KL 42 registration: the North Paravur office and other KL codes explained

KL 42 registration: which office and district is it?

A KL 42 registration belongs to the North Paravur Sub-Regional Transport Office in Ernakulam district. The state’s published office list dates the code to 2006, when Kerala opened dozens of sub-offices at once. If a car or scooter shows KL 42, it was first registered at Paravur, not in central Kochi.

Why the code matters to buyers

The two digits tell you which office holds the original file. For a used vehicle that means North Paravur is where the registration history, hypothecation entries and any old tax record sit, even if the seller now lives elsewhere.

What “Paravur” means here

Several places in Kerala share the name. This office is in North Paravur (also written Parur), a municipality formed in 1912 in Ernakulam district. Paravur in Kollam is a different town and has no link to KL 42.

Which villages does the North Paravur office cover?

The North Paravur office registers vehicles from Paravur taluk, whose headquarters is the town itself. The taluk has 13 revenue villages and 11 grama panchayats in the flat Periyar delta, cut by canals and the Kodungalloor and Varappuzha backwaters. The office list also names Kochi taluk, so check edge localities.

The thirteen villages

Revenue records list Parur, Ezhikkara, Chittatukara, Chendamangalam, Vadakkekara, Kottuvally, Kunnukara, Karumalloor, Varappuzha, Puthenvelikkara, Kadungalloor, Moothakunnam and Alangad. An address in any of these points to KL 42 for a fresh registration.

Where the boundary is less clear

The published table pairs KL 42 with both North Paravur and Kochi taluk, without saying which Kochi villages it takes. If your address is on that edge, ask the office or check the jurisdiction list on the MVD site before you book a slot.

A heritage town on the plate

Paravur sits close to the ancient port of Muziris and is known for the Chendamangalam synagogue. That history explains why the town is an old administrative centre and why a sub-office was placed here rather than in a smaller village.

Which Ernakulam codes border KL 42?

Ernakulam district is split between nine registering offices, more than most Kerala districts. KL 42 covers the north-west corner. Aluva (KL 41) and Angamaly (KL 63) lie to the east, central Kochi is KL 07, and the island side of Fort Kochi is KL 43.

Two offices for one taluk

Aluva taluk is shared by KL 41 and KL 63, and Kanayannur taluk by KL 07 and KL 39. So a taluk name alone does not always settle the code; the village or municipality does.

Across the district line

North of Paravur, across the backwaters, Kodungalloor in Thrissur district has its own code, KL 47. A vehicle from Kodungalloor will never carry KL 42 even though the towns are close.

How do you read a KL 42 number on a plate?

A typical KL 42 number reads KL 42 Z 1234: KL for Kerala, 42 for North Paravur, then one or two series letters and a four-digit number. The office list showed the Z series running in October 2026, though that column is community-edited and may lag.

Single and double letters

Sub-offices that opened in 2006 started with single letters (A, B, C…). Once Z is used up, Kerala offices move to two-letter series such as AA. A plate with fewer letters is usually an older registration.

Checking the number online

Type the full number into the national vehicle search to see the registering office, fuel, age and insurance status. For a Kerala-focused walkthrough, see our guide to vehicle ownership details in Kerala.

What work does the North Paravur SRTO handle?

As a sub-office headed by a Joint Regional Transport Officer, KL 42 handles everyday registration and licence work for its taluk: new registrations, ownership transfer, address change, hypothecation, duplicate RC and renewal. Kerala’s 18 full RTOs handle more appellate and permit work.

Registration services

Most applications start online on the national Vahan system and end with a document check or vehicle inspection at Paravur. A new vehicle is usually registered by the dealer, who submits the papers on the buyer’s behalf.

Licence services

Learner and driving licence applications run on the Sarathi portal. Driving tests are held at the test ground the office assigns, which may not be in the town centre.

What a sub-office may send elsewhere

Some permit, fitness or enforcement work in Kerala is handled by an RTO or an Enforcement RTO. If your service is not listed for Paravur on the portal, the system will show the office that takes it.

How do you find the KL 42 office address and timings?

We have not published a street address, phone number or opening hours for the North Paravur office because we could not confirm them from an official source. The Motor Vehicles Department, Kerala website lists every RTO and SRTO with current contacts; use that list, or the office search on Parivahan.

Why we hold back

Private sites often copy each other’s addresses, and Kerala offices do move into new civil station buildings. A wrong address costs you a trip, so we only print what an official page states.

Before you visit

Book an appointment online where the service allows it, carry originals plus one set of photocopies, and keep the application number from Vahan. Most counters will ask for it first.

Is KL 7 registration the same as KL 07?

Yes. KL 7 registration and KL 07 are the same code: the Ernakulam RTO. Plates and records use the two-digit form 07, but people often drop the zero when they search. The office covers central Kochi under Kanayannur taluk and, per the published list, Kalamassery, Thrikkakara and Infopark Phase 2.

What KL 07 covers

The Ernakulam RTO area includes the Kochi Municipal Corporation, Kalamassery and Thrikkakara municipalities and Cheranallur panchayat. The island side of Mattancherry and Fort Kochi uses KL 43, and Thripunithura uses KL 39.

A fast-moving series

Because the area is dense, KL 07 has reached two-letter series quickly; the office list showed DL running in October 2026. That explains plates such as KL 07 DG in the record fancy-number auctions reported in 2025. The Kerala number plate guide covers those auctions.

KL 07 versus KL 42

A buyer from Paravur cannot pick KL 07 by visiting the Kochi office. Your address decides the office, and the dealer files with the office for that address.

KL 17 registration: is Muvattupuzha an RTO or a sub-office?

KL 17 registration belongs to Muvattupuzha, and it is a full RTO, not a sub-office. Kerala added three RTOs in 2002 (KL 16 Attingal, KL 17 Muvattupuzha and KL 18 Vadakara). Muvattupuzha serves its own taluk in eastern Ernakulam district.

Its place in the district

Muvattupuzha sits between Kothamangalam (KL 44) and Perumbavoor (KL 40). Vehicles from those towns carry their own codes, so a KL 17 plate points to the Muvattupuzha taluk area.

A sister RTO in the south

Attingal, opened in the same year, has its own guide: see KL 16 registration for that office near Thiruvananthapuram.

Which office issues KL 25 registration?

KL 25 registration is issued by the Punalur sub-office in Kollam district, opened in 2006 for Punalur taluk. It is among the most-searched Kerala codes because Punalur is the gateway to the eastern hill roads towards Tamil Nadu.

Kollam’s other codes

Kollam district also has KL 02 (Kollam RTO), KL 23 Karunagappally, KL 24 Kottarakkara and, since 2020, KL 80 Pathanapuram. A plate from the town of Kollam itself carries KL 02.

Pathanapuram split

KL 80 only opened in 2020, so older vehicles from Pathanapuram taluk carry the code of whichever office served the taluk at the time. Only registrations made after the new office opened show KL 80.

KL 65 registration: which Malappuram taluk?

KL 65 registration points to Tirurangadi in Malappuram district. The office was added in 2011 for Tirurangadi taluk, between Tirur and the Kozhikode border. It is a sub-office, so heavier permit work may go to the Malappuram RTO.

Neighbouring Malappuram offices

Tirur has KL 55, Perinthalmanna KL 53, Ponnani KL 54, Nilambur KL 71 and Kondotty KL 84. Malappuram district has one of the larger clusters of codes in the state.

Older Tirurangadi vehicles

Vehicles registered in the taluk before 2011 carry the code of the office that served the area then. A 2009 car from Tirurangadi will not show KL 65.

KL 20 registration belongs to which town?

KL 20 registration belongs to Neyyattinkara, a sub-office in Thiruvananthapuram district opened in 2006. It serves Neyyattinkara taluk on the southern side of the capital, towards the Tamil Nadu border at Parassala, which has its own code, KL 19.

Capital district codes

Thiruvananthapuram district has several codes: KL 01 (city RTO), KL 16 Attingal, KL 19 Parassala, KL 20 Neyyattinkara, KL 21 Nedumangad, KL 22 Kazhakoottam, KL 74 Kattakada and KL 81 Varkala.

Border traffic

Because Neyyattinkara is close to Tamil Nadu, KL 20 vehicles often cross into TN. A Kerala registration stays valid there; only commercial vehicles need permits or tax for interstate trips.

KL 10 registration: what does the Malappuram RTO cover?

KL 10 registration is the Malappuram RTO, one of Kerala’s original 1989 district offices, listed under Eranad taluk. It serves the district headquarters area, while towns like Tirur, Perinthalmanna and Tirurangadi have their own sub-offices.

Full RTO powers

As a regional office, KL 10 can handle work that sub-offices in the district pass up, such as some permit and appeal matters, depending on the service.

Old Malappuram codes

Before 1989, Malappuram vehicles used three-letter codes such as KLM, KLL and KRM. You may still see these on vintage vehicles that kept their original numbers.

Where is KL 27 registration done?

KL 27 registration is done at the Thiruvalla sub-office in Pathanamthitta district, opened in 2006 for Thiruvalla taluk. Thiruvalla is the district’s largest town, though the district headquarters (KL 03) is at Pathanamthitta itself.

Pathanamthitta’s codes

The district has KL 03 Pathanamthitta, KL 26 Adoor, KL 27 Thiruvalla, KL 28 Mallappally, KL 62 Ranni and KL 83 Konni. That is six offices for one of Kerala’s smaller districts.

Expat-owned vehicles

Central Travancore has many non-resident families. Vehicles kept in Thiruvalla while the owner works abroad still need valid insurance and PUC; registration stays valid but documents do not renew themselves.

KL 11 registration: which Kozhikode office?

KL 11 registration is the Kozhikode RTO, a 1989 district office for Kozhikode taluk. The city and its surroundings register here, while Vadakara (KL 18), Koyilandy (KL 56), Koduvally (KL 57) and newer offices take the rest of the district.

Kozhikode’s newer codes

Kerala added KL 76 Nanmanda and KL 77 Perambra in 2018, and KL 85 Ramanattukara-Feroke in 2020, to share the city’s load. A recent vehicle from those areas may carry one of them instead of KL 11.

Before 1989

Older Kozhikode vehicles used codes such as KLD, KLZ and KRD, which are still seen on a few classic cars and Bullet motorcycles.

KL 24 registration and the Kottarakkara office

KL 24 registration comes from the Kottarakkara sub-office in Kollam district, opened in 2006 for Kottarakkara taluk. It is a busy inland office on the main road between Kollam and Punalur, serving town and rural areas alike.

Chadayamangalam’s code

Chadayamangalam, also in Kollam district, received its own code, KL 82, in 2020. If your address is near the edge of Kottarakkara’s area, check which of the two offices the portal assigns.

Sorting nearby plates

Kottarakkara lies between Kollam (KL 02), Punalur (KL 25) and Adoor (KL 26 in Pathanamthitta). The district line runs close, so check the owner’s village, not the nearest town.

KL 48 registration: which Thrissur taluks?

KL 48 registration is the Wadakkanchery sub-office in Thrissur district, listed with Thalappilly and Kunnamkulam taluks. It opened in 2006 and covers the north-eastern side of the district towards Palakkad.

Thrissur’s other offices

Thrissur district also has KL 08 Thrissur, KL 45 Irinjalakuda, KL 46 Guruvayur, KL 47 Kodungalloor, KL 64 Chalakkudy and KL 75 Thriprayar. Kunnamkulam vehicles register under KL 48 per the published list.

Spelling variants

You will see Wadakkanchery, Vadakkancherry and Wadakkancherry. They are the same office; spell it any way when searching, but use the exact code when you fill in a form.

KL 35 registration: is it Pala or Kottayam?

KL 35 registration is Pala, not Kottayam. The Pala sub-office in Kottayam district opened in 2006 and serves Meenachil taluk. Kottayam town itself uses KL 05, the district RTO.

Kottayam district codes

Besides KL 05 and KL 35, the district has KL 33 Changanassery, KL 34 Kanjirappally, KL 36 Vaikom and KL 67 Uzhavoor, added in 2013.

Meenachil and Pala

Meenachil is the taluk name and Pala the town. Revenue documents may say Meenachil while the plate office says Pala; both lead to KL 35.

KL 23 registration: which Kollam town?

KL 23 registration belongs to Karunagappally, a sub-office in Kollam district opened in 2006 for Karunagappally taluk. It covers the coastal northern part of Kollam district, bordering Alappuzha district at Kayamkulam (KL 29).

Where Kollam’s coast ends

North of Karunagappally the next office, Kayamkulam, is in Alappuzha district. Villages near the district line can belong to either office, so the village in your address decides the code.

Spellings

The office is also written Karunagappalli. Both refer to KL 23.

KL 70 registration in Palakkad district

KL 70 registration belongs to Chittur in Palakkad district, a sub-office added in 2013 for Chittur taluk. Chittur sits on the Tamil Nadu side of Palakkad, near Pollachi, so many KL 70 vehicles cross the border daily.

Palakkad’s codes

Palakkad district has KL 09 Palakkad, KL 49 Alathur, KL 50 Mannarkkad, KL 51 Ottapalam, KL 52 Pattambi and KL 70 Chittur.

Do not confuse with KL 07

KL 70 and KL 07 look alike when written quickly, but one is Chittur and the other is Ernakulam. Read both digits on the plate carefully.

KL 57 registration: Koduvally and Thamarassery

KL 57 registration is the Koduvally sub-office in Kozhikode district, opened in 2006. The office list gives its taluk as Thamarassery, so vehicles from the hill road towards Wayanad register here rather than in Kozhikode city.

Office name versus taluk

People search “Thamarassery RTO”, but the code carries the Koduvally name. Both point to KL 57.

On the Wayanad road

Thamarassery lies at the foot of the ghat towards Wayanad (KL 12). Owners who move up the ghat keep their KL 57 number; only the address on the RC changes.

KL 75 registration: where is Thriprayar?

KL 75 registration is the Thriprayar sub-office in Thrissur district, added in 2018 and listed under Chavakkad taluk. Thriprayar is a coastal town south of Guruvayur on the Thrissur shoreline.

A newer code

Because KL 75 started in 2018, vehicles registered from the same villages before then carry another Thrissur district code. Check the RC date before you assume a mismatch.

Same taluk, two codes

Chavakkad taluk is shared by KL 46 and KL 75. The village in your address decides which one applies.

KL 22 registration: Kazhakoottam in the capital

KL 22 registration is the Kazhakoottam sub-office, opened in 2006 in Thiruvananthapuram district and listed under Thiruvananthapuram taluk. It serves the northern part of the capital area, while the city RTO uses KL 01.

KL 01 or KL 22?

Both serve Thiruvananthapuram taluk. Which one applies depends on the locality in your address, not the taluk.

Government vehicles

State government vehicles, including police, are mostly registered under KL 01 and the KL 90 series, not KL 22, even when based in Kazhakoottam.

KL 30 registration: Chengannur in Alappuzha

KL 30 registration is Chengannur, a sub-office in Alappuzha district opened in 2006 for Chengannur taluk. Although close to Thiruvalla (KL 27), Chengannur is in a different district, so the codes do not overlap.

Alappuzha district codes

The district has KL 04 Alappuzha, KL 29 Kayamkulam, KL 30 Chengannur, KL 31 Mavelikkara, KL 32 Cherthala and KL 66 Kuttanad.

A rail town’s traffic

Chengannur is a major railway stop for Sabarimala pilgrims, so many KL 30 taxis and contract carriages operate here. Those are transport vehicles with yellow plates and permit records.

KL 50 registration: Mannarkkad sub-office

KL 50 registration belongs to Mannarkkad, a 2006 sub-office in Palakkad district serving Mannarkkad taluk. The area runs up towards Attappadi and the Silent Valley side, so the office handles a mix of farm and hill vehicles.

Hill-area vehicles

Jeeps, pick-ups and tractors are common on KL 50 plates. Their registration rules are the same as for cars, but goods vehicles also need fitness and permit records.

Near the Malappuram line

Mannarkkad borders Perinthalmanna (KL 53) in Malappuram district. Check the owner’s village if a plate seems out of place.

KL 14 registration: Kasaragod and Manjeshwar

KL 14 registration is the Kasaragod RTO, Kerala’s northernmost district office, opened in 1989. The list gives it Kasaragod and Manjeshwar taluks. Kanhangad (KL 60) and Vellarikundu (KL 79) serve the southern part of the district.

On the Karnataka border

Kasaragod borders Karnataka, so KL 14 vehicles are common on Mangaluru roads. A Kerala vehicle used mainly in Karnataka for over 12 months would need a Karnataka mark under Section 47.

Older code

Before 1989, Kasaragod vehicles used KLS, the only old code listed for the district.

RTO Kannur and its sister codes

RTO Kannur uses KL 13, one of the 14 district offices opened in 1989. The district also has sub-offices at Thalassery (KL 58), Taliparamba (KL 59), Iritty (KL 78, added 2018) and Payyannur (KL 86, added 2020).

What the Kannur RTO handles

As the district’s full RTO, KL 13 takes regional work such as some permits and appeals, while the sub-offices handle most day-to-day registration for their taluks.

Choosing the right office

A Kannur town address uses KL 13; Thalassery, Taliparamba, Iritty and Payyannur residents go to their own office. Check the taluk on your address proof.

KL 80 registration: Pathanapuram

KL 80 registration is Pathanapuram in Kollam district, one of the offices added in 2020. It serves Pathanapuram taluk on the eastern side of Kollam, on the road towards Pathanamthitta.

Why 2020 matters

Vehicles registered from this taluk before the office opened carry an older code. A KL 80 plate therefore means a registration from 2020 onwards.

Kerala’s newest wave

The 2020 batch ran from KL 80 to KL 86. The state later told the assembly that no new offices are planned unless finances improve.

KL78 registration: which Kannur office is Iritty?

KL78 registration (written KL 78 on the plate) is the Iritty sub-office in Kannur district, added in 2018 for Iritty taluk. Iritty lies in the eastern hills of Kannur, towards the Coorg border with Karnataka.

From Thalassery to Iritty

Iritty only got its own office in 2018. Vehicles registered from the taluk before that carry an older Kannur district code, so do not read a pre-2018 plate as proof of a different home area.

Border trips

Iritty is on the main route into Kodagu. Private KL 78 vehicles can cross freely; transport vehicles need the right permits.

KL 72 registration: Mananthavady in Wayanad

KL 72 registration belongs to Mananthavady in Wayanad district, a sub-office added in 2013 for Mananthavady taluk. Wayanad has three codes: KL 12 at Kalpetta, KL 72 Mananthavady and KL 73 Sulthan Bathery.

Wayanad’s three codes

The district RTO at Kalpetta (KL 12, Vythiri taluk) handles the central area. Mananthavady covers the north and Sulthan Bathery the south-east.

Near Karnataka

Mananthavady is close to the Karnataka border at Bavali, so KL 72 vehicles are common on the Mysuru side too.

KL 69 which registration office is it?

KL 69 which registration searches lead to Udumbanchola in Idukki district, a sub-office added in 2013 for Udumbanchola taluk. It serves the cardamom hills on the Tamil Nadu side of Idukki.

Idukki’s codes

Idukki district has KL 06 Idukki (Painavu), KL 37 Vandiperiyar, KL 38 Thodupuzha, KL 68 Devikulam and KL 69 Udumbanchola.

Hill-terrain checks

Many KL 69 vehicles are jeeps and pick-ups used on estate roads. If you buy one, check the fitness record and whether it is registered as a goods vehicle.

KL 8 registration: Thrissur RTO

KL 8 registration, written KL 08 on plates, is the Thrissur RTO, a 1989 district office for Thrissur taluk. Thrissur town and its surroundings register here, while six sub-offices cover the rest of the district.

Old Thrissur codes

Thrissur vehicles before 1989 used codes such as KLR, KLH and KRR.

The zero

As with KL 07, the official form is two digits: KL 08. A plate showing only “KL 8” is not in the standard format.

KL 6 registration: which Idukki office?

KL 6 registration, written KL 06, is the Idukki RTO at Painavu, opened in 1989 for Idukki taluk. Painavu is the district headquarters, while Thodupuzha (KL 38) and Devikulam (KL 68, near Munnar) take other parts of the district.

Munnar vehicles

A vehicle from Munnar usually carries KL 68 Devikulam, not KL 06, if registered after 2013.

Old Idukki code

Before 1989, Idukki vehicles used KLI.

KL 15 registration: why do buses carry it?

KL 15 registration is reserved for KSRTC and KURTC buses, registered at Thiruvananthapuram under the nationalised sector. You will see KL 15 on state transport buses across Kerala, wherever their depot is.

Not for private vehicles

A private owner cannot get a KL 15 number. Private buses carry the code of the office where their owner registered them.

Other government codes

KL 90 is used for government vehicles (KL 90A state, KL 90B central, KL 90C local bodies, KL 90D public sector undertakings). KL 99 is listed for the Government of Kerala.

What is re registration of vehicle in Kerala?

Re registration of vehicle in Kerala means getting a new KL number for a vehicle first registered in another state. Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act requires it once the vehicle has been kept in Kerala for more than 12 months. The old number is replaced, but the vehicle’s history stays on record.

Who must re-register

People who move to Kerala for work, students who bring a bike from home and families returning from other states all count. Short visits do not; the trigger is keeping the vehicle in Kerala for over 12 months.

The all-India alternative

Some employees qualify for the BH series instead, which avoids re-registration on transfer. See our guide to BH registration for who can use it.

How do you re-register an other-state vehicle in Kerala?

The re-registration route has two halves: a no objection certificate from the original state on Form 28, then an application for a new mark on Form 27 at the Kerala office for your address. Rule 54 allows 30 days after the 12-month stay to apply.

1. Get the NOC. Apply on Form 28 to the original registering authority. It must decide within 30 days, or the NOC is treated as granted.
2. Clear the finance. If the vehicle is hypothecated, get the lender’s consent; the financier has 7 days to object.
3. Apply on Form 27. File the new-mark application at the Kerala office that covers your address, for example KL 42 if you live in Paravur.
4. Pay the Kerala tax. Pay the tax the Motor Vehicles Department works out for your vehicle’s age and value.
5. Present the vehicle. Bring it for chassis and engine verification if the office asks.
6. Fit the new plate. Fix the KL number plate and update insurance and FASTag records.

The NOC in more detail

Before issuing the NOC, the original office checks with police that no theft case is pending and that its dues are paid. Our page on the no objection certificate explains Form 28 step by step.

If the NOC never arrives

Section 48 treats the NOC as deemed granted if the original office neither grants nor refuses it within 30 days. Keep the postal or online receipt to show the Kerala office.

Which documents does Kerala re-registration need?

Kerala offices ask for the NOC, the original RC, valid insurance, a PUC certificate, address proof and proof of tax paid in the old state. Transport vehicles need permit surrender and fitness clearance too. Exact lists change, so check the service page on the portal before you upload.

Pencil print

Some offices ask for a pencil print of the chassis and engine numbers. Make one before you visit to save time.

Copies and originals

Upload scans online, then carry originals and one set of self-attested copies to the office.

How much does re-registration cost in Kerala?

The main cost is Kerala’s motor vehicle tax, worked out by the department from the vehicle’s age and value, plus the central fee for a new mark and the RC card. We could not verify Kerala’s current re-registration tax table, so we do not quote a rupee figure here.

Lifetime tax in Kerala

For new cars, Kerala’s lifetime tax is a percentage of the purchase value, rising by price band. Details and how other-state vehicles are treated are in our road tax in Kerala guide.

Refund from the old state

If you paid lifetime tax in another state, you may claim a refund for the unused years there. Apply to that state, not to Kerala.

Late penalties

Delay beyond the permitted period can attract late fees. Driving without valid registration falls under Section 192, with a first-offence fine of Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000.

RC renewal Kerala: when does a KL registration expire?

RC renewal Kerala applies to private vehicles when the registration certificate reaches its expiry, usually 15 years from first registration. After that, Section 41(10) allows renewal for five years at a time, after the vehicle passes inspection. Transport vehicles run on fitness certificates instead.

Where to check your expiry date

The registration valid upto date is printed on the RC and shown in online vehicle records. For a copy of your RC, see RC download Kerala.

What Kerala may add

The figures above are central rates. Kerala can add its own service or tax heads, so pay only the total the portal generates. Our RC renewal after 15 years fees page explains the national rules in full.

How do you renew an RC in Kerala?

You apply online on the national Vahan service for the office that holds your vehicle’s file, pay the fee, then present the vehicle for inspection. A KL 42 vehicle is inspected at North Paravur unless your address has moved to another office’s area.

Steps in brief

Choose the renewal service, enter the registration and chassis numbers, upload insurance and PUC, pay, and book an inspection slot. Keep the receipt; it shows you applied on time.

After renewal

The renewed RC is valid for five years. Note the new date; the late fee runs per month from expiry.

Which KL codes are full RTOs and which are sub-offices?

Kerala has 18 full RTOs headed by a Regional Transport Officer and 69 SRTOs headed by a Joint RTO. The 14 district offices opened in 1989, KL 01 to KL 14, are RTOs, plus KL 16, 17 and 18 added in 2002. Codes from KL 19 upwards are mostly sub-offices.

Does the type matter to you?

For a private owner, rarely. Both types register vehicles, transfer ownership and renew RCs. The difference shows in some permit and appeal work.

Where to see the whole list

For every Kerala code from KL 01 to KL 86, and for codes across India, start at our RTO codes section.

What mistakes do people make with KL office codes?

The most common mistake is treating the code as an address. A KL 42 plate tells you where the vehicle was first registered, not where its owner lives now. Other errors come from dropping the zero, mixing up similar codes and forgetting the 12-month rule for other-state vehicles.

Checking a used vehicle

Before buying, confirm the owner, hypothecation and insurance in the official record. Our guide to vehicle registration explains what each field means, and the certificate of registration page explains the RC itself.

Moving within Kerala

Moving from Paravur to Kozhikode does not change your KL 42 number. You only update the address on the RC at the new office.

Decode any plate