Updated: 4 October 2026
A used tractor changes hands in two steps. The seller reports the sale on Form 29, and the buyer applies for transfer on Form 30 with the RC, the insurance certificate and the fee. Within the same state the seller has 14 days and the buyer 30 days from the date of transfer. If the tractor is moving to another state, the seller has 45 days and a no objection certificate (Form 28) is needed.
A tractor with a bank loan cannot be cleanly transferred until the loan entry on the RC is removed with Form 35. Delay is penalised, so both sides should finish the paperwork the same week.
Forms at a glance
| Form | Purpose | Filed by |
|---|---|---|
| Form 29 | Report of transfer of ownership (rule 55(1)) | Seller (transferor) |
| Form 30 | Application for transfer of ownership (rule 55(2)) | Buyer (transferee) |
| Form 35 | Termination of the loan (hypothecation) entry, with the RC and the fee (rule 61) | Owner and the bank, signed by both |
| Form 36 | Application for a fresh RC after the loan entry is removed | Owner |
| Form 28 | No objection certificate (NOC) from the RTO that registered the tractor (rule 58) | Owner, for a move to another state |
| Form 31 | Transfer after the owner's death, within 3 months (rule 56) | Heir |
Time limits and penalty
| Who | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seller, same state | 14 days of the transfer | Section 50 |
| Seller, tractor going out of state | 45 days of the transfer | Section 50 |
| Buyer | 30 days of the transfer, with the RC, the fee and a copy of the seller's report | Section 50 |
| RTO decision on a NOC | 30 days; if there is no refusal, the NOC is deemed granted | Section 48 |
| Heir after the owner's death | Inform the RTO within 30 days, apply on Form 31 within 3 months | Rule 56 |
For delay, section 50 lets the RTO accept a sum not exceeding ₹100 in place of prosecution under section 177. If the amount is not paid, action under section 177 follows. In the fee table, a late NOC adds ₹500 for every month or part of a month for vehicles other than motorcycles.
Transfer fee
Under rule 81 the transfer fee is half of the registration fee for the class. The Rajasthan Transport table lists ₹3,000 for the class a tractor falls in, which makes ₹1,500 for a transfer, and a state may charge less (G.S.R. 271(E)). The amount at the RTO counter is the one to pay.
When a loan is running on the tractor
- The RC shows the bank's name as the financier. Ask for the loan closure letter and the bank's NOC.
- The owner and the financier sign Form 35 and submit it with the RC and the fee. The table published by Rajasthan lists no separate fee for cancelling the entry, while an older printed copy of the rules shows ₹100.
- The RTO removes the entry, and a fresh RC is applied for on Form 36.
- Form 29 and Form 30 are then filed for the sale.
If the owner refuses to hand the RC to the financier, the RTO sends the owner a notice on Form 37. A buyer who sees the financier's name on the RC should not pay the full amount until the closure is recorded.
Buying from another state
- The seller applies on Form 28 to the RTO that registered the tractor, with a certified copy of the RC, a certified copy of the insurance, proof that motor vehicle tax is paid up to date, or a certificate that no tax is due for a period when none was payable.
- The RTO checks police records for theft and confirms that road tax and other dues are cleared before it grants or refuses the NOC.
- The buyer attaches the NOC, or the refusal order, or the seller's declaration with the receipt, to Form 30.
- A tractor kept in another state for more than 12 months needs a new registration mark there, on Form 27 with the NOC, within 30 days after that period.
What the buyer should verify
- Engine and chassis number: read them on the tractor and match them to the original RC. Do not buy on a photocopy.
- Loan entry: any financier named on the RC must be cleared first, as above.
- Pending challans: challans stay with the vehicle, not the driver, and unpaid ones make transfer difficult. The Parivahan e-challan portal lets anyone look up a registration number.
- Pending tax: Form 28 needs proof that tax is paid, so ask for the receipts. For state positions see the registration guide.
- Insurance: the policy should be moved to the buyer's name within 14 days of the RTO transfer. Until it is endorsed, a claim under the old policy can be refused.
- Price: compare with the tractor valuation tool and the listings in the used tractor market.
Sale checklist for both sides
| Seller | Buyer |
|---|---|
| Original RC, insurance and tax papers ready | Check engine and chassis numbers against the RC |
| Clear challans and any loan; get the bank NOC and Form 35 signed | Look up challans for the registration number before paying |
| Sign Form 29 and Form 30 and give them to the buyer | Sign Form 30 and get Form 29, RC, insurance and ID copies |
| Write a sale receipt with price, date and both names | Pay by bank transfer and keep the receipt |
| Report the sale within 14 days and keep the acknowledgement | Apply for transfer within 30 days |
| Ask the insurer for the policy to be moved and keep the no claim bonus papers | Get the policy endorsed in the buyer's name within 14 days |
To sell, list the tractor free on the market. To buy new instead, see tractor prices, dealers and the tractor loan page, and the EMI calculator.
Sources
- Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (rules 54, 55, 58, 60, 61, 81), Chhattisgarh Transport copy
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, section 50: transfer of ownership
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, section 48: no objection certificate
- Rajasthan Transport, Registration Fees under Rule 81 (secondary copy of the fee table)
- MoRTH G.S.R. 271(E), 21 March 2017: States may levy a lower fee than the Rule 81 table
- Tata AIG, transferring motor insurance on a second-hand vehicle (insurer page)
- Acko, used vehicle challan clearance (secondary source; the official check is the Parivahan e-challan portal)
- Tractor Karvan, tractor registration certificate guide (secondary source)