Vehicle Number Plates in India: Different Types, Rules & their Format

Table of Content

• What is a Vehicle Number Plate?
• Types Of Number Plates in India
  • White Number Plate (Private Vehicles)
  • Yellow Number Plate (Commercial Vehicles)
  • Green Number Plate (Electric Vehicle)
  • Black Number Plate (Self-Drive/Rental Cars)
  • Red Number Plate (Temporary Registration)
  • Blue Number Plate (Foreign Diplomats)
  • Red Number Plate with Emblem (Government Vehicles)
  • Number Plate with Upward Arrow
• What is the BH Series Number Plate?
• What is a High Security Registration Plate?
• What is the Standard Format of Number Plates in India?
• Rules To Remember About Number Plates in India

What is a Vehicle Number Plate?

The number plate is a plate that is required to be attached to the front and rear sides of your vehicle, issued by the regional transport office. It is an aluminium plate, which displays a combination of letters and numbers. Number plates indicate that your vehicle is legally registered, and they are very important in identifying and tracking vehicles. Driving without a number plate is a punishable offence, as plates are mandatory for insurance purposes and fitness certificates.

Types Of Number Plates in India

Let's take a look at the different types of number plates in India, their formats, and their colours. Each colour and combination has a specific meaning that helps identify the type of vehicle and its purpose.

White Number Plate (Private Vehicles)

A white plate with black letters is used for privately owned, non-commercial vehicles such as cars and two-wheelers. These vehicles are legally prohibited for commercial use. This means you cannot use your personal vehicle for transporting passengers or goods for hire.

Yellow Number Plate (Commercial Vehicles)

A yellow number plate with black letters is used for commercial vehicles such as trucks, taxis, private cabs, buses, etc. These vehicles are registered for business purposes and must be operated by drivers holding a valid commercial driving license.

Green Number Plate (Electric Vehicle)

The green number plates are mandatory for all battery-operated electric vehicles such as e-cars, e-bikes, and e-rickshaws. Private electric vehicles use a green plate with white letters, and commercial electric vehicles use yellow letters on a green background.

Black Number Plate (Self-Drive/Rental Cars)

A black number plate with yellow letters is used for rental vehicles that customers can drive themselves. These vehicles are commonly seen in services like Zoomcar, Revv, or luxury hotel transport. Moreover, the driver does not require a commercial driving license with this number plate, but a private driving license is mandatory to operate it.

Red Number Plate (Temporary Registration)

Red number plate with white letter indicating that the vehicle is registered for temporary purposes. It’s issued by the dealership, and it is usually valid for up to 30 days. During this time, you need to register your vehicle permanently with the local RTO. Keep in mind that using a red plate after its validity period is against the law and may lead to penalties.

Blue Number Plate (Foreign Diplomats)

A blue plate with white letters is used to transport foreign diplomats, embassies, and international organizations like the United Nations. These plates typically have codes such as “UN”, “DC” or “CC”, which indicate their status and nature. They display the country code of the embassy instead of a state code.

Red Number Plate with Emblem (Government Vehicles)

A red number plate with the national emblem (Ashok Chakra) indicates that the vehicle belongs to the President of India, constitutional authorities, and the Governors of each state. These plates usually do not have a traditional registration number because the emblem shows the vehicle’s status.

Number Plate with Upward Arrow

Number plate with an upward arrow exclusively designates vehicles owned by the Indian armed forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force). Each number plate follows a specific format. It includes the year of purchase as a two-digit number, a base code, a serial number, and a letter that shows the class of service.

What is the BH Series Number Plate?BH Series Number Plate

The BH series is a pan-India vehicle registration system introduced under the Motor Vehicles Act of 2019. It is designed for people with transferable jobs. This system allows smooth transfer of vehicles when moving between two states without the need for re-registration.

Eligibility: The BH series is available to central/state government employees, defence personnel, and private sector employees working in companies with offices in four or more states.

Format: It follows the standard format; registration year, “BH code”, four-digit random number, and two random letters. For example, 26 BH 9345 CD, where 26 is the registration year, 9345 are the random numbers, and CD are the random letters.

Benefits: The BH series number plate makes road tax payment simpler, and it involves less paperwork. This is especially useful for people who move often for work, making it much easier to own a vehicle anywhere in India.

What is a High Security Registration Plate?High Security Registration Plates

The HSRPs are standardized number plates that are mainly designed to enhance vehicle security and prevent theft. These aluminium plates feature unique laser-etched code, the Ashoka Chakra hologram, and non-removable snap-locks.

The Road Transport and Highways Directive made HSRP mandatory for all vehicles, new and old, starting from April 2019. However, if your vehicle is older than 2019, you still need to get HSRP plates by visiting your nearest RTO or booking online through the official Book My HSRP website.

What is the Standard Format of Number Plates in India?India?

A vehicle registration number in India is a mixture of letters and numbers that identifies the vehicle and its registration place. It includes the state code, RTO code, and unique identification number. Here is the general format of a vehicle number plate in India:

State Code: The vehicle number plate starts with the two-letter code that identifies the state or union territory where the vehicle was registered. For example, DL for Delhi, KA for Karnataka, and MH for Maharashtra.

RTO Code: The next two digits show which Regional Transport Office (RTO) or district the vehicle is registered within the state. For example, MH-01 refers to Mumbai (south), and DL 01 refers to Delhi (North).

Series Code: The series code is an alphanumeric sequence placed after the RTO code. The letters show the registration series. When a series reaches 9999, it moves from AA to AB, then from BA to BB, and so on.

Unique Vehicle Number: The last 4 digits on a vehicle number plate are a unique number between 0001 and 9999 assigned by the regional transport office (RTO).

Rules To Remember About Number Plates in India

To avoid fines and to ensure compliance with legal requirements, here are some basic rules that all vehicle owners must adhere to:

• Number plates have to be affixed to the front and rear of the vehicle.
• It should be visible and not obstructed by any vehicle part.
• The letters and numbers should follow the standard font and size set by the RTO.
• Make sure your number plate is lit up at night so it can be seen clearly.
• New vehicles have needed HSRPs since 2019.

India has many types of number plates, and they are more than just a legal requirement. They show your vehicle’s identity, purpose, and compliance status. The colour of each number plate reveals the vehicle’s role, whether it’s a green plate for electric vehicles, a BH series plate, or a temporary red plate.