Before your new car is registered: checking the VIN, manufacturing date, invoice and insurance
By Arjun Ramanarayanan, IndiCar · Published 25 October 2026 · Tips
Every new car carries a 17-character VIN. Match it against Form 21, the invoice and the insurance certificate, and confirm 3 years of third-party cover before registration.
Before your new car is registered, check three things. First, match the 17-character VIN on the car against the chassis number on the invoice, the sale certificate (Form 21) and the insurance certificate. Second, read the manufacturing date from the VIN characters your brand uses for it. Third, confirm the policy carries at least 3 years of third-party cover.
The online temporary-registration application asks for the chassis number, engine number, invoice value and insurance details. Those are the details to check first.
The 17-character VIN, position by position
Every vehicle sold in India has a unique 17-character VIN, also called the chassis number. Each block of characters carries a specific piece of information.
| Position | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Country and maker |
| 4 to 8 | Description of the vehicle |
| 9 | Check digit |
| 10 | Model year |
| 11 | Assembly plant |
| 12 to 17 | Serial number |
The serial number in positions 12 to 17 is what makes your car's VIN unique. It is the part most worth reading character by character when you compare documents.
Reading the manufacturing date
The model year in position 10 is not the year your car was built. A car built in September 2025 commonly carries a 2026 model year code, the letter T. If you read only that character, a car built in 2025 can look like a 2026 car.
The characters that give the actual build date vary by brand. Two examples:
| Brand | Year character | Month character |
|---|---|---|
| Tata | 10th | 12th |
| Maruti | 10th | 11th |
On a Maruti the 11th character gives the month, even though the general layout uses position 11 for the assembly plant. Follow the brand's own scheme rather than the general one. For other brands the positions differ again, so do not assume the Tata or Maruti layout applies.
Then check the VIN on the documents against the production sticker on the B-pillar or in the engine bay. This cross-check catches doctored VIN plates and simple mix-ups between two cars.
The documents that go to the RTO
Registering a new car needs a short set of papers. Each one should carry the same chassis number as the car.
- Form 21: the sale certificate from the dealer.
- The dealer's invoice: shows the invoice value the registration application asks for.
- The insurance certificate: the application asks for insurance details.
- Form 22: the road worthiness certificate.
- Form 20: the application for a permanent registration number.
A single wrong character in the chassis number on any of these papers is worth fixing before the application goes in, not after.
Temporary registration and its time limit
The dealer provides a temporary registration number on a new car. You must apply for a permanent number using Form 20 within one month of receiving it.
Reported figures for how long the temporary number lasts differ. One source says 7 days in Maharashtra, extendable by 30 days for non-transport vehicles. Another says up to 30 days. Check the validity printed on your own temporary registration.
Insurance: what the policy must show
A new car needs at least 3 years of third-party cover under IRDAI rules. The Supreme Court mandated this 3-year cover for new cars from September 1, 2018.
Since August 1, 2020, insurers can offer own-damage cover only for a single year, alongside the mandatory three-year third-party cover.
On the insurance certificate, check:
- the third-party period runs for three years
- the own-damage period runs for one year
Maharashtra road tax and TCS on the invoice
In Maharashtra, road tax depends on fuel and price bracket.
| Price bracket | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| Below Rs 10 lakh | 11 percent | 13 percent |
| Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh | 12 percent | 14 percent |
| Above Rs 20 lakh | 13 percent | 15 percent |
A flat one-time tax of 20 percent applies to any vehicle that is imported or registered to a company. If you are financing the car, a hypothecation endorsement is charged so that the lender's lien is recorded on the RC. If you pay in full, that charge should not appear.
On a car above Rs 10,00,000, the seller must collect TCS of 1% of the sale consideration under Section 206C(1F) of the Income Tax Act. The 1% applies to the full invoice value, not just the part above Rs 10 lakh. From 1 April 2026 the provision is Section 394(1), Table Sl. No. 6, of the Income-tax Act 2025, so a newer invoice may cite that section instead.
Worked example: the Mercedes-Benz C-Class bill
IndiCar's price list for Mumbai, dated 25 October 2026, prices four C-Class combinations, all automatic, in petrol and diesel. The cheapest on-road is the C 200 Petrol Automatic at Rs 71,42,826. Its breakup for individual registration:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ex-showroom price | Rs 61,20,000 |
| RTO registration and road tax | Rs 8,24,062 |
| Insurance (first-year comprehensive) | Rs 1,36,714 |
| TCS | Rs 61,200 |
| FASTag | Rs 850 |
| On-road total | Rs 71,42,826 |
Everything above the ex-showroom price adds Rs 10,22,826. Several lines connect to the checks above:
- It is above Rs 10,00,000, so the TCS line applies.
- The insurance line is the first-year comprehensive premium.
The most expensive version, the C220d 140 Years Celebration Edition Diesel Automatic, is Rs 74,14,794 on-road on an ex-showroom price of Rs 62,40,000. That is Rs 2,71,968 above the C 200. See every version on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class prices and configurator page.
IndiCar gives you the written on-road breakup before you book, so you can check each line against these rules. For other models, the on-road price calculator shows the same line items, and the list of all new cars with on-road prices covers the rest of the market.
A checklist before registration
- VIN on the car matches the B-pillar or engine-bay production sticker.
- The same chassis number appears on Form 21, the invoice and the insurance certificate.
- The build year and month, read from your brand's characters, are what you expected.
- The policy shows 3 years of third-party cover and 1 year of own-damage cover.
- Road tax fits your fuel and price bracket, or the 20 percent rate for a company registration.
- The hypothecation endorsement appears only if the car is financed.
- TCS appears only if the car is above Rs 10,00,000, and is charged on the full invoice value.
- Form 20 goes in within one month of receiving the temporary number.
Sources: New car prices in Maharashtra to increase with amendments to Motor Vehicles Tax , How to know manufacturing date of car by chassis number?, IRDAI withdraws long-term own damage cover for motor vehicle insurance - Introdu
Buying a new car through IndiCar
IndiCar arranges new-car purchases in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. You book a new car on IndiCar at the on-road price shown on its car page, with the full price breakup: ex-showroom, RTO registration, insurance, TCS and FASTag. You book online with a refundable reservation, and IndiCar sources the car from partner dealer stock and handles the registration, insurance, paperwork and delivery.
You deal only with IndiCar from quote to delivery. Your phone number is never passed to a dealer, and you do not need to take the quote to a showroom to negotiate. See on-road prices and book or get a WhatsApp quote on +91 85916 41004.
Frequently asked questions
Does the model year in the VIN tell me when my car was built?
No. Position 10 is the model year, not the calendar year of manufacture. A car built in September 2025 commonly carries a 2026 model year code, the letter T.
Which VIN characters show the manufacturing month?
It depends on the brand. On Tata cars, the 10th and 12th characters give the year and month. On Maruti, the 10th is the year and the 11th is the month.
How long must third-party insurance run on a new car?
At least 3 years, under IRDAI rules. The Supreme Court mandated this from September 1, 2018. Since August 1, 2020, own-damage cover is offered only for a single year alongside it.
Is TCS charged only on the amount above Rs 10 lakh?
No. On a car above Rs 10,00,000, TCS of 1% is charged on the full invoice value. From 1 April 2026 the provision is Section 394(1), Table Sl. No. 6, of the Income-tax Act 2025.
When do I apply for the permanent registration number?
Apply using Form 20 within one month of receiving the temporary registration number, which the dealer provides.
When is the hypothecation endorsement charged in Maharashtra?
Only when the car is financed. It records the lender's lien on the RC.
Tags: car registration, vin, car insurance, road tax, tcs