Guide
Lost your RC book? How to get a duplicate registration certificate
- Form
- Form 26
- Where
- The RTO that last registered the vehicle
- Always
- Police certificate and PUC certificate
A lost registration certificate is replaced by the RTO that last registered the vehicle. Here is the process and the documents, from Parivahan's own pages.
A real moment
“You are selling your bike, and the buyer wants the RC. You have not seen it since the last service, and the deal is on Saturday.”
Report the loss to the police where it happened, tell the RTO that issued the RC in writing, and apply in Form 26 to the last registering authority with a police certificate and a valid PUC certificate. The fee is half the registration fee for your vehicle type. Some states also ask for insurance, PAN and an affidavit.
The checklist
What to have ready
Last checked against the official sources on 1 October 2026
Every state
- Form 26Including a declaration that the RC is lost and not impounded, suspended or cancelled.
- Police certificateFor the loss or theft.
- Pollution under control (PUC) certificateValid on the date you apply.
Some states also ask for
- Valid insurance certificateFor the vehicle, in force on the date you apply.
- Proof of addressOf the registered owner.
- PAN card, or Form 60 and Form 61An attested copy.
- Pencil print of the chassis and engine numbersA rubbing taken from the vehicle.
- Owner's signature identificationTo confirm the owner's signature.
- An affidavitSaying the RC is lost and has not been impounded.
- Challan and tax clearanceFrom the traffic police and the transport department's accounts.Only if it is a commercial vehicle
- Financier's consent on Form 26Form 26 is made in duplicate, or triplicate if the RTO has changed.Only if the vehicle has a loan or lease
From Parivahan's own process
Which documents every state needs
The fee, worked out
Form
Form 26
Where
The RTO that last registered the vehicle
Always
Police certificate and PUC certificate
Fee
Half the registration fee for your vehicle
Report it first
Parivahan says to report a lost or destroyed RC to the police station where the loss happened, and to tell the registering authority that issued it, in writing. The law behind it is section 41 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and rule 53 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
Apply in Form 26
Apply for a duplicate to the last registering authority in Form 26. The form includes a declaration that the RC is lost or destroyed and has not been impounded, suspended or cancelled, and asks for the full circumstances of the loss.
What it costs
The fee is half the registration fee for your class of vehicle. Parivahan's fee table puts the registration fee at Rs 300 for a motorcycle and Rs 600 for a non-transport three-wheeler or light motor vehicle, so a duplicate is half of that.
If the vehicle has a loan
If the vehicle is held under hire-purchase, lease or hypothecation, Form 26 is made in duplicate and the financier gives consent on it, or in triplicate if the vehicle is now with a different RTO.
Step by step
- 1
Report the lost RC to the police and get a certificate.
- 2
Tell the RTO that issued it, in writing.
- 3
Fill Form 26 for the last registering authority.
- 4
Attach the police certificate and a valid PUC certificate.
- 5
Add the extras your state asks for, and pay the fee.
- 6
Scan the duplicate RC into DigiSafe when it arrives.
Questions people ask
Which form is used for a duplicate RC?+
Form 26 under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, submitted to the last registering authority.
Is an FIR needed for a lost RC?+
Parivahan lists a police certificate for theft or loss as a required document, after you report the loss to the police station where it happened.
How much does a duplicate RC cost?+
Half the registration fee for your vehicle class. Parivahan lists Rs 300 as the registration fee for a motorcycle, so the duplicate fee is half of that.
Where this comes from
Official sources, dated.
Every requirement on this page comes from the official pages listed here, last checked on 1 October 2026. Rules change and offices can ask for more, so check the official page before you go.
Read next
Do it in a minute, on your phone.
DigiSafe is free, encrypted on your device, and it works offline.