Buying a vehicle registered in another state

Plenty of good vehicles in West Bengal carry another state's number — people move for work and bring the car with them. It is buyable. It is just a longer road.

What is different

• A no objection certificate from the original RTO. The state that registered the vehicle has to release it. That is Form 28, and it is obtained where the vehicle is registered, not where you are.
• Road tax. Road tax was paid in the original state. Re-registering here generally means paying West Bengal's tax, with a refund claimable from the first state — a refund that is real but slow.
• A new registration number. The vehicle gets a WB number and a new RC.

What this means for the price

An out-of-state vehicle should be cheaper than the same vehicle on a local number, because you are taking on cost and time the seller did not. If it is priced the same, you are paying for their convenience.

The questions to ask first

• Has the NOC already been obtained, and when does it expire?
• Is the seller the registered owner, or did they buy it here and never transfer it? A vehicle that has changed hands twice without a transfer is a vehicle whose paperwork you will be untangling.
• Is there any hypothecation on the original RC?

Be honest with yourself about the time

This is not a weekend. If you need the vehicle on the road next week, buy one that is already registered here. If you are patient, an out-of-state car is often the best value on the page.