How to transfer a car or bike RC in West Bengal

What actually has to happen

A sale is not finished when the money moves. It is finished when the registration certificate is in the buyer's name, and until it is, the seller is still the registered owner: the challans, and anything worse, land on them.

The forms

• Form 29 — notice of transfer, two copies, signed by the seller.
• Form 30 — the application for transfer, signed by both.
• Form 28 — only if the vehicle leaves West Bengal, this is the no objection certificate.
• Form 35 — only if there was a loan, with the bank's NOC, to release the hypothecation.

What to bring

Original RC, valid insurance, a current PUC certificate, proof of address for the buyer, PAN or Form 60, and passport photographs. Take photocopies of everything and keep one set yourself.

The order that saves a second trip

1. Clear any loan and get the bank NOC first. Everything else waits on it.
2. Check for pending challans and pay them. A transfer will not go through with them open.
3. Move the insurance into the buyer's name, or the cover is worthless to them.
4. Then file Forms 29 and 30 at the RTO the vehicle is registered with.

How long it takes

Inside the same RTO, usually two to four weeks. Across states, longer, because Form 28 has to be issued and then accepted at the other end.

Sellers: keep your copy of Form 29 with the buyer's acknowledgement. It is the only thing that proves when you handed the vehicle over.