Sarai Kale Khan RTO office guide for the DL 6 Central Delhi zone

Beside the Sarai Kale Khan bus terminal stands a zonal transport office whose name sends many people to the wrong counter. This page, part of our RTO guide, explains who it serves.

Where is the Sarai Kale Khan RTO office?

The Sarai Kale Khan RTO office stands at the ISBT Sarai Kale Khan complex in south-east Delhi, next to the inter-state bus terminal and close to the Ring Road. One directory gives the postal address as Mahatma Gandhi Marg, ISBT Sarai Kale Khan, New Delhi 110013. Delhi calls it a zonal office rather than an RTO.

Why an address alone is not enough

The postal address above comes from a private directory, not an official notice. Before travelling, compare it with the office named on your appointment slip, which is what the counter staff will look for.

Which DL code does Sarai Kale Khan RTO use?

The Sarai Kale Khan RTO uses the code DL 6. The national RTO code list names its zone as the Central Delhi district and gives the office location as ISBT Sarai Kale Khan.

DL 6 among the 13 Delhi codes

Delhi has 13 zonal codes. DL 6 is one of the older ones, created before Rohini, Vasant Vihar and Surajmal Vihar received codes of their own. For a full table of all 13, see our list of RTO office in Delhi.

Which areas does the Sarai Kale Khan transport authority cover?

The Sarai Kale Khan transport authority covers the old city and the Central Delhi belt: Daryaganj, Jama Masjid, Chandni Mahal, Pahar Ganj, Karol Bagh, Rajender Nagar and Pusa Road, plus Turkman Gate, Ballimaran, Nabi Karim and Sita Ram Bazar.

Full DL 6 locality list

Is the Sarai Kale Khan locality itself in the DL 6 zone?

No, not according to the code list. The Sarai Kale Khan colony appears in the DL 3 South Delhi list, together with Hazrat Nizamuddin, Jangpura, Lajpat Nagar, Sarita Vihar and Badarpur. So someone living right beside the office may still have their file at Sheikh Sarai.

What this means for residents

If your address proof says Sarai Kale Khan or Nizamuddin, expect the South Delhi office to own your vehicle and licence records. Book there unless the portal points you elsewhere.

What it means for buyers

When you buy a car or scooter, the dealer registers it against your address. A buyer from the colony will usually get a DL 3 number, not DL 6.

What work does the Central Delhi zonal office handle?

The Central Delhi zonal office handles the usual Delhi zone work for its area: approving new registrations uploaded by dealers, ownership transfer, RC address change, hypothecation entries, NOCs for moving out of Delhi, permits for some commercial classes and licence services that need a document check. Heavy vehicle fitness testing happens at separate testing stations.

Vehicle files

The office approves records created on Vahan for DL 6 vehicles. A physical visit is needed only when the system asks for an inspection or original papers. The Delhi steps for a new vehicle are on our page about Delhi vehicle registration.

Licence files

Learner and permanent licence work for Central Delhi residents runs through Sarathi. The office verifies documents when the application cannot be approved online.

Which Central Delhi services can you finish online?

Several common requests no longer need a counter. Delhi offers faceless versions of many RC and licence services with Aadhaar authentication, so a DL 6 resident can apply, pay and receive the result without visiting ISBT Sarai Kale Khan. The service page on Parivahan shows whether a visit is required.

Usually online

Duplicate RC, mobile number update on the RC, licence renewal without a test and duplicate licence are the typical faceless cases.

Usually needs a visit

Hypothecation changes where the bank’s papers are in doubt, chassis or engine checks, and commercial permits often still end with a trip to the zone.

How do you plan a visit to the ISBT zonal office?

Plan the trip only after the online part is done. Confirm your zone, file the application, pay the official fee, then book the slot that the portal offers for the ISBT zonal office.

1. Check your zone. Match your locality to the DL 6 list before you book anything.
2. Apply on the portal. File the vehicle or licence service online and note the application number.
3. Pay and save the receipt. Pay the official fee online and keep the receipt as a PDF.
4. Pick the office and date. Choose the Central Delhi zone and a slot if the service needs a visit.
5. Go early with originals. Reach in the morning window with the slip, originals and copies.

What should you carry to the counter?

Carry the appointment slip, the payment receipt, the original RC or licence, valid insurance and PUC for vehicle work, and address and identity proof that match the form exactly. Add one set of self-attested photocopies.

For transfers and NOCs

Bring the forms the portal generated, signed by both parties where required, and the bank’s NOC if the vehicle had a loan.

For licence work

Bring the learner licence, medical certificate where it applies, and the photo and signature you uploaded.

When is the Central Delhi zone open for public dealing?

A directory lists public dealing at DL 6 from 8.30 am to 1 pm on working days, and gives the phone number 011-24351100. Neither appears on an official page we could open, so treat both as a starting point and confirm on the Delhi Transport Department site before you leave.

Closed days

Delhi zonal offices are generally shut on Sundays and gazetted holidays. Working Saturdays vary, so check the current notice.

Where do Central Delhi learners take the practical test?

Practical driving tests in Delhi run on automated test tracks, not at zonal counters. A December 2022 report named Sarai Kale Khan among the city’s 12 automated tracks, along with Burari, Mayur Vihar, Raja Garden and others. You choose the track and slot while booking the test online.

Is the track the same building as the office?

They share the Sarai Kale Khan name, but the test track and the paperwork counter are separate functions. Your slip states the exact location.

What is the Surajmal Vihar authority?

The Surajmal Vihar authority is the DL 13 zonal office for East Delhi District II, listed at the CBD Ground, Surajmal Vihar. It serves Gazipur, Anand Vihar, Geeta Colony, Gandhi Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Mandawali, Vivek Vihar, Jheel, New Shahdara and Old Seelampur. It is not linked to Sarai Kale Khan.

Older DL 7 numbers at DL 13

The code list notes that DL 13 holds the records of some older DL 7 series from Mayur Vihar, such as parts of DL 7C and DL 7S. So a car with a DL 7 plate may have its file at Surajmal Vihar.

Contact details

We found no address or phone for DL 13 that two sources agreed on; one directory even prints a Rohini address against it. Use the Transport Department’s office list.

How is Surajmal Vihar different from Sarai Kale Khan?

The two offices serve different districts and different residents. Sarai Kale Khan (DL 6) handles Central Delhi, from Karol Bagh to Daryaganj. Surajmal Vihar (DL 13) handles the second East Delhi zone across the Yamuna.

Quick comparison

How does a DL 6 number appear on plates and in records?

A DL 6 plate reads DL 6, then a series letter, a running series and a four-digit number, as in DL 6C AB 1234 for a car or DL 6S for a two-wheeler. The Vahan record shows the registering authority as the Central Delhi zone, and that does not change if the owner later moves.

Decode any plate

Moving inside Delhi

A DL 6 car stays DL 6 after you move to another zone. You update the RC address instead of re-registering.

Will Delhi’s 2026 district changes affect this office?

Possibly. Delhi was reorganised into 13 revenue districts in December 2025, and a Transport Department order aligned District Transport Officer offices with them from 15 April 2026. The exact new mapping for DL 6 could not be read, so rely on the office the portal assigns.