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Commercial vehicle registration and permits: documents, fees and how to apply online and offline

Vehicles used for hire need commercial registration, fitness, insurance and a goods or contract carriage permit; battery-operated vehicles are exempt from the permit requirement.

Issued byState Transport Department / Regional Transport Office (Vahan)
Government feeSet by the State
Usual time1 to 4 weeks
ValidityPermits usually 5 years
Apply on the official portalApplying is free of agents; pay only the government fee shown on the portal.
Open the portal

How to apply online, step by step

  1. Register vehicles and apply for permits on the Parivahan (Vahan) portal; pay fees online.

How to apply offline (in person)

  1. Visit the RTO for inspection and document checks where required.

Documents required for Commercial vehicle registration and permits, and how to get each

Constitution documents: incorporation certificate, MoA and AoA (company), LLP agreement, or partnership deed

Get it online

  1. Company: the Certificate of Incorporation, e-MoA and e-AoA come with SPICe+ on the MCA portal.
  2. LLP: the LLP agreement is filed in Form 3 on the MCA portal within 30 days of incorporation.

Get it in person

  1. Partnership: print the deed on stamp paper of the value the State prescribes, sign before witnesses, notarise, and register it with the State Registrar of Firms.

Fee: Stamp duty as per the State · Time: With incorporation · Official site

PAN card of each founder / director / partner

Get it online

  1. Instant e-PAN: on the Income Tax e-filing portal choose 'Instant e-PAN', enter Aadhaar and the OTP; the e-PAN PDF arrives in minutes, free.
  2. Or apply on Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL with Form 49A for a printed card.

Get it in person

  1. Fill Form 49A at a PAN centre (Protean / UTIITSL facilitation centre), attach ID, address and date of birth proof and a photo, pay the fee; the card is posted to you.

Fee: Instant e-PAN free; printed card about Rs 107 (Indian address) · Time: Minutes (e-PAN); about 2 weeks (printed card) · Official site

Proof of the business address: rent agreement or ownership papers, owner's NOC, and a recent utility bill

Get it online

  1. Rented premises: buy an e-stamp paper for the rent agreement online (SHCIL e-stamping in most States) and get it signed by both sides; some States register leave-and-licence agreements online.
  2. Get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the owner allowing business use of the address.
  3. Download the latest electricity, water or gas bill of the premises (not older than 2 months).

Get it in person

  1. Buy stamp paper from a licensed vendor or the sub-registrar's office, draft the agreement, sign before witnesses and notarise it (register it at the sub-registrar's office if the State requires).
  2. Ask the owner for a signed NOC and a copy of the property tax receipt or utility bill.

Fee: Stamp duty as per the State; notary fee nominal · Time: 1 to 3 days · Official site

Questions people ask

How much does Commercial vehicle registration and permits cost?

Set by the State

How long does Commercial vehicle registration and permits take?

1 to 4 weeks

Who issues Commercial vehicle registration and permits?

State Transport Department / Regional Transport Office (Vahan)

Can I apply for Commercial vehicle registration and permits without an agent?

Yes. Every step above can be done by the founder on the official portal or at the office; agents and consultants are optional.

Official source: https://morth.nic.in/. Rules and fees change; the official page is the authority. Checked October 2026.

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