Jalandhar October 29, 2025 : The Punjab government has taken a major step to curb corruption in the state’s Regional Transport Offices (RTOs). Almost all RTO services will now be made faceless, meaning that people will no longer need to visit RTO offices for tasks such as obtaining a driving license, vehicle registration, or any other transport-related work. All these services will now be available through Seva Kendras (service centers).
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will officially launch this new initiative on October 29 during a state-level event in Ludhiana. With this, Punjab will join the leading states in India where most transport department services are available through digital and faceless systems.
The main goal of this initiative is to eliminate the direct public entry into RTO offices. For a long time, people were forced to get their work done through agents, which encouraged corruption. The government claims that this step will provide transparent and convenient services to the public while reducing the influence of agents and middlemen. Citizens will no longer have to stand in long queues or submit documents physically at transport offices — although service charges at Seva Kendras might add to the citizens’ expenses.
Experts believe that the faceless system will help reduce corruption, fraud, and brokerage practices in RTOs. Every application can now be tracked online, and applicants will immediately receive a receipt and status update. Citizen organizations, however, stress that the government must ensure complete transparency in applications made through Seva Kendras to maintain public trust in this faceless system.
Services to Become More Expensive
While the faceless system will make life easier for citizens, the service charges levied by Seva Kendras may increase their financial burden. Each file submitted at a Seva Kendra will incur an extra charge ranging from ₹100 to ₹1,200. For most services, the fee will remain between ₹100–₹200, but for special services, it will be higher — for example, ₹525 for a vehicle conversion application and ₹1,200 for an international driving license (in addition to the official fee of ₹1,000). An additional ₹50 society user charge will also be collected separately.
The Following Services Will Now Be Faceless
People will now be able to easily register their private or commercial vehicles for the first time and obtain or duplicate their Registration Certificate (RC) online. If the vehicle owner wants to change their address or transfer ownership to another person, that too can be done online or via a Seva Kendra. Re-registration after changing the state or vehicle number will also be completed without visiting the RTO office.
For vehicles purchased on bank loans, adding or removing hypothecation (loan linkage) will now be possible online. Issuance and renewal of vehicle fitness certificates will also be done digitally.
In addition, Seva Kendras will now provide facilities for permits and renewals for commercial vehicles such as taxis, trucks, buses, and school vans. Vehicle owners can also pay road tax and green tax online, while processes like number plate issuance and fancy number allocation will also be handled there. All vehicle-related information will now be accessible online, and citizens will be able to download RCs from home.
For driving license-related services, including learning license, permanent license, license renewal, duplicate license, address change, or adding new categories, citizens will no longer need to visit the RTO office. Those applying for an international driving permit for travel abroad can also do so via Seva Kendras. Trained operators at these centers will upload documents, collect fees, and help applicants track their application status.
Summary:
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will launch Punjab’s new faceless RTO service initiative today from a selected district, aiming to make vehicle registration and licensing services fully digital, transparent, and corruption-free.