RC Renewal Online: How to Renew Expired RC After 15 Years (2026)

Your car’s Registration Certificate (RC) is valid for 15 years from the date of first registration. Once those 15 years are over, the RC does not renew itself, and driving on an expired RC is illegal. The good news is that you can handle most of the rc renewal online process on the Parivahan portal: apply under “Renewal of Registration” using Form 25, pay the prescribed fee, and book your vehicle for a fitness inspection. Here is the full process.

What Is RC Renewal and When Do You Need It

A private vehicle’s RC stays valid for 15 years from first registration, then must be renewed in blocks of 5 years. This is different from a duplicate RC (issued when your card is lost) and from ownership transfer (when you sell the vehicle): renewal simply extends the registration of the same vehicle, in your name, for another 5 years.

You need RC renewal if your vehicle is approaching the 15-year mark, if a previous 5-year renewal is ending, or if the RC has already expired. Older cars do not automatically become scrap after 15 years: as long as the vehicle passes the fitness inspection and you pay the applicable fees, it can be renewed and driven legally.

Before you start, confirm the vehicle’s current registration status on the portal. A quick RC status check shows the validity dates recorded with the RTO, so you know exactly where you stand.

Documents You Need for RC Renewal Online

Keep these ready before you open the Parivahan portal, with scanned copies handy to make the online part smoother:

• Form 25 (application for renewal of certificate of registration), filled and signed
• Original Registration Certificate (RC book or smart card)
• Valid motor insurance policy
• Valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate (renew yours first if it has lapsed; you can check your PUC certificate)
• ID and address proof of the registered owner (Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, etc.)
• PAN card or Form 60
• Road tax payment receipt (up to date)
• Chassis number pencil impression, if your RTO asks for it

A driving licence is not required for RC renewal. The RC belongs to the vehicle’s owner, who may not be the person driving it. If the vehicle still has an active loan, your financier’s NOC will also be needed.

RC Renewal Online on Parivahan (Form 25): Step by Step

Here is the real portal flow. The form itself takes about 15 to 20 minutes:

Step 1: Open the Vahan portal. Go to vahan.parivahan.gov.in, click “Online Services” and then “Vehicle Related Services”.

Step 2: Select your state and RTO. Pick the state where the vehicle is registered, then the correct RTO, since renewal must go to the RTO under whose jurisdiction the vehicle falls.

Step 3: Enter your vehicle number and choose the service. Type your registration number, then select “Renewal of Registration” (the Form 25 service). The portal verifies your mobile number with an OTP if one is registered against the vehicle.

Step 4: Fill Form 25 online. Enter the owner and vehicle details. Double check the chassis and engine numbers, because mismatches are one of the most common reasons applications get sent back.

Step 5: Upload documents and pay. Upload scanned copies of the documents listed above, then pay. The portal calculates the total: renewal fee, green tax, smart card charges, and a late fee if you are applying after the expiry date. Save the receipt.

Step 6: Book the fitness inspection slot. Choose a date at the RTO or the assigned Automated Testing Station, and print your acknowledgement.

Step 7: Appear for inspection. Take the vehicle with the original documents. An inspector checks its condition, chassis number and pollution compliance.

Step 8: Approval and new RC. Once approved, the RTO updates the Vahan database and dispatches the renewed RC smart card to your registered address. Track your application number on the portal, or verify the updated vehicle registration details once the renewal is recorded.

Fees and Charges

Exact rupee figures are deliberately left out here, because third-party websites often carry outdated ones. The RC renewal fee was revised upward by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in 2021 to discourage keeping very old, polluting vehicles on the road, and the final amount depends on your vehicle class and state.

What makes up the total bill: the renewal fee per the current MoRTH schedule, the smart card fee, the fitness inspection fee, green tax, and a late fee per month of delay if you apply after the RC has expired.

The Parivahan portal shows you the complete, exact amount before you pay. Third-party websites often carry outdated figures, so read the fee breakup the portal itself displays for your vehicle.

The Fitness Inspection

The inspection is the heart of RC renewal, and the step that worries most owners. In practice it is straightforward: the inspector checks that the vehicle is roadworthy and that its identity matches the records (chassis and engine numbers, lights, horn, brakes, tyres, mirrors, pollution compliance, overall condition).

Practical tips from how the process actually works at RTOs: reach on time and carry originals of everything you uploaded. A clean vehicle that starts easily and has working lights passes without drama. If the inspector asks for a chassis pencil impression, garages near the RTO usually do it for a small charge. If the vehicle fails, you are told what to fix and can return for re-inspection.

What If You Drive on an Expired RC

Driving with an expired RC is treated as driving an unregistered vehicle, and under the Motor Vehicles Act that invites a heavy challan. Beyond the fine: your motor insurance claim can be rejected if the RC was not valid at the time of the incident, you cannot sell the vehicle or transfer ownership until the RC is renewed, pending challans can block renewal, and the vehicle can be impounded in a traffic drive until the paperwork is in order.

How Long Renewal Takes

The online application takes under half an hour. After inspection approval, the registration usually reflects in the Vahan database within a few days, and the renewed RC smart card reaches your registered address by post within a few weeks. Track your application number on the Parivahan portal to see exactly where it stands.

Frequently Asked Questions