dpdpr.in
Am I covered?

Vehicles: dealers, registration data and car rentals: your rights and how to complain

Plain-language help for ordinary people. General information, not legal advice. Helplines, portals and screen names were checked against official Government and regulator pages on 1 November 2026. Portals change: if a screen looks different, follow the words on the screen and the official guide linked in each step.

What data they hold

  • Dealers and service centres: your name, phone, address, ID copies, loan and insurance papers.
  • The national transport database (Vahan): owner and vehicle details from registration.
  • Insurers, brokers and aggregators: your policy and renewal date.
  • Self drive rental apps: licence, ID, selfie and GPS location of the car.

Your rights under current law

  • MoRTH's data sharing policy says citizens searching a vehicle see only non-personal details with the owner masked, and private companies may get personal owner data only after the owner's consent through an Aadhaar OTP.
  • Marketing calls about cars and accessories can be blocked with BLOCK 5 to 1909 (consumer goods and automobiles), and insurance calls with BLOCK 1.
  • Dealers and rental apps are consumer businesses: complaints go to their grievance officer, then the National Consumer Helpline (1915) and the Consumer Commission.

Your DPDP rights once in force

Sections 11 to 14 of the DPDP Act (your rights) and the duties of companies in sections 4 to 10 start on 13 May 2027 (G.S.R. 843(E)). Until then, use the sector rules on this page. After that date you can use both.

From 13 May 2027 you can ask a dealer, insurer or rental app what personal data it holds and who it shared it with (section 11), and ask for erasure once the purpose is over (section 12). It answers for vendors processing data for it (section 8(1)).

  • Access: a summary of your data and who it was shared with (section 11).
  • Correction, completion, updating and erasure (section 12).
  • Grievance redressal by the company, before going to the Board (section 13).
  • Nominate someone to act after your death or incapacity (section 14).
  • Withdraw consent, as easily as you gave it (section 6(4)).

Common problems

  • Calls about roadside assistance, holidays or accessories soon after buying a car.
  • Apps showing owner name and address from a number plate.
  • Dealer floods after listing a car for sale.
  • Fake FASTag or challan messages with links.
  • Rental deposits kept or refunds stuck.

Evidence to keep

  • Invoice, registration certificate and booking IDs.
  • Call logs and screenshots with dates.
  • Copies of what you gave the dealer.
  • Complaint numbers.

See the full evidence checklist.

How to approach, step by step

Go in this order. Start with the company. Move to the next step only when the time limit has passed or the reply is not good enough. If money was lost or you were threatened, go to 1930 or the police first.

Block marketing calls and SMS (DND) and complain by SMS to 1909

1909 is a free short code on every Indian mobile network. You can block commercial calls and messages, and complain about spam. These codes are from TRAI's own public notice.

Keep this ready before you start:

  • The phone with the SIM you want to protect.
  1. To block all commercial calls and SMS except transactional ones, send an SMS with the text FULLY BLOCK (or BLOCK 0) to 1909.
  2. To block all except transactional and service messages, send BLOCK PROMO (or BLOCK 50) to 1909.
  3. To block only one category, send BLOCK 1 (banking, insurance, financial products, credit cards), BLOCK 2 (real estate), BLOCK 3 (education), BLOCK 4 (health), BLOCK 5 (consumer goods and automobiles), BLOCK 6 (communication, broadcasting, IT), BLOCK 7 (tourism and leisure) or BLOCK 8 (food and beverages).
  4. You can also dial *1909*0# (USSD), or call 1909 and follow the voice menu, or use the TRAI DND app.
  5. Keep any reply SMS you get from your operator.
  6. To complain about a spam SMS or call, send an SMS to 1909 in this format: The UCC, XXXXXXXXXX, dd/mm/yy. Put the spam text or a short description first, then the sender's number or header, then the date.
  7. Do it within 7 days of the spam. Under TRAI's 2025 amendment a complaint is valid if it has the sender's number, your number, the date and a short description.
  8. Save the complaint ID your operator sends.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: TRAI public notice: block commercial calls and SMS through 1909, TRAI FAQ on unsolicited commercial communication (SMS complaint format), TRAI: TCCCPR (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (complaint within 7 days), PIB, 12 February 2025: TRAI amends TCCCPR, 2018.

Complain about a marketing call or SMS on Chakshu (within 7 days)

Use this for unwanted marketing (spam) that is not a fraud. A complaint made within 7 days of the call or SMS is a valid complaint and the telecom company must act on it. After 7 days it only counts as a report.

Keep this ready before you start:

  • A screenshot of the call log or SMS.
  • The number or header (for example AB-XYZBNK-P) that sent it.
  • Date and time (within the last 7 days).
  • Your mobile number, your telecom company, your State and telecom circle.
  1. Open sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc or the Sanchar Saathi app.
  2. Under Report Spam (UCC), click Proceed.
  3. Choose the medium: Call or SMS.
  4. Choose the category, for example Banking/insurance/financial products/credit cards, Real Estate, Education or Health.
  5. Attach the screenshot.
  6. Type the sending number or header. (If the number is international, the form sends you to the fraud section instead.)
  7. Enter the date and time.
  8. Write the details in at least 10 characters. Add any numbers or links in the message.
  9. Enter your number. Choose your telecom company (Airtel, BSNL, RJIL, TATA or Vodafone Idea), your State and your circle.
  10. Type the captcha, verify your number with OTP, tick the declaration, click Preview, then Submit.
  11. Save the complaint ID you are given.
  12. Track it on your telecom company's page. Sanchar Saathi lists these: Airtel airtel.in/track-request, BSNL ucc-bsnl.co.in/customers, Jio jio.com/track_sr_status, Vi through the Vi app.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: Chakshu: report suspected fraud or spam (Sanchar Saathi), Sanchar Saathi portal and FAQ (Department of Telecommunications), TRAI: TCCCPR (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (complaint within 7 days).

Write to the company's grievance officer

Most apps and websites must name a grievance officer. E-commerce sites, ride apps and platforms such as job portals, dating and matrimony apps all have one under the rules that apply to them.

Keep this ready before you start:

  • Your account ID, registered mobile or email, and order or booking number.
  • Screenshots and dates.
  • What you want: delete my data, stop calls, refund, remove a profile.
  1. Open the app or website. Look for Grievance Officer, Contact us or Privacy policy. The officer's name and contact must be shown there.
  2. Write a short complaint. Use the template on this page.
  3. Attach screenshots.
  4. Send it. Save the acknowledgement or ticket number and the date.
  5. Wait for the time limit for that kind of company (shown in the time limits on this page).
  6. If there is no reply, send one reminder with your ticket number.
  7. Then go to the next step on this page.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: National Consumer Helpline FAQ: Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, as amended up to 10 February 2026.

National Consumer Helpline, then the Consumer Commission

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) is run by the Department of Consumer Affairs. It forwards your complaint to the company and tracks the reply. If that fails, you can file a case before a Consumer Commission on e-Jagriti.

Keep this ready before you start:

  • Bill, invoice, order ID or account number.
  • Your complaint to the company and its reply, if any.
  • Screenshots and dates.
  1. Call 1915 or 1800114000 (8 AM to 8 PM), or WhatsApp +91 8800001915.
  2. Or open consumerhelpline.gov.in and click Register Grievance. You can also use the NCH app or the UMANG app.
  3. Describe the problem, the company and what you want.
  4. Save the grievance number you are given.
  5. Use Track Your Grievance to see the company's reply. Use Upload Documents to add proof.
  6. If the company still does not fix it, you can file a consumer case on e-Jagriti, the official portal for Consumer Commissions. It uses OTP registration, online fees and virtual hearings.
  7. File the case within 2 years of the problem. This is the limit in section 69 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: National Consumer Helpline (Department of Consumer Affairs), e-Jagriti: file a case before a Consumer Commission.

Ready-to-use complaint

Copy, fill the brackets, and send it through the company's official channel. Keep a copy.

To: Grievance Officer, [Dealer, insurer or rental app]
Subject: Use of my personal data for vehicle [registration number]

Since [date] I receive calls from [who] who know [details]. Please tell me which of your partners received my data, stop sharing it, and delete it from your lead lists. Please reply within 30 days.

[Name]
[Mobile]

Time limits

  • Spam complaint: within 7 days of the call.
  • Consumer case: within 2 years.
  • DPDP rights: from 13 May 2027.

If this happened to you

Official sources

On this page
  1. What they hold
  2. Current rights
  3. DPDP rights
  4. Common problems
  5. Evidence
  6. Step by step
  7. Template
  8. Time limits
  9. Scenarios
  10. Sources