How to file RTI online in India

Short on time: copy the template under Copy this RTI application format, then file it on the official portal.

Many citizens reach the RTI portal only after a file has stopped moving. A scholarship is pending. A passport file is delayed. A refund is not traceable. A recruitment record is missing.

The online process is simple, but one wrong choice can waste 30 days. The main risk is filing a State matter on the Central portal. The official RTI Online home page says the portal is for Central Government Ministries, Departments, and other Central public authorities only. State Government matters, including Government of NCT Delhi matters, should not be filed there.

Use this guide to finish the filing without guessing. Use the rtionline.gov.in portal guide if you want a screen-by-screen portal explanation.

Keep these 5 details ready before opening the form.

• The public authority that holds the record.
• The file number, application number, roll number, registration number, tender number, or date range.
• A short subject line.
• A working email address.
• One optional PDF attachment under 1 MB, if you need to attach an earlier order or complaint.

The official RTI Online citizen manual says the request text box accepts up to 3,000 characters. If your request is longer, upload it as a PDF supporting document. The manual also says supporting documents must be PDF files up to 1 MB.

Go to rtionline.gov.in. This is the Government of India portal run by the Department of Personnel and Training through the National Informatics Centre.

You do not need to create an account for a first filing. The official FAQ says a citizen can file directly through Submit Request.

Click Submit Request. Read the guidelines. Tick the declaration that you have read and understood them, then continue.

Use your own name as an individual citizen. Section 3 of the RTI Act gives the right to citizens. A company, association, or trust should not file in its own name.

Select the Ministry, Department, or apex body that most closely matches the record.

Use this test: which office created or holds the document?

Examples:

If you choose the wrong Central public authority, the Nodal Officer may transfer it under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act. If you file a State matter on the Central portal, the official FAQ says it may be returned without refund.

Fill in your name, address, pin code, email, and mobile number. The mobile number is optional, but the official user manual says SMS alerts are sent if it is provided.

Mark Below Poverty Line only if you have a valid BPL certificate. BPL applicants do not pay the application fee, but the official manual and FAQ say the BPL certificate must be uploaded.

Do not upload Aadhaar, PAN, passport, or other identity proof unless a specific field asks for a legally relevant supporting document. Section 6(2) of the RTI Act says the applicant is not required to give reasons or personal details beyond what is necessary for contacting the applicant.

Ask for records that already exist. Good RTI wording asks for:

• certified copies
• file notings
• action-taken reports
• status entries
• inspection reports
• orders, circulars, memos, or minutes
• payment records, bills, tenders, or contracts

Avoid asking for opinions. Do not write, “Why is my file delayed?” Write, “Please provide the certified copy of the file noting and current status sheet for application number [number].”

Keep the body under 3,000 characters. For longer matters, put the full request in a PDF and write a short summary in the portal box.

Upload a PDF only when it helps identify the record. Examples: a copy of your earlier application, a rejection letter, a challan, or a payment receipt.

Do not upload unnecessary personal documents. The application text and attachment will be visible to the public authority, and later to the appellate authority if you appeal.

For non-BPL applicants, the Central RTI application fee is Rs 10 under Rule 3 of the Right to Information Rules, 2012.

The official portal and user manual list these online payment modes:

• internet banking
• debit card or credit card
• RuPay card
• UPI

If the amount is deducted but no registration number is generated, do not pay again immediately. The official FAQ says to use Payment Reconciliation and wait 24 to 48 working hours.

After payment, the portal issues a unique registration number. Save it as a screenshot and as text.

The official user manual says this number is needed for future reference. You will need it for status tracking and first appeal.

Use View Status on the portal. Enter the registration number and email.

The official FAQ says status and reply can be viewed through View Status. If more copying fee is required, the payment link also appears there.

You can also use RTI Wiki's bridge page: RTI status tracker.

The Public Information Officer must normally reply within 30 days under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act. If the request concerns life or liberty, the proviso to Section 7(1) sets a 48-hour limit.

If a third party is consulted under Section 11, the outer period is usually treated as 40 days. If no reply comes within time, Section 7(2) treats it as a deemed refusal.

Use this format in the portal text box. Replace the square brackets.

Subject: Request for information under Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

Sir / Madam,

I am a citizen of India. Kindly provide the following information under
Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005:

1. Certified copy of [name the document, order, file noting, register entry,
   inspection report, payment record, status sheet, or correspondence].

2. Current status and action-taken record of [application / complaint /
   file number] dated [date].

3. Certified copy of the noting, approval, rejection, or movement sheet
   showing the present stage of the file.

Period covered: [date to date / financial year].
Form requested: certified copy by PDF/email if available, or by post.

I have paid the prescribed application fee through the portal.

Name:
Postal address:
Email:
Mobile:
Date:

File a first appeal if:

• no reply comes within 30 days
• the reply is incomplete
• the PIO refuses without proper reasons
• the PIO asks for unreasonable additional fee
• the application is wrongly returned

Use Submit First Appeal on rtionline.gov.in for RTIs filed through that portal. The official FAQ says the original registration number and email ID are required.

No fee is payable for a first appeal under the RTI Act, as stated in the official FAQ and user manual.

Use the first appeal template if you need a structured draft.

If the First Appellate Authority does not decide the appeal, or the order is still wrong, file a second appeal to the Central Information Commission for Central matters. Section 19(3) gives 90 days from the FAA decision or the date when it should have been made.

Use the second appeal template and the Central Information Commission portal. The RTI Online home page says CIC second appeal filing is integrated with the RTI Online portal for retrieving linked RTI and first appeal details.

• Using the Central portal for a State matter. The official portal says State public-authority RTIs are returned without refund.
• Asking why instead of asking for records. Ask for file notings and orders.
• Writing too broadly. Use one subject and a clear date range.
• Uploading identity documents. RTI does not require reasons or extra personal details beyond contact details.
• Paying twice after a failed transaction. Use Payment Reconciliation and wait 24 to 48 working hours.
• Appealing the wrong registration number. If a request is split into multiple CPIO registrations, appeal against the specific registration that received the bad reply.

No. The Central RTI Online portal covers Central Government public authorities. State Government, municipal, panchayat, and many local-body matters must go to the State portal or the physical PIO. See the State RTI portal directory.

For Central Government RTIs, the application fee is Rs 10 under Rule 3 of the Right to Information Rules, 2012. BPL applicants pay no fee if they upload a valid BPL certificate.

No. The Act requires enough contact details to send the reply. Section 6(2) says the applicant does not have to give reasons or unnecessary personal details.

The official RTI Online user manual and FAQ say the text box accepts up to 3,000 characters. For a longer request, upload a PDF in the supporting document field.

Yes, if the original RTI was filed on rtionline.gov.in and remains within the portal workflow. Use Submit First Appeal with the original registration number and email. If the application was physically transferred to a public authority not aligned with the portal, the official FAQ says the appeal may need to be filed physically.

Use the portal's Payment Reconciliation feature and wait 24 to 48 working hours. If no number is generated after that, email the portal helpdesk with the transaction details.

• Decide whether your matter is Central or State.
• Open rtionline.gov.in only for Central Government matters.
• Copy the format above into a note.
• Replace every bracket with a file number, date, office, or record name.
• Keep the application under 3,000 characters.
• Pay Rs 10 and save the registration number.
• Put a reminder for Day 30 and keep the first appeal template ready.

• File RTI Online - 12 steps and free tools
• rtionline.gov.in - Central RTI portal guide
• How to file an RTI online via rtionline.gov.in
• RTI fee structure 2026
• Template: first RTI application
• Template: first appeal
• Why RTI applications get rejected
• RTI FAQ

1. RTI Online, Government of India, home page. Verified 5 June 2026.
2. RTI Online citizen user manual, Department of Personnel and Training and National Informatics Centre.
3. RTI Online frequently asked questions, Government of India.
4. India Code: The Right to Information Act, 2005, Act No. 22 of 2005.
5. The Right to Information Rules, 2012, Department of Personnel and Training notification dated 31 July 2012.

Last reviewed on: 5 June 2026 - RTI Wiki editorial team.