A Complete Understanding of License Plates in India

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Vehicle Registration Number Plate

Have you noticed the different types of number plates in various vehicles on the road? Have you ever wondered the intricacies behind the same? Here you will understand the various types of number plates and that they bear distinctive meanings depending on the type of vehicle, the region of registration and so on.

Why is it Important?

All vehicles must be registered with the RTO (Regional Transport Office) as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Driving an unregistered vehicle on the Indian roads is an illegal offense and you can be penalised for the same.

All registered vehicles must also have registration number plates that display the registration of the vehicle. There are number plates of varied colours such as yellow, white, green, red and so on. What do these colours indicate?

Different Types of Number Plates in India

Registration number plates are attached in the front and rear side of the vehicle with clear visibility.

Did you know? The international code for India is IND.

In India, you can see 8 varied types of number plates. They are -

• White number plate
• Yellow number plate
• Green number plate
• Red number plate
• Blue number plate
• Black number plate
• Number plate with an upward-pointing arrow
• Red number plate with the emblem of India

What do these Number Plates Indicate?

White Number Plate

This is the most common colour of number plate that you will see on the road. All private or otherwise non-commercial cars and vehicles bear white registration plates. A vehicle with a white license plate with black coloured lettering indicates that the vehicle is only used for personal use. You cannot transport goods or carry commercial passengers in a vehicle with white number plate.

Yellow number plate

Unlike the white number plate, yellow plates indicate commercial vehicles like auto-rickshaws, taxis, trucks and buses. It’s not just about the colour difference; there is a different tax structure for commercial vehicles than private vehicles. Drivers driving vehicles with the yellow number plate must also possess a commercial vehicle driving license.

Black number plate

All self-driven or rented vehicles, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers must possess a black number plate with yellow lettering. These vehicles are registered as commercial vehicles as well. However, you do not need a commercial vehicle driving license to drive a black number plated vehicle. You will mostly find these plates on rental vehicles and luxury hotel transport vehicles.

Green number plate

Exclusively allocated for electric vehicles, green number plates are for the EVs. However, there is a significant difference in the colour of the lettering on the plate depending on whether it’s a private or commercial vehicle. All personal or private electric vehicles in India get a green number plate with white lettering, and commercial ones get a green number plate with yellow lettering.

Red number plate

Any brand-new vehicle will be given a temporary number plate before fixing the actual one. A red license plate with white lettering displays the temporary registration of the vehicle. In India, you can use the red number plate till you get the permanent registration number from the RTO after the vehicle’s registration. You can replace the red plate with a white/yellow/green number plate, once you get the permanent plate depending on your vehicle type. There is a validity period of one month for the red plate. There are a few states in India that do not allow red license plated vehicles to be driven on public roads.

Blue number plate

Blue coloured number plates are reserved for foreign diplomats in India. These blue plates have alphabets such as CC (Consular Corps), UN (United Nations), DC (Diplomatic Corps), etc inscribed on them. Also, these number plates display the diplomat’s country code and do not have a state code.

Upward arrow number plate

Any military vehicles registered under the Ministry of Defence have a unique style for their license plates. They possess an upward arrow in the beginning or after the second character on the plate. This arrow is also called a Broad Arrow. The two digits following the upward arrow represent the year the vehicle was purchased; the alphabet next to the two digits denote the base code, and the numbers after the base code are the serial numbers. The last alphabet on the license plate indicates the class of the vehicle.

Plain red/Red number plate with the national emblem

Self-explanatory in itself, vehicles used by the governors of the states in India bear plain red number plates. A red number plate with a golden national emblem indicates that the vehicle belongs to the President of India.

MoRTH and the Indian Motor Vehicle Laws

As per the Motors Vehicles Act of 1988, all motorised automobiles running on Indian roads must bear an RTO registration and a valid license plate.

(MoRTH), the Ministry of Roads and Highways, has made a few amendments in the existing rules on the vehicle registration plate to minimize fraudulent activities and to eliminate confusion.

Below listed are the updates that came into effect from 1st October 2020.

• You will be penalised for driving a new vehicle with a paper-printed temporary registration number.
• Temporary registration plates will no longer bear the old colour scheme. It will come with red alpha numerals on a yellow background.
• MoRTH has rejected the use and presence of any characters except the basic English letters and Arabic numerals on the number plates. Also, it has banned the usage of any regional language, including VIP numbers sold or auctioned by the various states or Union Territories.
• The Ministry of Roads and Highways has upgraded the Central Motors Vehicles Rules (CMVR). The new rule states the size, thickness and spacing between the characters in the number plate. According to the new rule, the sizes of the three parameters are 65 mm, 10 mm, and 10 mm, respectively.
• The new update also includes BS-VI four-wheelers. These vehicles will have to bear a green coloured layer of 1 cm on the number plate. Moreover, these rules will be applicable to four-wheelers running in petrol/diesel/CNG.
• BS-VI four-wheelers must also have a sticker attached to the green layer. The vehicles running in diesel will have an orange-coloured sticker and the vehicles running in CNG and petrol will bear a blue-coloured sticker.

Did You Know?

Driving on Indian roads with a registration plate displaying ‘Applied For’, or driving around without a number plate at all can incur a penalty under section CMVR 105(2) (ii) and Rs.4500 under 177 Motor Vehicle Act, respectively! Now that you know about the penalty and the different types of number plates as per the colour scheme, applying for a vehicle registration plate will not be a hassle anymore.