Updated: 4 October 2026
A new tractor is registered by the owner at the RTO that covers the owner's address. The application is made on Form 20 within 7 days of taking delivery, with the dealer's sale certificate (Form 21), the manufacturer's roadworthiness certificate (Form 22), a valid insurance certificate and address proof. The RC (Form 23 or the smart card Form 23-A) is to be issued within 30 days of the application.
In the Central Motor Vehicles Rules a tractor is a non-transport vehicle, so it is registered like a private vehicle. The trailer is registered separately. The figures below are the ones that could be confirmed. Where a fee differs by state, that is said plainly.
Forms used
| Form | What it is | Who provides it |
|---|---|---|
| Form 20 | Application for registration of a new vehicle (rule 47) | Owner signs, dealer usually fills in |
| Form 21 | Sale certificate | Dealer or manufacturer |
| Form 22 | Roadworthiness certificate from the manufacturer | Manufacturer, through the dealer |
| Form 22-A | Roadworthiness certificate from the body builder, where one fits the body | Body builder |
| Form 34 | Entry of the loan (hypothecation) on the RC | Owner and the bank, signed by both |
| Form 23 or 23-A | The registration certificate issued, in paper or smart card form | RTO |
Documents to keep ready
- Form 20, signed by the owner.
- Form 21 and Form 22 (and Form 22-A where a body builder fitted the body).
- Tax invoice from the dealer.
- Valid insurance certificate. See the cost on the on-road price tool.
- Proof of address under rule 4, such as Aadhaar, and a PAN copy.
- The temporary registration, if one was issued.
- Form 34 and the bank's papers when the tractor is bought on a tractor loan.
- For a trailer, the design approval from the State Transport Authority or Transport Commissioner, where the state requires it. The rules ask for this for trailers other than vehicles of category T (tractors).
- The fee under rule 81.
Central registration fee
Rule 81 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules sets one fee for "issue or renewal of certificate of registration". A tractor is not named in the table, so it falls under "any other vehicle not mentioned above". The table published by Rajasthan Transport lists that class at ₹3,000 and adds ₹200 when the RC is a smart card. An older printed copy of the rules shows ₹300 for the same class, so the table has been revised upward. A state may also charge less than the central table (G.S.R. 271(E)), so the amount should be confirmed at the RTO.
| Item | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Registration, issue of RC | ₹3,000 (class: any other vehicle) | Rule 81 table as published by Rajasthan Transport |
| Smart card RC, extra | ₹200 | Note 2 to the same table |
| Entry of loan on the RC (Form 34) | ₹500, ₹1,500 or ₹3,000 by vehicle class; ₹1,500 is the light vehicle line | Same table, row 9 |
| Cancellation of the loan entry | No separate fee in that table | Same table, note to row 9 |
| Temporary registration, non-transport | ₹200 per month | Rajasthan rules, same document |
| Site estimate for registration | ₹1,500 to ₹4,000 across states | farmer.in on-road price data |
| Haryana | Registration fee raised to about ₹10,485 in November 2025 | farmer.in on-road price data, secondary source |
Since 2017 a state may charge a fee lower than the table amount and may add its own levies (G.S.R. 271(E)). The RTO receipt is therefore the final figure for a given state.
Temporary registration
Under section 43 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the owner can have a vehicle temporarily registered. It is valid for not more than one month and cannot be renewed. Only a chassis waiting for a body can get an extension. Rule 47 requires the Form 20 application to be made before the temporary registration expires. Dealers commonly arrange the temporary registration at the time of sale, so the tractor can be driven home before the RC is issued.
Road tax by state
Most states do not tax a tractor used only for farming. The figures below are from the road tax column of the farmer.in on-road price data, compiled from state Acts and insurer or bank explainers. They are approximate.
| Position | States |
|---|---|
| Exempt (agricultural tractor) | Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh |
| Flat tax | Karnataka: ₹1,500 |
| No clear figure found, ask the RTO | Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal |
Road tax follows the state Act, not the central rules, so a trailer used to carry goods for hire may be treated differently from one used on the farm. Ask the RTO in writing before the purchase.
HSRP number plate
Rule 50 requires a security (high security) registration plate at the front and the rear of every motor vehicle: an aluminium plate with the "IND" mark, a hologram and a laser-branded identification number, fixed with a non-removable snap lock, plus a third hologram sticker on the windshield. For tractors the rules set the plate size at 285 x 45 mm in front and 200 x 100 mm at the rear. The mark need not be inclined more than 45 degrees, and the tractor's mark is not shown on its trailers, because the trailer carries its own. The HSRP price is set by each state and was not confirmed.
Time limits
| Step | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apply on Form 20 | 7 days from taking delivery, excluding journey time | Rule 47(1) |
| Temporary registration | Not more than 1 month, not renewable | Section 43 |
| Issue of RC | 30 days from receipt of the application | Rule 48 |
Dealer and owner
| Dealer | Owner |
|---|---|
| Gives the invoice, Form 21, Form 22 and Form 22-A where relevant | Signs Form 20 and keeps a copy |
| Commonly arranges the temporary registration | Gives address proof, ID and PAN |
| May file the RC application with the RTO as a service | Buys the insurance, or pays for the dealer's policy |
| Passes on the plates and RC once received | Checks the RC for engine and chassis numbers, make and model, and any loan entry |
The rules place the application on the owner. Whether a dealer files it, and what the dealer charges for that service, is the dealer's own practice and not a rule, so the charge should be asked for in writing. Compare tractors on tractor prices, find tractor dealers, and plan payments with the EMI calculator. Any state support is on the subsidy page.
Sources
- Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (rules 2, 47, 48, 50, 60, 61, 81), Chhattisgarh Transport copy
- Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, later consolidated copy (rule 47 with trailer category T)
- Rajasthan Transport, Registration Fees under Rule 81 and temporary registration fee (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
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, section 43: temporary registration
- Tractor Karvan, tractor registration certificate guide (secondary source)
- Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1957 (PRS India)
- Andhra Pradesh Transport Department, tax exemptions
- Aditya Birla Capital, Haryana road tax and registration (secondary source)