Apply In-Person

• To Temporary Register a Vehicle in Tamil Nadu the applicant has to approach the RTO office to which your area belongs to. Following link can provide you information related to the list of RTO office : RTO Office List
• Make sure you have completed application form 20, 21, 22, 22-A. Application forms can be obtained from the following link : Application Forms
• Also make sure you have all the necessary documents that has been listed under the “Required Documents” section of this page.
• The applicant should make sure they are eligible for applying for the license by reading through the eligibility criteria that has been listed out under the “Eligibility” section of this page.
• Application forms can also be obtained from the appropriate RTO offices that should be completed and presented with appropriate fees.
• Present the completed application forms in one of the counter and pay the appropriate fee where the officials would start processing your application.

Application forms can be downloaded from the following link : Application Forms

1. Application form: Form 20 (in Duplicate if it is with HP)
2. Aadhaar Card
3. Sales certificate in Form-21
4. Pollution under control and road worthiness certificate in Form-22 from manufacturer
5. Pollution under control and road worthiness certificate in Form-22 A, where body is fabricated
6. Pan card or GIR or Form-60/61 of I.T. Department
7. Insurance Certificate
8. Proof of address (any one of the following):

a) Ration Card

b) Electoral Roll

c) LIC Policy

d) Passport size photo

e) Affidavit sworn by the applicant before an Executive or First Class Judicial Magistrate or Notary public

Transport Department
Ezhilagam, Chepauk, Chennai - 600 005.
Contacts: 044-28520682.
Fax: 28412244.

Tamil Nadu State - Transport Department Contacts: RTO Office List

• Owner of vehicle.
  
• Dealer can apply on behalf of the owner of the vehicle.

Fees to be paid for temporary registration of a vehicle (i) 2% of Life Time Tax (ii) Rs.40/- + Service charges Rs.100/- with vehicle tax

Fees related information can be obtained from the following link : Fee information

Temporary registration is valid for one month

Application in Form20
Sales certificate in Form 21
Pollution under control and road worthiness certificate - Form 22 where body fabricated.

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Time limit for getting temporary registration of vehicle is 3 Days.

Tamil Nadu – Apply for Temporary Registration of Vehicles
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• The owner of a motor vehicle may apply to any registering authority or other prescribed authority to have the vehicle temporarily registered. Such temporary registration shall be valid only for a month and it shall not be renewable.
  
• The basic purpose of such registration is to safeguard the public and public property interests. i.e. if any damage is caused by such vehicle the same can be identified and traced out. Furthermore the taxes levied on the vehicle for plying on the road as road tax which is used for maintaining the fund for maintenance of the roads.

• Full name of person to be registered as Registered owner
• Date of Birth
• Age
• Permanent Address
• Temporary Address / Official Address
• Duration of stay at the present address
• Annual income
• Name and address of the Dealer or Manufacturer from whom the vehicle was purchased
• Particulars of Vehicle
  • Class of vehicle
  • The motor vehicle is
    • A new vehicle
    • Ex-army vehicle
    • Imported vehicle
  • Type of body
  • Type of vehicle
  • Maker's Name
  • Month and Year of manufacture
  • Number of cylinders
  • Horse power
  • Cubic capacity
  • Maker's classification if not known, wheel base
  • Chassis No. (Affix Pencil print)
  • Engine Number or Motor Number in case of Battery Operated Vehicles.
  • Seating capacity (including driver)
  • Fuel used in the engine

As per motor vehicle Act any vehicle who has to ply on the public roads need to be registered as per the law. Since the registration process is long therefore on buying the new vehicle the owner is provided with temporary registration number which is valid for one month from date of sale and during the said period the owner should get his vehicle permanently registered with RTO concerned.

While driving you have to keep the original R.C. Book, Insurance of your Bike, Tax Token, Pollution Certificate with your Vehicle. On Road, the Motor vehicle Inspector ask you for all these papers. Those papers should not be expired.

Numbering of vehicle in India is done at Regional/Sub Regional Transport Offices located in various states. Each vehicle number has prescribed format. Take an example of a vehicle number TN-75 A 9999, where 'TN' denotes state code for Tamil Nadu State, '75' denotes RTOs code for Marthandam, 'A' denotes series and '9999' denotes running serial number between 1 and 9999.

A list of RTOs in Tamil Nadu and the assigned codes for vehicle registration.

TN-01 Chennai City - Central (RTO @ Ayanavaram)
TN-02 Chennai City - North West (RTO @ Anna Nagar)
TN-03 Chennai City - North East (RTO @ Tondiarpet)
TN-04 Chennai City - East (RTO @ Royapuram)
TN-05 Chennai City - North (RTO @ Kolathur)
TN-06 Chennai City - South East (RTO @ Mandavelli)
TN-07 Chennai City - South (RTO @ Thiruvanmiyur)
TN-09 Chennai City - West (RTO @ K. K. Nagar)
TN-10 Chennai City - South West (RTO @ Virugambakkam)
TN-11 Chennai Suburban- South-2 (RTO @ Tambaram)
TN-12 Chennai Suburban- West (RTO @ Poonamallee)
TN-13 Chennai Suburban- North West (RTO @ Ambattur)
TN-14 Chennai Suburban- South East (RTO @ Sholinganallur)
TN-15 Ulundurpet/Kallakurichi
TN-16 Tindivanam /Gingee
TN-18 Chennai Suburban- North (RTO @ Red Hills)
TN-19 Chengalpattu/ Madurantakam
TN-20 Tiruvallur
TN-21 Kanchipuram/Sriperumbudur
TN-22 Chennai Suburban- South 1 (RTO @ Meenambakkam)
TN-23 Vellore/Gudiyatham
TN-24 Krishnagiri
TN-25 Thiruvannamalai/Arani
TN-27 Salem District (Defunct)
TN-28 Namakkal North / Rasipuram
TN-29 Dharmapuri/Palacode / Harur
TN-30 Salem West / Omalur
TN-31 Cuddalore/Chidambaram/Virudhachalam/Neyveli/Panruti
TN-32 Villupuram
TN-33 Erode East
TN-34 Thiruchengode
TN-36 Gobichettipalayam/Bhavani/Satyamangalam
TN-37 Coimbatore South /Sulur
TN-38 Coimbatore North
TN-39 Tirupur North/Avinashi
TN-40 Mettupalayam
TN-41 Pollachi /Valparai
TN-42 Tirupur South/Kangeyam
TN-43 Ooty/Gudalur
TN-45 Tiruchirapalli West / Manapparai
TN-46 Perambalur
TN-47 Karur/Aravakurichi/Kulithalai
TN-48 Srirangam/Musiri/Thuraiyur/Lalgudi
TN-49 Thanjavur/Pattukottai
TN-50 Tiruvarur/Mannargudi/Thiruthuraipoondi
TN-51 Nagapattinam
TN-52 Sankagiri/Mettur
TN-54 Salem East

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

More information can be obtained from this link

More information which might help people.