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Move Vehicle to Another State: NOC, Re-registration, Tax Refund
If you take your vehicle to live in another state, the Motor Vehicles Act says you must get a new registration number there once it has been kept in that state for more than 12 months. You get an NOC in Form 28 from the old RTO, then apply in the new state in Form 27 and pay that state's road tax. The old state may refund part of the lifetime tax you paid. Be careful with the 12 months: some states charge their own tax much sooner, for example Karnataka after 30 days. Eligible employees can avoid all this with a BH series number.
- NOC
- Form 28, from the old RTO
- New number
- Form 27, in the new state
- Deadline
- After 12 months in the new state
- Address
- Report within 30 days
- Option
- BH series, if eligible
On this page
Which case is yours?
You are moving to another state with your vehicle
- Report your new address within 30 days of moving (section 49). You can do this at any RTO in the new state: see RC address change.
- Get an NOC from the old RTO, then re-register before the vehicle has been in the new state for 12 months.
- Check the new state's road tax rules early, and claim the refund in the old state.
You are selling to a buyer in another state
- This is a transfer of ownership: Forms 29 and 30, with the Form 28 NOC.
- The seller has 45 days to report the sale and send the NOC (or the NOC application receipt and a declaration).
- The buyer then registers the vehicle in their state and pays its tax.
The vehicle is going for a while only
- Section 47 asks for a new number only after more than 12 months in the other state.
- The address rule doesn't apply to a temporary absence you don't expect to last more than six months.
- The other state may still want its tax before 12 months. Karnataka, for example, taxes vehicles registered elsewhere that are in the state for more than 30 days. Ask its RTO before you go.
What does the 12-month rule really mean?
Two separate laws apply, and they don't run on the same clock:
| Rule | What it requires | Law |
|---|---|---|
| New registration number | Apply in the new state once the vehicle has been kept there for more than 12 months | Section 47, Motor Vehicles Act (central) |
| Change of address | Report the new address within 30 days of moving | Section 49, Motor Vehicles Act (central) |
| Road tax in the new state | Set by each state's taxation law; can be due far sooner than 12 months | State motor vehicle tax Act |
If you apply for the new number late, the RTO can accept an amount of up to ₹100, as the state sets it, instead of prosecuting you. A late address report can cost up to ₹500. Unpaid tax is a different matter: it falls under the state's tax law, with its own penalties.
How do you get the NOC (Form 28)?
You apply to the RTO where the vehicle is registered now. Under section 48, before granting the NOC it checks a police report that no theft case is pending and that all dues, including road tax, are paid. It must decide within 30 days. If it doesn't refuse in writing within 30 days, the NOC counts as granted, so keep the receipt it gives you.
- Form 28 (VAHAN asks for four copies; some states ask for fewer).
- Attested copy of the RC.
- Proof that road tax is paid up to date, or a no-dues certificate.
- Valid insurance and PUC certificate.
- Some states also need a clearance from the NCRB (stolen-vehicle check).
- If on a loan: the financier's NOC, which the new state asks for too.
- No unpaid toll: since January 2026 the NOC is refused until unpaid toll is cleared.
On VAHAN the service is called Application for Grant of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Certificate of Registration in the Ministry's list. With Aadhaar authentication some states, such as Odisha, approve it without a visit. If you decide not to move after all, states such as Jharkhand list an NOC Cancellation service.
How do you re-register the vehicle in the new state?
YouRTOTax or decision
- Clear challans, unpaid toll and road tax in the old state
- Apply for the NOC in Form 28 at the old RTO (on VAHAN where offered)
- NOC granted, or 30 days with no refusal?No: fix the reason given and apply again
- In the new state, apply in Form 27 with the NOC, RC and documents
- Pay the new state's road tax and the registration fee
- The RTO may inspect the vehicle, then assigns the new number
- Fit the new number plates and claim the refund from the old state
Andhra Pradesh, for example, asks for this with Form 27:
- the RC and the NOC (or the NOC receipt and a declaration, if the old RTO didn't reply);
- proof of residence in the new state;
- valid insurance and PUC;
- proof of tax payment in the new state.
Other states add Form 20, a PAN card copy or Form 60, and a fitness certificate for commercial vehicles (Jharkhand). The fee for assigning a new registration mark is in the rule 81 table, the same as for registration: ₹300 for a motorcycle and ₹600 for a private car, as published by Andhra Pradesh, plus state charges. Expect the new RTO to inspect the vehicle and check the address proof against the original.
Once the new number is assigned, the new RTO enters it on the RC, the records move from the old RTO, and your financier is told. Then fit new HSRP plates, give your insurer the new number, and check your FASTag details.
✔ You'll know it worked when VAHAN or mParivahan shows the vehicle under its new registration number in the new state.
Open VAHAN (official) vahan.parivahan.gov.in
What happens to your road tax?
Road tax is a state tax, so each state has its own rules. There are two sides:
Refund of lifetime tax from the old state
- Many states let you claim back part of the lifetime tax when the vehicle is moved to another state. How much you get back is set by each state's own schedule or notification.
- Karnataka: the Motor Vehicles Taxation Act (section 7(3)) gives a refund at the rates in its schedule when the vehicle is removed to another state on transfer of ownership or change of address. The refund is considered only after proof of the transfer or address change, and not if the lifetime tax was only part-paid.
- Telangana: its Act (section 4(1)(bb)) allows a refund on removal to another state at the rates the government notifies.
- Apply to the old state's RTO after the new registration, with proof such as the new RC. Ask it for the form and the time limit, because they differ by state.
Tax in the new state
- The new state charges its own tax when you re-register, and often earlier.
- Karnataka, for example, taxes vehicles registered outside the state that are in Karnataka for more than 30 days. Since 1 May 2026 its Act taxes "other State vehicles migrating to this State" under Part A of its schedule.
- Some states give concessions to transferred government, defence or PSU employees who already paid tax elsewhere (Karnataka does).
- Ask the new state's RTO what you owe and from when, before or as soon as you arrive.
Would a BH series number avoid all this?
If you are eligible, yes. A BH (Bharat) series number doesn't change when you move state, and you pay road tax every two years instead of a lifetime tax to one state.
You are eligible
- Defence staff, central and state government and PSU employees, and staff of private companies with offices in four or more states or UTs.
- An existing vehicle can be converted to BH in Form 27A (since December 2022). The rules don't mention a refund of the state tax you already paid, so ask both states.
You are not eligible
Follow the NOC and re-registration steps above. If you plan to move often, keep the NOC, the new RC and the tax receipts from each state together.
What can go wrong, and how do you fix it?
| Your situation | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| NOC refused | Unpaid toll, road tax or a theft case on record | Clear the dues or the police record, then apply again. The refusal must give written reasons. |
| No reply on the NOC | 30 days have passed | It counts as granted. Apply in the new state with the receipt and a declaration that no refusal came. |
| Service blocked: Not to be Transacted | A pending challan | Pay or contest it; tax payments still go through. |
| Stopped for tax in the new state | That state's tax period ran out before 12 months | Pay the tax due; re-register as soon as you can. |
| New RTO won't accept the NOC | Loan on the RC without the financier's NOC | Get the financier's NOC, or remove the loan first. |
| Refund rejected | No proof of the new registration, or the tax was only part-paid | Send the new RC; ask the old RTO which rule applies. |
| Moved years ago, never re-registered | The 12-month limit was missed | Apply now. The late amount under section 47 is up to ₹100, but check unpaid tax in the new state. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to re-register my car if I move to another state?
Yes, once it has been kept in the new state for more than 12 months (section 47). The new state's tax can be due sooner.
Which form is the NOC?
Form 28, from the RTO where the vehicle is registered. It counts as granted if not refused within 30 days.
Which form do I use in the new state?
Form 27, for assignment of a new registration mark, with the NOC and RC.
Will I get my road tax back?
Often a part of it, if the old state's tax law allows a refund on removal to another state. The amount is set by that state; ask its RTO.
How soon does the new state charge tax?
It depends on the state. Karnataka charges for vehicles registered elsewhere that stay more than 30 days.
Can I keep my old number?
No. A vehicle re-registered in a new state gets that state's number. Only a BH series number stays the same.
My car is on a loan. Can I still move it?
Yes, with the financier's NOC, which both the NOC application and the new registration need.
Do I need to change my driving licence too?
Update the address on your licence on Sarathi as well. See licence correction.
Sources
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (India Code): sections 47, 48, 49 and 50 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- VAHAN – instructions and documents for the NOC (Form 28) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Transport Department, Andhra Pradesh – assignment of a new registration mark on removal to another state and rule 81 registration fees (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- MyGov Jharkhand – VAHAN online services and documents (2020) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- State Transport Authority, Odisha – circulars on change of address and NOC (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- MoRTH notification S.O. 4353(E), 16 Sep 2022 – Aadhaar-authenticated online services (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1957 (India Code, as amended to 2026): sections 3, 4 and 7 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Transport Department, Telangana – Motor Vehicles Taxation Act: section 4(1)(bb) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- All India Radio (Prasar Bharati) – unpaid toll and NOC (Jan 2026) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Central Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026 – G.S.R. 48(E) (Gazette copy, Delhi Traffic Police): Not to be Transacted (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – amendments to BH series rules, 16 Dec 2022 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Page history: 26 Oct 2026: first published.