Necessary documents to have when buying a used car

Registration certificate

The registration certificate is the ID card of the car with details like the date of registration, chassis number, engine number, registering authority and course validity of the car’s life. New cars have a validity of 15 years and after that, the RC has to be renewed every 5 years.

Purchase invoice

These are the payment documents for the car at the time it was purchased new and contain details like the amount paid as well if the car is under a loan and also who it is hypothecated to if it’s the case of the latter. This is crucial as it proves that the car was purchased rightfully using legally obtained funds.

Insurance documents

It is illegal to drive a vehicle on the roads without valid insurance, the minimum of which is a third-party insurance that has a two-year validity period. Apart from legality, the insurance is also the buyer’s safety net in terms of an accident or any kind of damage.

Service records

This works in parallel with the insurance documents and chronicles the maintenance history of the car. The documents usually comprise a service record and bills for spares. Most OEMs these days maintain service records online if the car has been serviced exclusively at authorized workshops.

RTO Forms 28, 29, 30, 32 and 35

Form 28: This is a compulsory document when buying a used car. The buyer has to obtain a signed copy of this form for the ownership transfer. The form is also called the No Objection Certificate and is issued by the seller’s RTO.

Form 29: This is a notification for the official car ownership transfer.

Form 30: This is the official intimation application for the ownership transfer

Form 32 and 35: These are compulsory when there's a pending loan on the car.

Road tax

This is paid when the car is purchased new and is valid for the lifetime of the vehicle. In the current scenario, since a car cannot leave the dealership without a completed registration this is a given for new cars. However, it is better to be safe than sorry with regard to this document. The rate of road tax varies from state to state and if the car changes hands interstate then the new road tax will have to be paid in the destination state and the previous amount will be refunded.

Certificate for bi-fuel setup

If you are buying a car that has been retrofitted with a CNG kit, make sure you get all the documents indicating how this was done as well as its validity. You need to have an NOC from the RTO and a sales receipt for the CNG kit fitment.

PUC

Today PUCs have a validity of 12 months and with a large number of centres, mostly present at petrol pumps, it is very easy to ensure that the car is up to date on its emissions.

Owner’s manual

The owner’s manual has details like the servicing schedule, location of parts like the fuse box, and easy maintenance tips are usually mentioned in the car owner’s manual.