Up to 10-fold statutory costs, month-long delays: Report flags hurdles in used vehicle transfers

NewsIndia NewsUp to 10-fold statutory costs, month-long delays: Report flags hurdles in used vehicle transfers Up to 10-fold statutory costs, month-long delays: Report flags hurdles in used vehicle transfers Vehicle transfers cost up to 10x statutory fees; UP, Bihar and Bengal ranked worst on the Ease of Vehicle Ownership Index 2026.

The report highlighted how unofficial expenses, procedural inefficiencies and dependence on intermediaries continue to inflate the cost of transferring vehicle ownership. Nearly 100% of respondents surveyed said they had relied on agents to complete the transfer process.

“Reducing these hidden transaction costs will be critical for improving accessibility, accelerating market formalisation and enhancing the overall ease of vehicle ownership,” it said.None of the states figured in the ‘high ease’ or excellent category, with Andhra Pradesh, the top-ranked state, scoring only 5.9 on a scale of 0-10.

Kerala scored 5.7, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi at 4.6 each. Rajasthan (4) and Haryana (3.9) were also in the lower half of the rankings, while West Bengal (2.6), Bihar (2.5) and Uttar Pradesh (2.5) brought up the rear.Join conversation InsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig Development The report comes at a time when India’s pre-owned vehicle market is expanding rapidly and projected to grow from $36.4 billion in 2025 to over $73.5 billion by 2030.

The market has already overtaken new vehicle sales in volume. However, fragmented state-level rules, incomplete digitisation and cumbersome procedures continue to impede seamless vehicle ownership transfers.It also found that 39% of respondents had reported delays in receiving their registration certificates after completing vehicle transfers, while 61.5% were unaware of the requirement of party peshi until they reached the RTO.

As many as 63% could not accurately estimate the total cost of completing an ownership transfer, reflecting widespread opacity in transaction charges. Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app. ‘Jantar Mantar At Kochi’: CJP Announces Anti-SIR Protest On Nov 7; Abhijeet Dipke To Attend Agniveers' Second Tour Of Duty: IAF Details Salary And Savings Package Under Agnipath Supreme Court Ends Detention-Arrest Distinction, Says 24-Hour Clock Starts When Liberty Is Curtailed 'Johnny Johnny..': Sambit Patra Uses Nursery Rhymes to Mock INDIA Bloc, dares Rahul to debate Mamata 'Let's Face Each Other Head-On': Amit Shah Challenges Rahul Gandhi To Debate SIR In Parliament Rahul's Nov 1 Delhi Rally Under Fire, CAIT Announces Nationwide 'Dhikkar Diwas' Over Traders' Losses ‘BJP Misled Aga Ruhullah, Offered Him Lollipop’: NC Attacks Former Srinagar MP Over Resignation 'Mann Smelled Of Alcohol By 11 am': Rahul Gandhi Targets Punjab CM Over Drug Menace 'Abdul Won In America, Now UP Also...': Owaisi's 'Muslim' Message After El-Sayed's Michigan Win Modi Govt Revises Agnipath Scheme, Offers 2-Year Service Extension To 75% Of Agniveers 10 baby girl names inspired by the colours and charm of butterflies