Why Is a Bike Registration Certificate (RC) Important?

Bike Registration Certificate (RC)

Do you know what is a RC book? Do you know that you cannot ride your bike on the Indian roads without a RC book? Let’s read more about it in this blog.

RC or Registration Certificate is a mandatory legal document that every bike owner must have to be able to ride his/her bike on the roads. As mandated by the government, a valid RC book is something that you must always carry while on the road with your bike. Not carrying the RC book might get the bike owner into legal hassles and incur penalties.

In this blog, we are discussing bike RC full form and the importance of RC bike documentation and its various aspects.

What is a RC or Registration Certificate for a bike?

A Bike RC or registration certificate is a mandatory legal document that every bike or any other vehicle owner must have to be able to ride his/her two-wheeler on the roads without any hassle. RC serves as a proof of the fact that the vehicle belongs to you and it is registered with the Indian Government. RC is generally available in the form of a smart card or a RC book. And as mandated by the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988, it is obligatory for every bike/car owner to carry the vehicle RC along, while driving a vehicle. So, RCs serve as a proof that you have registered your vehicle with the RTO of India and not having a RC might lead you to legal trouble if caught by the traffic cops on the road with your bike.

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Normally, the validity of a bike Registration stays active for 15 years starting the date of the RC being issued. However, it can be renewed for 5 years once it expires. On the other hand, temporary RCs are issued for a short duration of one month and once expired, a temporary RC cannot be renewed.

Information Available in a RC Smart Card

RC Smart Cards contain the information given below:

• Registration Date
• Registration Number
• Colour of Vehicle
• Type of Vehicle
• Engine Number
• Chassis Number
• Seating Capacity
• Model Number

It also contains fines and legal penalties that are levied in the event of unavailability of a Bike Registration Certificate.

As discussed above, you already know the importance of the certificate of registration and why it should be carried by the  vehicle owner all the time while on the road. Further, the importance of the RC is enhanced after you come to know of the penalties that are levied on a vehicle owner who rides a bike without a hard or soft copy of RC all the time. So, in the event of driving a vehicle without a copy of the RC book, your vehicle might be seized by the cops on the road. In terms of fine, you might be levied with 5,000 rupees fine if you are caught without a RC for the first time. For a repeated offense,  the fine amount doubles by up to 10,000 rupees.

So, if you think about the consequence of not having a RC while driving, you would realize the importance of the document all the more.

What is the Process to get a Bike Registration Certificate Online?

If you want to know how to get a RC book online, here is what you need to know.

With everything getting digitized, it has become very easy to procure a bike registration online by following some simple steps. Online registration of two-wheelers makes the process quick and convenient.

To get an online bike RC book, a bike owner has to visit the Vahan website (vahan.parivahan.gov.in). This portal can also be used to renew RC, to procure fitness certificates and for transferring ownership of your vehicle.

Process to Procure Duplicate Bike RC

In the event of losing your RC or if it gets stolen, you might be required to seek for a duplicate RC at the earliest. Below are the steps to follow:

• The first step is to file an FIR at the nearest police station.
• The second step is to submit the form 26 after filling it.
• If you have bought your two-wheeler on loan, you might also have to submit a properly signed form by the financier of the bike.
• Further, along with Form 26, submit the remaining documents as required.

Below are the documents needed to be submitted along with the duplicate RC or certificate of registration:

• Copy of FIR
• Certificate of insurance
• Copy of NOC from Financier
• Copy of PUC certificate
• Copy of Form 26
• Tax payment copy
• Proof of Address Proof
• Proof of Identity

Pay Rs 300, along with submitting the required documents and the hardcopy of a duplicate RC book will be mailed to your registered address.

To conclude

As already discussed, now you know what is RC? You also know that  an RC is an obligatory document that offers essential details about your vehicle. This is a mandatory legal document that is enforced on you by law. Further the penalties that are levied on the vehicle owner for not having a RC are very severe.  In extreme cases, your bike might even get seized for not carrying your RC in any form – RC book or Smart Card.

Thus, it is very important to carry your RC along with your driving license and bike insurance. Without these documents, you cannot think of riding your bike on the roads in India. That is because there is a heavy penalty for not carrying this document and at the same time, it will cause you enough legal trouble.

Also Read: How to Apply for Duplicate RC Online and Offline