RTO Bangalore - Tips & Tricks ;)

Source: http://transport.karnataka.gov.in/index.php/faq/show (check at bottom details about NOC)

Hi
First of all .. this is not official blog of RTO Bangalore. The link to official site is http://rto.kar.nic.in/. This is my experience while I went to RTO Indiranagar (BDA Complex).

I went to RTO for paying road tax to my bike (Honda Unicorn 150cc) which is registered with RTO Gurgaon(Haryana) and they gave me one hell of a ride. So these are some things one should be prepared with.

This is the check list of what all you want to have when you go to RTO
1. Registration of bike.
2. Invoice of bike.
3. Insurance of bike.
4. Address proof (optional .. just in case)

What all you don't need to have.
1. NOC from the state.

Procedure :
1. Go to RTO office (BDA Indira Nagar) 2nd Floor.

2. Go to room number 8 Ask for counter where calculation of amount of tax would be done.
It is probably third counter on the left when you enter the room.

3. The guy will give you form 14 (http://rto.kar.nic.in/kmvt-14.pdf : Link not working). It's a small form in which you need to fill the basic details like name address registration number and insurance number.

4. Give the form to the person and he'll calculate the amount you need to pay and will write it on the form.

5. Go to the cashier (a window in same row) and deposit the amount through "cash" or "draft". She'll give you two receipts and a signed form.

6. Keep the blue one with you and give the green one to the person sitting in counter where you got the form.

7. You are done .. go home and enjoy your stay

Though as simple as it looks it can easily take two to three visits.
To save you from all the pain I will list down the traps which might cause potential delays.

1. The first and foremost. The guys sitting there are dumb and without listening much they'll ask for NOC and form 22B .. address proof and many things which will blow your brains.

Sol> Go to Mrs Sumalatha (ARTO), she sits in in next room, and tell her about it and she'll help you. To refer to rules visit this link  http://transport.karnataka.gov.in/index.php/faq/show here it is clearly mentioned In which case NOC is required.

Or, you can go to the agents who sit below the building and they charge extra 500 Rs and will do it for you.

2. If you vehicle is bought within 15 months of coming to Karnataka. They'll ask you to pay "Entry Tax" in commercial tax department.

This tax has only to be paid in case of "New Registration". You can argue on that too and after some time it will be settled.

I went to Commercial Tax department, which luckily was just one floor below, and the person sitting there told me about this rule.


3. If you want to pay tax after 2:30 pm or your amount exceeds Rs. 3000 they'll ask you for DD but after 3:00 most of the banks close their public dealing.

You better reach in office around 10:30 AM and if you are lucky you'll get the amount of tax within half n hour. If you are carrying cash with you, check at the counter if you can deposit or goto PNB (just outside the BDA complex) to get your DD done. The DD should be in name of "RTO Bangalore". PNB is a cool place though life is slow in it, guys there seem have very little work to do .. so you'll be done within 10-15 minutes.

4. How much tax to expect. The Road Tax in bangalore is sky high (**Calculation is based on data collected in 2008 and likely to change)
For my bike it was 93% of 10% of Invoice + 10% of Tax amount (cess)
Invoice amount was 60,200
Tax amount = 93% of (10% of 60,200) = 5655 (Approx)
Cess = 10 % of Tax Amount = 565 (Approx)
Total = 5655 + 565 = 6220

I derived the formula from the amount of tax i paid. But this may vary from vehicle to vehicle so keeping roughly 10% of your invoice is suggested.

5. How long can you stay in Bangalore without paying tax.
I haven't found it in writing anywhere but some people say that its six months, some say that it is 3 months and some claim 1 month. But in my first encounter with traffic police, they told me that it just one week. So please in case anyone gets any information do post it in this blog as a comment i'll add it.

Last but not least.. though i have mentioned everything specific to indiranagar RTO but it is better you go to RTO near to your place. They can hook you on this point. The rules are same everywhere.



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Having all these things ready it took me around 1 hour to be done with everything. I went in @ 11 am and was looking at my receipt of tax @ 12:10 pm .. but that after two earlier visits and a mail of complaints.

Now my story:

Visit 1: I went there and asked for where to pay taxes. After going in and out a couple of rooms and asking around 10 people I reached in room no. 8. But I was asked to get my NOC and 3-4 forms. I came back .

I read on the rto website and and mailed a complaint mentioning what happened with me.
I mailed on june 23rd 2008. I received a phone call on 4th of july from JCT himself and he asked me to visit again the RTO as NOC is not required.

here is the mail chain.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CT.Email.273/4-7-2008

Dear Abhishek,

Please contact Smt. Sumalatha, ARTO of RTO Indiranagar.

JCT V & P

----- Original Message -----
From: "Abhishek Dikshit (diabhish)"
Date: Monday, June 23, 2008 15:51
Subject: Is NOC required for paying road tax
To: transcom@kar.nic.in

> Dear Sir/Madam

> I am willing to pay the road tax of Karnataka for my motorcycle. I got the details from website that NOC is not required for just payment of taxes but when I went to the office they refused to take the tax amount on the ground that they require NOC.
> The website mentions that NOC is required only in case one wants to take a new registration.

> Please tell me what should I do.

> Regards,
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Visit 2: I reached around 3:00 PM and met Mrs Sumalatha. She took me to the same person and this time he did not ask for NOC. But he asked me to pay "Entry tax" as my bike was less than a year old. I went to the office of Commercial tax but they said it is only required in case of new registration. I went back to RTO. After listening to it he calculated my tax and asked me to pay at the cash counter. But I had cash and it was after 2:30 .. so I had to go back.

Visit 3: I was ready with everything and went to the cashier, but ,they had more surprises for me. Since the amount of tax I had to pay was more than 3K so I was asked for a DD. I went to PNB near by and got my DD done. After all this .. the guy was threatening me for "Audit" which will get me a couple of more rounds to office. But after i mentioned about the mail from JCT he cooled down. After that it took me only 10 minutes .. and I was done.

I am from core of my heart thankful to JCT V& P for helping me out. I was hopeless after my first visit that I would ever be able to pay taxes.


=======Update(July 21st 2015)=========
Refer to comments by Murali below for some  more updates on Road Tax.
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=======Update(Feb 19th 2017)=========

The links to faq was updated. The FAQ still clearly mentions that NOC is not required unless you want to register your vehicle or change ownership. 

Quote

Whether NOC (NO objection Certificate) is required for payment of Tax ?

NOC is not a requirement for payment of tax .

When an NOC is required in respect of another state vehicle ?

NOC is required to be produced:

1.  When you want to obtain Karnataka Registration Mark
2. When transfer of ownership is to be recorded in the certificate of Registration.

Unquote.

Based on recent experience by people it seems that RTOs are still demanding NOCs.

I hope people will protest and lodge complaints. 

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