4Application for grant or renewal of registration.

(1) Any person, who is engaged or intends to engage in the business of a common carrier, shall apply for the grant or renewal of a certificate of registration for carrying on the business of common carrier to the registering authority.
(2) An application under sub-section (1) shall be made, to the registering authority having jurisdiction in the area in which the applicant resides or has his principal place of business stating that the application is for the main office, in such form and manner and accompanied by such fees payable to the registering authority as may be prescribed.
(3) An application for grant or renewal of certificate of registration for the main office shall contain the details of branch office, if any, to be operated outside the jurisdiction of the State or Union territory in which the main office is to be registered in such form and manner as may be prescribed:
Provided that an application for the purpose to open or close a branch office shall be made to the registering authority having jurisdiction over the main office.
(4) A registering authority shall, before granting or renewing a certificate of registration, satisfy itself that the applicant fulfills such conditions as may be prescribed.
(5) The registering authority may, on receipt of an application under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) and after satisfying itself that the applicant fulfills the requirements of sub-section (4), grant the certificate of registration or renew it, as the case may be, for carrying on the business of a common carrier, in such form and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed:
Provided that no application for the grant or renewal of a certificate of registration shall be refused by the registering authority unless the applicant has been given an opportunity of being heard and the reasons for such refusal are given in writing by the registering authority within sixty days from the date of receipt of such application:
Provided further that if such refusal has not been communicated within sixty days of the date of application, the registering authority shall grant or renew certificate of registration within a further period of thirty days.
(6) A certificate of registration granted or renewed under sub-section (5) shall contain the details of branch offices to be operated in various States and Union territories, and shall be valid for a period of ten years from the date of such grant or renewal, as the case may be:
Provided that in the case of registration in respect of branch offices referred to in sub-section (3), the validity of such registration shall be restricted to the validity of the registration granted in respect of the main office.
(7) The holder of a certificate of registration shall--
(a) maintain a register in such form and manner as may be prescribed;
(b) for shifting the main office mentioned in the certificate of registration submit an application to the registering authority which granted the certificate of registration:
Provided that such registering authority shall grant or refuse permission for shifting the main office within thirty days from the date of receipt of such application and that no application for shifting the main office shall be refused unless the applicant has been given an opportunity of being heard and reasons for such refusal are given in writing by the registering authority:
Provided further that in case the registering authority has not either granted or refused the permission within thirty days it shall be deemed that the permission for shifting has been granted;
(c) submit to the registering authority under whose jurisdiction the main office is located and the Transport Research Wing of the Ministry or Department of the Central Government dealing with road transport and highways such information and return as may be prescribed within one hundred and twenty days after the thirty-first day of March every year;
(d) display at a prominent place in its or its main office and each branch office, if any, a certificate of registration in original or certified copy thereof attested by the concerned registering authority, a notary or a Gazetted Officer of the Central or State Government.
(8) A common carrier shall not load the motor vehicle beyond the gross vehicle weight mentioned in the registration certificate whose registration number is mentioned in the goods forwarding note or goods receipt, and the common carrier shall not allow such vehicle to be loaded beyond the gross vehicle weight.