Pooja is choosing between two variants of the same hatchback at a Lucknow dealership. One is priced just under Rs. 10 lakh and the other just over.
The gap between them looks like Rs. 60,000. In Uttar Pradesh, the Rs. 10 lakh mark also changes the road tax rate on the whole car. The real difference is larger.
Uttar Pradesh has 76 RTO and ARTO offices handling vehicle services and its official registration-code table lists 77 code entries. The two figures measure different things, which is why published counts rarely agree.
How many RTOs are there in Uttar Pradesh?
The Uttar Pradesh RTO network runs 76 offices and all of them operate on VAHAN 4.0, the national vehicle registration system.
An ARTO is an Assistant Regional Transport Office. It handles the same public services as an RTO for its own area.
The 77 code entries are a separate count. Some offices hold more than one code and two codes carry a letter suffix. Offices and codes do not line up one to one.
Uttar Pradesh RTO code list
Every UP registration code starts with UP, followed by a number that identifies the office.
Table: Uttar Pradesh RTO codes and offices
Code | Office |
|---|---|
UP-11 | Saharanpur |
UP-12 | Muzaffarnagar |
UP-13 | Bulandshahr |
UP-14 | Ghaziabad |
UP-15 | Meerut |
UP-16 | Gautam Budh Nagar |
UP-17 | Baghpat |
UP-19 | Shamli |
UP-20 | Bijnor |
UP-21 | Moradabad |
UP-22 | Rampur |
UP-23 | Amroha |
UP-24 | Budaun |
UP-25 | Bareilly |
UP-26 | Pilibhit |
UP-27 | Shahjahanpur |
UP-30 | Hardoi |
UP-31 | Lakhimpur Kheri |
UP-32 | Lucknow |
UP-32A | Trans Gomti Office, Lucknow |
UP-33 | Rae Bareli |
UP-34 | Sitapur |
UP-35 | Unnao |
UP-36 | Amethi |
UP-37 | Hapur |
UP-38 | Sambhal |
UP-40 | Bahraich |
UP-41 | Barabanki |
UP-42 | Ayodhya |
UP-43 | Gonda |
UP-44 | Sultanpur |
UP-45 | Ambedkar Nagar |
UP-46 | Shravasti |
UP-47 | Balrampur |
UP-50 | Azamgarh |
UP-51 | Basti |
UP-52 | Deoria |
UP-53 | Gorakhpur |
UP-54 | Mau |
UP-55 | Siddharthnagar |
UP-56 | Maharajganj |
UP-57 | Padrauna, Kushinagar |
UP-58 | Sant Kabir Nagar |
UP-60 | Ballia |
UP-61 | Ghazipur |
UP-62 | Jaunpur |
UP-63 | Mirzapur |
UP-64 | Sonbhadra |
UP-65 | Varanasi |
UP-65A | Varanasi |
UP-66 | Bhadohi |
UP-67 | Chandauli |
UP-70 | Prayagraj |
UP-71 | Fatehpur |
UP-72 | Pratapgarh |
UP-73 | Kaushambi |
UP-74 | Kannauj |
UP-75 | Etawah |
UP-76 | Farrukhabad |
UP-77 | Kanpur Dehat |
UP-78 | Kanpur |
UP-79 | Auraiya |
UP-80 | Agra |
UP-81 | Aligarh |
UP-82 | Etah |
UP-83 | Firozabad |
UP-84 | Mainpuri |
UP-85 | Mathura |
UP-86 | Hathras |
UP-87 | Kasganj |
UP-90 | Banda |
UP-91 | Hamirpur |
UP-92 | Jalaun |
UP-93 | Jhansi |
UP-94 | Lalitpur |
UP-95 | Mahoba |
UP-96 | Chitrakoot |
UP registration codes are not continuous. Some numbers in the sequence are not assigned in the Transport Department's published code table.
How to read a UP registration number
A UP number plate carries four parts and the second one tells you which office registered the vehicle.
Take UP 32 AB 1234 as an example. UP is the state. 32 is the Lucknow office. AB is the registration series. 1234 is the unique number the office assigned.
To trace a vehicle to its office, match the two digits after UP against the code table. Where a suffix appears, as in 32A, the letter forms part of the code.
Services offered by UP RTOs
Every UP office handles registration, licensing, permits, taxation and fitness work.
Table: Services available at Uttar Pradesh RTOs
Category | Services |
|---|---|
Vehicle registration | New registration, temporary registration, permanent RC, duplicate RC, RC renewal |
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, fitness-slot booking, vehicle inspection |
Taxation | One-time road tax, Green Tax at renewal, tax payment |
NOC and hypothecation | No Objection Certificate, addition and removal of hypothecation |
Other | HSRP number plates, vehicle scrapping and deregistration |
How to register a vehicle in Uttar Pradesh
Registration runs in 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 VAHAN portal.
Pay road 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 lapses.
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
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
How much is road tax in Uttar Pradesh?
Uttar Pradesh charges a one-time road tax on a new private car of 8%, 9% or 11% of the vehicle cost.
Two things decide the rate. Whether the car has air conditioning and whether its cost is above or below Rs. 10 lakh. Fuel type does not change it.
These rates were set by a notification dated 21 April 2025, which replaced the earlier schedule.
Table: Uttar Pradesh one-time road tax on a new private car
New private car | One-time road tax |
|---|---|
Without AC, cost up to Rs. 10 lakh | 8% of vehicle cost |
With AC, cost up to Rs. 10 lakh | 9% of vehicle cost |
With or without AC, cost above Rs. 10 lakh | 11% of vehicle cost |
Table: Uttar Pradesh one-time road tax on a new two-wheeler
New two-wheeler | One-time road tax |
|---|---|
Cost up to Rs. 40,000 | 7% of vehicle cost |
Cost above Rs. 40,000 | 10% of vehicle cost |
No separate statewide cess is added on top of the one-time tax at first registration.
Where the Rs. 10 lakh line matters. The rate applies to the whole cost, so crossing Rs. 10 lakh raises the tax on every rupee of the car. Using illustrative figures for Pooja's two variants:
Table: Illustrative road tax on two variants either side of Rs. 10 lakh
Variant | Vehicle cost | Rate | One-time road tax |
|---|---|---|---|
Lower variant, with AC | Rs. 9,80,000 | 9% | Rs. 88,200 |
Higher variant, with AC | Rs. 10,40,000 | 11% | Rs. 1,14,400 |
The price gap is Rs. 60,000 and the tax gap adds Rs. 26,200 to it. The higher variant may still carry features worth that combined figure to Pooja. What changes is that she can see the full difference before deciding. These are illustrative numbers, so confirm the vehicle cost and tax on your own invoice with the dealer.
Green Tax when you renew a registration
Uttar Pradesh charges a Green Tax of 10% of the original one-time tax when a private vehicle's registration is renewed.
A private car's registration is valid for 15 years at first. The Green Tax falls due at the renewal after that period ends.
It is calculated on the one-time tax you paid at registration, not on the vehicle's current value. Keep the original tax receipt, since that figure sets what you owe years later.
Green Tax does not apply at first registration. It is a renewal charge only.
Road tax exemption for electric vehicles
Eligible pure electric vehicles bought and registered in Uttar Pradesh receive a 100% road tax and registration fee exemption through 13 October 2027.
A November 2025 notification confirmed the exemption across two periods. The first ran from 14 October 2022 to 13 October 2025. The second runs to 13 October 2027.
The same notification limits the exemption to pure electric vehicles. Strong hybrids, plug-in hybrids and CNG vehicles do not currently qualify. Budget for full road tax on those.
How to get a driving licence in Uttar Pradesh
Start 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.
Permanent licence. Apply 30 days after the learner's licence is issued. Book a slot for the practical driving test.
Renewal. File online. Renewal falls due every 20 years or at age 50, whichever comes first.
Duplicate licence. Apply online if yours is lost or damaged.
International driving permit. Apply at your RTO with a valid Indian licence, passport and visa.
Office timings vary between offices across the state. Check with your own RTO before travelling.
Which UP RTO services can you complete online?
All 76 UP offices run on VAHAN 4.0, so many vehicle services can be started or finished online.
Table: Online vehicle services in Uttar Pradesh
Service | Available online |
|---|---|
Road tax payment | Yes |
Fitness-slot booking | Yes |
Transfer of ownership | Yes, with a visit where inspection is needed |
Address change in RC | Yes |
Addition or removal of hypothecation | Yes |
Duplicate RC | Yes |
No Objection Certificate | Yes |
RC particulars | Yes |
Permit services | Yes |
Challan payment | Yes |
Licence services run separately on the Sarathi portal.
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.
Insurance is needed again at ownership transfer. The policy must be moved into the buyer's name separately. Otherwise the new owner holds no own damage protection.
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 is worth weighing against third-party alone in Uttar Pradesh. Long expressway runs sit alongside dense city traffic in Lucknow, Kanpur and Ghaziabad.
Zurich Kotak General Insurance Company (India) Limited covers cars and two-wheelers. Options include comprehensive, third-party and standalone own damage policies .
Conclusion
Find your office by the two digits after UP on the plate. The code table maps each one and the sequence has gaps by design.
Check where your car values against the Rs. 10 lakh line before you settle on a variant. The rate applies to the whole cost.
Keep your original road tax receipt. It sets the Green Tax you pay at renewal, fifteen years on.
Pooja now has both figures side by side. Which variant is worth the difference is hers to judge.
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Frequently asked questions
How many RTOs are there in Uttar Pradesh?
Uttar Pradesh has 76 RTO and ARTO offices on VAHAN 4.0. The official code table lists 77 code entries.
What is the RTO code for Lucknow?
UP-32. Lucknow also has UP-32A, the Trans Gomti Office.
What is the RTO code for Noida?
UP-16, listed as Gautam Budh Nagar.
How much is road tax on a new car in Uttar Pradesh?
Up to Rs. 10 lakh, 8% without AC and 9% with AC. Above Rs. 10 lakh, 11% either way.
How much is road tax on a new two-wheeler in Uttar Pradesh?
7% of vehicle cost up to Rs. 40,000 and 10% above that.
Does fuel type change road tax in Uttar Pradesh?
No. The current schedule sets car rates by AC status and vehicle cost, not by fuel type.
What is Green Tax in Uttar Pradesh?
A charge of 10% of the original one-time tax, payable when a private vehicle's registration is renewed.
Are electric cars exempt from road tax in Uttar Pradesh?
Eligible pure electric vehicles receive a full road tax and registration fee exemption through 13 October 2027.
Are hybrid and CNG cars exempt from road tax in Uttar Pradesh?
Not currently. The exemption applies to pure electric vehicles only.
Why are some UP codes missing from the sequence?
UP registration codes are not continuous. Some numbers are not assigned in the Transport Department's published table.
Do I need insurance before registering a vehicle?
Yes. A valid insurance certificate is mentioned on the required registration document list. Registration cannot proceed without one.
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