for cabs priced within ₹10 lakhs, and 15% for those above ₹10 lakhs.

As per the Motor Vehicle Act of India, it is mandatory to have motor insurance when driving in Coimbatore. It is equally important to obtain this insurance from a reliable provider.

In the event that law enforcement officers ask for your insurance documents and you are unable to provide valid insurance, you will face a fine of ₹2000 for the first offence, and ₹4000 for any repeated violations.

When conducting any vehicle-related transactions, such as purchasing a new or used vehicle, it's necessary to register them at the Coimbatore RTO. To verify the legitimacy of both the vehicle and its owner, a set of specific documents must be submitted. Below is a detailed list of the required documents:

1. Form 20 – Application for Registration of a New Vehicle

This form is compulsory in case a new vehicle is being registered as it contains details of the new vehicle.

2. Sale Certificate (Form 21)

The dealer issues this document as evidence of purchase with the transaction date and parties i.e. buyer and seller.

3. Roadworthiness Certificate (Form 22)

The form is issued by the vehicle's manufacturer stating that the vehicle meets the requirements of the law on motor vehicles and is thus fit for use.

4. Vehicle Insurance Certificate

Also, a valid insurance document must be presented to register a vehicle. At least a third-party liability insurance policy is compulsory; however, other types are preferable.

5. Temporary Registration Certificate (where necessary)

Where the vehicle dealer issued a temporary registration number before applying for permanent registration, it should be attached.

6. PUC (Pollution Under Control Certificate)

The vehicle control authority issues the pollution under control (PUC) document only when a certain level of automobile emissions is reached.

7. Invoice from the Dealer

A vehicle purchase receipt is essential for forming the dealer’s invoice as it contains crucial information about the vehicle, including details such as the make and model and its price.

8. Road Tax Payment Receipt

Road tax payment documentation must be provided and it varies with regard to the nature and worth of the Vehicle.

9. Identification of the Physical Person Behind the Vehicle

One of the following identification proofs is required for the vehicle owner:

•  Aadhaar card 
•  Voter ID card 
•  PAN card 
•  Passport 
•  Driving licence 

10. Address Proof of the Vehicle Owner

The owner must provide proof of their address in Coimbatore, which can include any of the following documents:

• Aadhaar card 
• Voter ID card 
• Passport 
• Utility bills (electricity, water, gas) which the owner pays 
• Lease contract (if renting a residence) 

11. Passport-Size Photographs

Recent passport-sized photographs must be submitted for documentation.

12. Customs Clearance Certificate (for imported Vehicles)

With regard to imported vehicles, a custom clearance certificate is available that prevents permanent internal taxation in the country where the vehicle is purchased and all the necessary taxes have been paid.

13. PAN Card or Form 60/61

If a vehicle is priced over ₹50,000 PAN card is a must for purchasing a vehicle and filing tax. However, if the buyer does not have a PAN card, such an individual has to fill out the form 60/61.

14. Bank NOC (if financed)

Where the vehicle is under loan financing, before the vehicle is registered in the buyer’s name, the buyer is required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the finance bank.

The Coimbatore city traffic police launched a three-day campaign that many expressed support by allocating 965 fines for parents who were riding motorcycles without a helmet to drop off or pick up their children from school. Concentration was put on parents who used two-wheelers to take their children to school without helmets. 

The city police commissioner, V Balakrishnan, made it clear that these parents should practice what they preach and that children should be taught to obey traffic rules. The fine of ₹1,000 is issued for not wearing a helmet.

Apart from this, from 22 to 29 August, the city police conducted a different campaign aimed at encouraging the zero use of illegal air horns. In this period, air horns were removed from 41 private buses and cases were booked against the owners of these vehicles as unfit for law.

As part of their proactive measures to ensure road safety, the Coimbatore Traffic Police organised an Awareness Campaign to celebrate the 35th Road Safety Week along with a local private school on Thursday, January 11, 2024. It was about 10 a.m. at the Ramanathapuram Signal, where the public was brought to awareness of driving safely.

Children took part and waved placards with strong calls to action, such as "Life is valuable, wear a helmet," "Driving under the influence leads to death on the road," and "Drive with care, life has no spare." These students went ahead and communicated with the drivers about the need for a helmet, not driving after drinking alcohol, and following the set traffic rules.

The drive brought out the importance of wearing a helmet as a way of preventing one from being killed in an accident, as well as avoiding operating a vehicle when one is under the influence of alcohol.