Essential Documents Required to Sell Your Car in India

by Simran21 May 2025

5 min read

Selling your car in India? Here's a complete guide to all mandatory documents needed for a smooth, legal sale—RC, insurance, PUC, and RTO forms.

Planning to sell your car? Whether you're upgrading to a new model or simply letting go of your current vehicle, having all the right documents in place is key to a smooth and hassle-free transaction.

In India, the car resale process—especially the transfer of ownership—relies heavily on documentation. Missing or incorrect paperwork can delay the process or even block the transfer entirely. To help you avoid complications, here’s a detailed checklist of the documents required to sell your car successfully.

1. Registration Certificate (RC)

The Registration Certificate confirms that you're the legal owner of the vehicle. It is a mandatory document for selling any motor vehicle under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Make sure the RC is free of any errors or misprints.

If the RC is lost or stolen, file an FIR at the local police station and apply for a duplicate using Form 26.

2. Valid Insurance Certificate

A valid insurance policy is essential for the car’s sale and ownership transfer. If the insurance has expired, it must be renewed before proceeding.

For cost-conscious sellers, even a third-party policy will suffice to meet legal requirements.

Without valid insurance, the vehicle’s resale value decreases and ownership transfer at the RTO cannot be processed.

Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate

This certificate verifies that your car’s emissions are within permissible limits. It is mandatory for petrol, diesel, and CNG vehicles (battery EVs are exempt).

Most petrol stations offer PUC checks for a nominal fee (₹60–₹100).

Vehicles manufactured after April 2010: PUC to be renewed annually
Vehicles manufactured before April 2010: PUC to be renewed every three months

Note: Renewal intervals may vary based on state regulations.

4. Self-Attested PAN Card (1 Copy)

A self-attested copy of your PAN card is required for the sale.

If you do not have a PAN card, you can submit Form 60 instead.

5. Address Proof (1 Copy)

Most states require a valid proof of address. Acceptable documents include:

Aadhar Card
Passport
Voter ID
Ration Card
Any government-issued document

In some regions, even utility bills or rental agreements may be accepted. However, cities like Mumbai do not require address proof for car ownership transfer.

6. Self-Attested Photographs (2 Copies)

You’ll need two recent passport-sized, self-attested photographs to attach to the transfer application at the RTO.

7. Form 28 (3 Copies)

Also known as the No Objection Certificate (NOC), Form 28 certifies that the registering authority has no objection to you selling the vehicle. It also confirms that there are no outstanding liabilities.

You’ll need to attach a pencil imprint of your car’s chassis number on all three copies and submit them to the RTO.

8. Form 29 (2 Copies)

Form 29 is used to notify the RTO that you have sold the vehicle. It serves as a confirmation that all necessary documents have been handed over to the buyer.

9. Form 30 (2 Copies)

This form is submitted after Form 29 and requests the RTO to transfer ownership of the vehicle to the buyer.

You must submit Form 30 within 14 days of the sale, along with applicable fees.

10. Sales Affidavit

The sales affidavit is a notarized legal document signed by both seller and buyer. It declares that all rights and liabilities related to the vehicle are now transferred to the buyer.

Once the RC transfer is completed and this affidavit is signed, the seller is no longer responsible for the car.

Optional (But Helpful) Items to Provide the Buyer

Although not legally required, sharing these items with the buyer adds transparency and value to the sale:

Duplicate keys
Owner’s manual
Service and maintenance history
Original purchase invoice

Summary: Document Checklist

To make the process easier, here's a categorized list of the mandatory documents:

Car-related Documents

Registration Certificate (RC)
Valid Insurance Certificate
Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate

Personal Documents

PAN Card or Form 60
Address Proof
Self-attested Photographs
Sales Affidavit

RTO-issued Forms

Form 28
Form 29
Form 30

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1. Registration Certificate (RC)

The Registration Certificate confirms that you're the legal owner of the vehicle. It is a mandatory document for selling any motor vehicle under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Make sure the RC is free of any errors or misprints.

If the RC is lost or stolen, file an FIR at the local police station and apply for a duplicate using Form 26.

2. Valid Insurance Certificate

A valid insurance policy is essential for the car’s sale and ownership transfer. If the insurance has expired, it must be renewed before proceeding.

For cost-conscious sellers, even a third-party policy will suffice to meet legal requirements.

Without valid insurance, the vehicle’s resale value decreases and ownership transfer at the RTO cannot be processed.

Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate

This certificate verifies that your car’s emissions are within permissible limits. It is mandatory for petrol, diesel, and CNG vehicles (battery EVs are exempt).

Most petrol stations offer PUC checks for a nominal fee (₹60–₹100).

Vehicles manufactured after April 2010: PUC to be renewed annually
Vehicles manufactured before April 2010: PUC to be renewed every three months

Note: Renewal intervals may vary based on state regulations.

4. Self-Attested PAN Card (1 Copy)

A self-attested copy of your PAN card is required for the sale.

If you do not have a PAN card, you can submit Form 60 instead.

5. Address Proof (1 Copy)

Most states require a valid proof of address. Acceptable documents include:

Aadhar Card
Passport
Voter ID
Ration Card
Any government-issued document

In some regions, even utility bills or rental agreements may be accepted. However, cities like Mumbai do not require address proof for car ownership transfer.

6. Self-Attested Photographs (2 Copies)

You’ll need two recent passport-sized, self-attested photographs to attach to the transfer application at the RTO.

7. Form 28 (3 Copies)

You’ll need to attach a pencil imprint of your car’s chassis number on all three copies and submit them to the RTO.

8. Form 29 (2 Copies)

Form 29 is used to notify the RTO that you have sold the vehicle. It serves as a confirmation that all necessary documents have been handed over to the buyer.

9. Form 30 (2 Copies)

This form is submitted after Form 29 and requests the RTO to transfer ownership of the vehicle to the buyer.

You must submit Form 30 within 14 days of the sale, along with applicable fees.

10. Sales Affidavit

The sales affidavit is a notarized legal document signed by both seller and buyer. It declares that all rights and liabilities related to the vehicle are now transferred to the buyer.

Once the RC transfer is completed and this affidavit is signed, the seller is no longer responsible for the car.

Optional (But Helpful) Items to Provide the Buyer

Although not legally required, sharing these items with the buyer adds transparency and value to the sale:

Duplicate keys
Owner’s manual
Service and maintenance history
Original purchase invoice

Summary: Document Checklist

To make the process easier, here's a categorized list of the mandatory documents:

Car-related Documents

Registration Certificate (RC)
Valid Insurance Certificate
Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate

Personal Documents

PAN Card or Form 60
Address Proof
Self-attested Photographs
Sales Affidavit

RTO-issued Forms

Form 28
Form 29
Form 30