List of Necessary Documents to Ride a Bike in India

Top 5 Essential Documents You Should Carry While Driving

Owning a vehicle brings a feeling of pride and happiness. Hopping on your bike and setting out on a ride is no less than a bliss. However, owning a bike also entails certain responsibilities for the owner. He/she needs to be fully aware of the traffic rules and documents that he/she should carry while riding.

In case a traffic police asks for these documents, the owner needs to immediately present them to avoid traffic fines or even imprisonment. These documents are also required when you meet with an accident and file a claim on your two-wheeler insurance policy. Let us look at the list of documents required while riding a bike in India, as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

1. Driving Licence

According to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, whether you drive a four-wheeler or a two-wheeler, it is mandatory for you to have your driving licence with you. If you are learning to drive, then you need to have the learners’ licence with you.

You can apply for your Driving License at your nearest Regional Transport Office (RTO). For that, you need to produce a valid identification proof (such as Aadhar, bills, etc.) at the time of submission of the filled form, following which an appointment has to be taken for the driving test.

Once you clear the learner’s test, a learner’s driving licence will be provided to you. Post this, you can apply for permanent driving licence after 30 days of issuance of the learner’s licence.

2. Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate

Motor vehicles’ emissions, if unchecked, can have severe consequences on the environment and public health. Every vehicle as per the MV Act, 1988 requires to have a PUC. This certificate is a proof that a car or two-wheeler has passed the emission test and has complied with the pollution control norms. A vehicle that doesn’t have a valid PUC certificate is liable for a fine of up to ₹2000. PUCC is provided by dealers for new bikes that are valid for a year. After the expiry of period of one year from the date of first registration, every vehicle owner is required to renew its PUC certificate. For certificate renewal, you need to take your bike to the nearest emission test centre for thorough checking, and a new PUC certificate will be awarded after you pay the fee. Your bike can be checked and PUCC can be availed at petrol pumps or fuel stations which have PUC centres (available nationwide), licenced and computerized auto-emission testing centres or standalone emission testing centres.

3. Registration Certificate (RC)

The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, makes third party liability insurance mandatory for all vehicles running in India. This motor insurance covers liability for injuries and damages that you may cause to any third-party through your vehicle. You need to carry a copy of this insurance policy always while riding your bike.

You can either apply for a two wheeler insurance policy with the help of dealer or you can get it online by visiting the website of your preferred insurer. In either case, the copy of the insurance is to be submitted at the RTO.

Since 2018, the Insurance Regulatory Development and Authority of India (IRDAI) has made it mandatory for all new two-wheeler buyers to purchase a 5-year third-party insurance. This policy is referred to as long-term third-party insurance policy.

Every new bike has to be registered at the local RTO. The process, known as vehicle registration, enables the owner to get a number plate for his/her vehicle which gets registered in the government records.

After the registration is complete, a Registration Certificate (RC) is provided to the vehicle owner. This RC acts as a legal proof that your bike is registered as per the law. Besides, the RC of your vehicle also helps you to claim under your bike insurance coverage.

As per the updated RTO guidelines, the following documents has to be submitted by the dealer in order to get a car registered:

• Invoice of the motorcycle
• Sales certificate (RTO Form 21)
• Certificate of insurance
• PUC
• Valid identification proof
• Vehicle Registration Form (RTO Form 20)

4. Motor Insurance Policy

The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, makes third party liability insurance mandatory for all vehicles running in India. This motor insurance covers liability for injuries and damages that you may cause to any third-party through your vehicle. You need to carry a copy of this insurance policy always while riding your bike.

You can either apply for a two wheeler insurance policy with the help of dealer or you can get it online by visiting the website of your preferred insurer. In either case, the copy of the insurance is to be submitted at the RTO.

Since 2018, the Insurance Regulatory Development and Authority of India (IRDAI) has made it mandatory for all new two-wheeler buyers to purchase a 5-year third-party insurance. This policy is referred to as long-term third-party insurance policy.

5. Tax Token

To run a vehicle in India, every vehicle owner needs to pay road tax. While for bikes, this tax is paid only once during its registration, for cars, road tax is paid for the period of five years after which it has to be paid again. Every vehicle owner needs to carry a tax token, which signifies that the tax is been duly paid by him/her.

When you buy a new bike, the dealer will pay the tax and will provide you the tax token. You can also visit www.parivahan.gov.in or visit your RTO to get a copy of your bike’s tax token.

In conclusion

Not having either of these mandatory two-wheeler documents can attract heavy fines or even imprisonment up to a certain term. As a law-abiding citizen, it is your duty to be able to produce these documents whenever you are requested to do so by a traffic police officer.

In 2020, the MV Act, 1988, allowed vehicle owners to have digital copies of the aforementioned bike documents in the MParivahan or Digilocker app on their smartphones. That being said, it is still advisable to carry either the original or attested photocopies with you whenever you take your bike out for a ride.