Divya moved to Chennai from Bengaluru six months ago for a job on Old Mahabalipuram Road. Her car still carries its Karnataka registration.
She plans to stay, so the car will need Tamil Nadu plates.The key consideration is the order of the steps, with the first one taking place in Bengaluru.
The Sholinganallur RTO office operates under the code TN-14 and is located on Old Mahabalipuram Road. It handles vehicle registration, driving licences, road tax, permits and fitness certification for its part of Chennai.
Sholinganallur RTO office address and contact details
The office is at No. 275, Old Mahabalipuram Road, Sholinganallur.
Table: Sholinganallur RTO office (TN-14) contact details
Detail | Information |
|---|---|
Office name | Regional Transport Office, Sholinganallur |
RTO code | TN-14 |
Address | No. 275, Old Mahabalipuram Road (Survey No. 494/2A-2), Sholinganallur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 119 |
Phone | 044-24503939 |
State transport website |
The department does not publish counter hours for this office and listings online give several different times. Call before visiting to confirm the counter timings for your service.
Which areas does TN-14 serve?
TN-14 serves the south-eastern suburbs of Chennai along Old Mahabalipuram Road.
Chennai is split between several registering offices and some of them are located close together. Thiruvanmiyur (TN-07) and Mandaveli (TN-06) both serve neighbouring parts of the city.
Jurisdiction follows your address and is assigned by the department. Check which office covers your pincode on the Parivahan portal before you travel.
If your vehicle already carries a TN-14 number, this office holds its record.
Services offered at the Sholinganallur RTO office
The office handles registration, licensing, permits, taxation and fitness work.
Table: Services available at the Sholinganallur RTO office (TN-14)
Category | Services |
|---|---|
Vehicle registration | New registration, temporary registration, permanent RC, duplicate RC, RC renewal, re-registration |
Ownership | Transfer of ownership, transfer after the owner's death, address change in RC |
Driving licence | Learner's licence, permanent licence, renewal, duplicate licence, international driving permit |
Permits | Goods carriage, national, tourist, contract carriage and interstate permits |
Fitness and compliance | Fitness certificate issue and renewal, vehicle inspection |
Taxation | Life tax, Road Safety Tax, tax clearance |
NOC and hypothecation | No Objection Certificate, addition and removal of hypothecation |
Other | Fancy number booking, HSRP number plates |
How to register a vehicle at TN-14
The registration process has five stages and a dealer usually files it for a new vehicle.
Submit Form 20 with your supporting documents, at the office or on the Parivahan portal.
Pay life tax and the registration fee. Keep the receipt.
Vehicle inspection. An officer checks the engine and chassis numbers.
Verification and approval. The office assigns a permanent registration number.
RC issued. The certificate is dispatched to your registered address.
A dealer-issued temporary registration lets you use the vehicle while the permanent one is processed. Apply for permanent registration before it expires.
Documents required for vehicle registration
The document set is the same whether you or your dealer files it.
Form 20, the application for registration
Form 21, the sale certificate from the dealer for a new vehicle
Form 22, the roadworthiness certificate from the manufacturer
Form 34, where the vehicle is financed
Valid motor insurance certificate
Proof of identity and proof of address
Sales invoice from the dealer
PAN card or Form 60 where no PAN is held
Pollution Under Control certificate, where applicable
Passport-size photographs
Moving to Sholinganallur with a car from another state
A car kept in Tamil Nadu for more than twelve months must be re-registered here.
The rule comes from Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Plenty of people move to the IT corridor with a car registered in another state. For them, the steps run in a fixed order.
Apply for a No Objection Certificate on Form 28, at the office where the car is registered. Clear any pending challans first.
Get your lender's consent if the car is on a loan.
Apply for re-registration at TN-14 while the NOC is still valid, which is normally six months.
Pay Tamil Nadu life tax and receive a TN-14 registration number.
Claim a refund of the unused tax from the state you left.
Update your insurance policy with the new registration number.
For Divya, the NOC sets the pace, because it has to come from the RTO in Bengaluru. She has six months left before her first year in Chennai is up.
The refund from the original state can take several months. Start the paperwork well before the deadline.
Leaving Tamil Nadu works the same way in reverse. A TN-14 vehicle moving to another state needs an NOC from this office.
How to get a driving licence at TN-14
Begin the process on the Parivahan Sarathi portal, then attend only the stages that need you in person.
Learner's licence. Apply online, upload your documents and pay the fee. Book a slot for the test on road signs and rules. A learner's licence is valid for six months.
Permanent licence. Apply once 30 days have passed since the learner's licence was issued. Book a slot for the practical driving test.
Duplicate licence. Apply online if yours is lost or damaged.
Renewal. Apply online before your licence expires. The validity period depends on your age when it was issued or last renewed.
Table: Driving licence validity for a private licence
Your age at issue or renewal | Licence valid until |
|---|---|
Under 30 | Your 40th birthday |
30 to 50 | 10 years from issue |
50 to 55 | Your 60th birthday |
55 and over | 5 years from issue |
Table: Driving licence fees
Service | Government fee |
|---|---|
Learner's licence issue | Rs. 150 per class |
Learner's licence test or retest | Rs. 50 |
Driving licence issue | Rs. 200 |
Driving test | Rs. 300 per class |
Driving licence renewal | Rs. 200 |
A medical certificate is needed only if you are over 40 or applying for a transport licence.
Sholinganallur RTO office fees: registration, renewal and hypothecation
RTO fees are set centrally, so the statutory amounts at TN-14 match those across India.
Table: Registration fees by vehicle category
Vehicle category | Fee |
|---|---|
Motorcycle | Rs. 300 |
Three-wheeler or light motor vehicle, non-transport | Rs. 600 |
Three-wheeler or light motor vehicle, transport | Rs. 1,000 |
Medium vehicle | Rs. 1,000 |
Heavy vehicle | Rs. 1,500 |
Imported motorcycle | Rs. 2,500 |
Imported motor vehicle | Rs. 5,000 |
Duplicate RC, ownership transfer, address change | Half the registration fee |
Renewing a registration. A private vehicle's registration is valid for 15 years. Renewal after that carries a higher fee, which increases further after 20 years.
Table: Registration renewal fees for a non-transport vehicle
Vehicle and age | Renewal fee |
|---|---|
Motorcycle, 15 to 20 years old | Rs. 1,000 |
Motorcycle, over 20 years old | Rs. 2,000 |
Car or light motor vehicle, 15 to 20 years old | Rs. 5,000 |
Car or light motor vehicle, over 20 years old | Rs. 10,000 |
The car renewal fee for vehicles over 20 years old follows an amendment made in August 2025. Late renewal can attract further charges.
Table: Hypothecation fees
Service | Government fee |
|---|---|
Endorsement, motorcycle | Rs. 500 |
Endorsement, three-wheeler, quadricycle or light motor vehicle | Rs. 1,500 |
Endorsement, medium or heavy vehicle | Rs. 3,000 |
Cancellation of hypothecation | No separate fee |
The amounts on this page are statutory government fees. Portal, smart card, postal or other user charges may apply separately.
How much is road tax in Tamil Nadu?
Tamil Nadu charges a one-time life tax on a new vehicle, set by its cost, under the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1974.
These rates have applied since 9 November 2023.
Table: Tamil Nadu life tax on a new private car
Vehicle cost | Life tax |
|---|---|
Up to Rs. 5 lakh | 12% |
Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh | 13% |
Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh | 18% |
Above Rs. 20 lakh | 20% |
Table: Tamil Nadu life tax on a new motorcycle
Vehicle cost | Life tax |
|---|---|
Up to Rs. 1 lakh | 10% |
Above Rs. 1 lakh | 12% |
A Road Safety Tax of Rs. 2,250 is charged in addition on a four-wheeler.
How to transfer vehicle ownership
A used vehicle must be transferred into the buyer's name within 30 days of purchase.
Complete Form 29, the notice of transfer and Form 30, the report of transfer, signed by buyer and seller.
Gather the original RC, a valid insurance certificate and a PUC certificate.
Add the buyer's identity and address proof and a pencil print of the chassis and engine numbers.
Get a No Objection Certificate from the financier if a loan is registered against the vehicle.
Submit the file at the office where the vehicle is registered and pay the transfer fee.
The transfer fee is half the registration fee for the vehicle's category.
The insurance policy must be moved into the buyer's name separately. Otherwise the new owner may not have own damage protection under the policy.
Which TN-14 services can you complete online?
Many licence and tax-related services do not require a counter visit, though registration always does.
Table: Online and in-person RTO services
Service | Online | Requires a visit |
|---|---|---|
Learner's licence application | Yes, on the Sarathi portal | Only for the test |
Permanent driving licence | Application online | Yes, for the driving test |
Driving licence renewal | Yes | No |
Duplicate licence | Yes | Sometimes, for collection |
Tax payment | Yes | No |
Challan payment | Yes | No |
NOC application | Yes | Available either way |
Transfer of ownership | Application online | Yes |
Address change in RC | No | Yes |
Why insurance comes before registration
A vehicle cannot be registered in India without a valid insurance certificate in force.
Third-party cover is the legal minimum under Section 146 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. New private cars are issued a bundled policy. It carries three years of third-party cover with one year of own damage cover.
Driving without valid insurance carries Rs. 2,000 for a first offence, rising to Rs. 4,000 for a repeat. You also remain personally liable for third-party compensation awarded against you.
Comprehensive cover can be considered in addition to third-party cover along OMR. Heavy commuter traffic and monsoon flooding in the southern suburbs both put the car at risk. A third-party policy does not cover this own-damage risk.
Zurich Kotak General Insurance Company (India) Limited covers cars and two-wheelers . Options include comprehensive, third-party and standalone own damage policies .
Conclusion
Check which office covers your pincode before you travel. Several Chennai offices are located close together, so the nearest one may not be yours.
If you have moved here with a car from another state, plan based on the twelve-month deadline. The NOC comes first and it has to come from the office where the car is registered.
Divya has applied online for her NOC from Bengaluru. She will book her re-registration at Sholinganallur once it arrives.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the RTO code for Sholinganallur?
TN-14. The office is at No. 275, Old Mahabalipuram Road, Sholinganallur, Chennai 600119.
What is the Sholinganallur RTO office phone number?
044-24503939. The office email is rtotn14@nic.in .
How long can I use a car from another state in Chennai?
Up to twelve months. After that, Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act requires re-registration in Tamil Nadu.
Where do I get an NOC to re-register my car at Sholinganallur?
From the RTO where the car is currently registered, on Form 28. It can be applied for on the Parivahan portal.
How much is road tax on a new car in Tamil Nadu?
Between 12% and 20% of vehicle cost, depending on price. A Road Safety Tax of Rs. 2,250 is added on a four-wheeler.
How much is road tax on a new motorcycle in Tamil Nadu?
10% of vehicle cost up to Rs. 1 lakh and 12% above that.
Is there a fee to cancel hypothecation?
No separate government fee is charged. Portal or card charges may still apply.
Do I need insurance before registering a vehicle?
Yes. A valid insurance certificate is included in the registration document requirements. Registration cannot proceed without one.
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