{
  "id": 18675029,
  "title": "How easily can you buy, sell and transfer used vehicles? Depends on the state you live in",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/how-easily-can-you-buy-sell-and-transfer-used-vehicles-depends-on-the",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-07T08:40:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/used-vehicle-ownership-rules-india-10954572/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The used vehicle market in India has been expanding rapidly, with projections suggesting that it will surpass $73.5 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by lower upfront costs for middle-income households, with used cars expected to outsell new ones in a 1.7:1 ratio. However, the ease of buying, selling and transferring used vehicles varies significantly across states, according to a new Ease of Vehicle Ownership Index report. Andhra Pradesh leads the way, scoring 5.91 out of 10, followed by Kerala at 5.74 and Tamil Nadu at 4.58. In contrast, Uttar Pradesh ranks last at 2.47, indicating substantial regional disparities in the ease of dealing with pre-owned vehicles. The report highlights several challenges, primarily structural ones, that impede a smooth process for used vehicle transactions. Key issues include inconsistent ownership transfer rules, unreliable online systems, excessive procedural burdens, high fees, and poor consumer protection. The main problem lies in the cost associated with vehicle transfers, which averages around 10 times the statutory fee due to manual verifications, informal payments, and multiple departmental sign-offs. Furthermore, registration certificate transfers can take from seven to 10 days in Andhra Pradesh to over 30 days in Uttar Pradesh. State-specific road taxes also add to the complexity, with rates ranging from 3% in Uttar Pradesh to 14% in Karnataka, potentially adding over Rs 66,000 to the cost of a vehicle. The report urges the Union government to implement policies and amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act to streamline the transfer process, including a stepwise timeline for vehicle transfers, the acceptance of digital documents like DigiLocker and mParivahan at RTOs, and real-time integration between banks and VAHAN to automatically remove hypothecation when loans are closed.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Andhra Pradesh leads Ease of Vehicle Ownership Index at 5.91",
    "Uttar Pradesh ranks last at 2.47, showing regional disparities",
    "Structural issues like transfer costs and registration delays hinder transactions"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}