Transfer the Registration Certificate (RC) of the second hand car in your name

For this, you should fill out and submit Form 29 & Form 30, issued by the RTO in the jurisdiction you live in (Find the RTO closest to your residence here). The form should be signed by both the previous owner and you. If the car is registered in a different jurisdiction from yours, then an NOC from that jurisdiction’s RTO will help speed the process. This registers the transaction.

After submission, the local RTO initiates the transfer. You will receive a receipt within 15-18 days and the name-changed RC copy by the 40th-45th day. In the interim, copies of these forms or the receipt work as proof of transaction.

Once the RC is transferred, there are also a few other important things to take care of:

• Most important, getting the second hand car insurance policy transferred in your name, or buying a new one altogether. (Details in the next section)
• Check form 32 & 35 to ensure that there are no pre-existing pending loans on the second hand car you are buying.
• If buying a second hand car bought by the previous owner on finance, ensure that you get the original invoice of the car. Also get the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the car finance company.
• Service book to check the history of service records Road tax receipts with the last updated payment before you buy second hand car
• Bi-fuel certification if the car is CNG/LPG fitted.
• Valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate

Get the second-hand car insurance in your name

It’s as important to have a valid insurance policy copy in your name as it is to get the registration transferred. If the RC is registered in your name and the policy is still under the previous owner’s, then the insurance policy stands nullified! So, it’s very important to transfer the insurance in your name after buying second hand car.

There can be 3 possible ways to get the second hand car insurance in your name

A name change in the previous owner’s policy

In case you want to transfer the second hand car insurance, it has to be a process parallel to the transfer of ownership. Many second hand car sellers, as well as buyers, are unaware of this key point and assume that the previous owner’s policy is valid. The photocopy of the receipts/form 29/30 can be used to apply for the name transfer on the second hand car’s insurance policy. As for the process, you just need to contact the insurance company, an agent of the company or a broker like us who can help you with the process.

If the previous owner doesn’t have an insurance policy

We’ve had a couple of cases where the previous owner didn’t hold a valid car insurance. Once the customer had the RC transferred to his name after the purchase, it is mandatory to apply for a new car insurance policy – there is no two ways about it!

What if I want to buy a fresh policy in my own name?

It is actually the best option to buy a new policy in your own name. It helps you buy the policy from the company of your choice, at a price you are comfortable with and start your journey on a clean chit, without any baggage from the previous owner. It also helps you negotiate a better price from the seller.