How to Get a Vehicle Fitness Certificate from the RTO?

As per the Motor Vehicles Act of 1989, every motor vehicle should have a valid fitness certificate, further ensuring that they are fit to be driven on the roads. The registration of both a private and commercial car becomes a lot easier when the government issues a fitness certificate. If you, too, are planning on buying a car soon, it is best if you understand the process of applying for an FC and the other related formalities it has.

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What makes a Fitness Certificate important?

In addition to helping you avoid vehicle seizures and fines, there are certainly other reasons why you might require a fitness certificate for your car. Here mentioned are a few of the important ones:

• Pollution is quite a significant issue in today's time, and monitoring the amount of smoke a vehicle emits has become essential to help avoid that. One of the main purposes of acquiring a fitness certificate is to check and keep the pollution of a vehicle under control.
• A fitness certificate will help you understand the health of your vehicle.
• It also helps you avoid any kind of road accidents that might occur due to the improper condition of the vehicle.

Now that you have understood the importance of a fitness certificate for your vehicle, it is time that you learn how you should apply for it.

How do you apply for a fitness certificate?

While the offline process was always the chosen one, with the digitization of this industry, now there are online procedures as well. Here you will learn about both the processes and a step-wise guide for the application process.

Offline procedure:

To begin with, you will have to visit your zonal RTO office to collect forms 20 and 38. With these forms in hand, you are one step closer to getting a fitness certificate for your vehicle. You have to then fill them up with the required information and submit these along with the necessary documents. With that done, you will have to pay the asked fees and also bring your vehicle for inspection.

Online procedure:

Completing the process online is a lot easier and more convenient. All you have to do is visit the official portal, ParivahanSewa and log in with your car's registration number. Once that is done, you will have to click on 'Application for Fitness Certificate', which you will find under 'Online Services' on the menu bar.

Here, you will enter the Chassis number and registered mobile number, this will send you a one-time password. Now you will have to enter the OTP, and other required information like the fee information, insurance details and other similar information. Finally, make the payment as asked, and you will receive an online invoice in addition to the application letter. With that done, you will have to submit the documents to the Regional Transport Office or RTO and will get your FC in a matter of days.

However, before you sign up for this process, make sure that your car is eligible for an FC. Usually, most individuals can only get a Fitness Certificate for their vehicle once it has passed all the necessary tests. However, there might just be other parameters you might have to meet, given your locality. This is why you should always contact your closest RTO to get such details along with the documents required.

What are some important documents you must have with you?

Whenever you are applying a for a vehicle's FC, it is best if you keep these documents in hand:

• Form 20
• Form 21
• Form 22
• Insurance certificate
• Receipt of paid road tax
• The original registration certificate of your vehicle
• A valid PUC certificate
• Valid ID
• Address proof
• Passport size photographs
• Certificate of permit

In addition to these documents, you will also need to provide the fee receipt along with a copy of your application. With this, you now know the basic requirements and steps to avail of a Fitness Certificate for any commercial or private vehicle. It is best if you enquire about the fees in advance to stay fully prepared.