Section 41 — Registration, how to be made.

41. Registration, how to be made.—(1) An application by or on behalf of the owner of a motor 

vehicle for registration shall be in such form and shall be accompanied by such documents, particulars 

and information and shall be made within such period as may be prescribed by the Central Government: 

Provided that where a motor vehicle is jointly owned by more persons than one, the application shall 

be made by one of them on behalf of all the owners and such applicant shall be deemed to be the owner of 

the motor vehicle for the purposes of this Act. 

(2) An application referred to in sub-section (1) shall be accompanied by such fee as may be 

prescribed by the Central Government. 

(3) The registering authority shall issue to the owner of a motor vehicle registered by it a certificate of 

registration in such form and containing such particulars and information and in such manner as may be 

prescribed by the Central Government. 

(4) In addition to the other particulars required to be included in the certificate of registration, it shall 

also specify the type of the motor vehicle, being a type as the Central Government may, having regard to 

the design, construction and use of the motor vehicle, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify. 

(5) The registering authority shall enter the particulars of the certificate referred to in sub-section (3) 

in a register to be maintained in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government. 

(6) The registering authority shall assign to the vehicle, for display thereon, a distinguishing mark (in 

this Act referred to as the registration mark) consisting of one of the groups of such of those letters and 

followed by such letters and figures as are allotted to the State by the Central Government from time to 

time by notification in the Official Gazette, and displayed and shown on the motor vehicle in such form 

and in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government. 

(7) A certificate of registration issued under sub-section (3), whether before or after the 

commencement of this Act, in respect of a motor vehicle, other than a transport vehicle, shall, subject to 

the provisions contained in this Act, be valid only for a period of fifteen years from the date of issue of 

such certificate and shall be renewable. 



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(8) An application by or on behalf of the owner of a motor vehicle, other than a transport vehicle, for 

the renewal of a certificate of registration shall be made within such period and in such form, containing 

such particulars and information as may be prescribed by the Central Government. 

(9) An application referred to in sub-section (8) shall be accompanied by such fee as may be 

prescribed by the Central Government. 

(10) Subject to the provisions of section 56, the registering authority may, on receipt of an application 

under sub-section (8), renew the certificate of registration for a period of five years and intimate the fact 

to the original registering authority, if it is not the original registering authority. 

(11) If the owner fails to make an application under sub-section (1), or, as the case may be, under  

sub-section (8) within the period prescribed, the registering authority may, having regard to the 

circumstances of the case, require the owner to pay, in lieu of any action that may be taken against him 

under section 177, such amount not exceeding one hundred rupees as may be prescribed under  

sub- section (13):  

Provided that action under section 177 shall be taken against the owner where the owner fails to pay 

the said amount. 

(12) Where the owner has paid the amount under sub-section (11), no action shall be taken against 

him under section 177. 

(13) For the purposes of sub-section (11), the State Government may prescribe different amounts 

having regard to the period of delay on the part of the owner in making an application under  

sub-section (1) or sub-section (8). 

(14) An application for the issue of a duplicate certificate of registration shall be made to the 
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[last 

registering authority] in such form, containing such particulars and information along with such fee as 

may be prescribed by the Central Government.