Here’s What You Missed About the New Bharat Series Number Plate

Existing Vehicle Registration Mandate in India for Inter-State Vehicles

As per the existing law, when a vehicle is relocated to another state, getting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the state where the vehicle is registered is a must. The vehicle owner also has to apply in the parent state on a pro-rata basis for the refund of road tax. This tax is charged when one registers a vehicle for the whole registered life which is 15 years.

In case a vehicle relocates to another state, the parent state would refund the remaining years of road tax, and the remaining period tax will be paid by the vehicle owner in the new state. Moreover, you will also have to get your vehicle re-registered in the RTO of the new state.

This process of re-registration and refund from the parent state is lengthy and tiring and also varies from state to state especially when a person is in a transferable job. A BH series number plate can be of great help in such situations.

New Vehicle Registration Mandate in India for Inter-State Vehicles

As discussed, the existing Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 states that the owner of a vehicle would be required to register their vehicle again if they drive into another Indian state for more than 12 months.

However, in September 2021, this Rule 47 was amended by the government of India.

The new mandate states that the vehicles that have a BH number plate registration will no longer be required to be re-registered if they are shifted to a new state for more than 12 months. This BH number plate will be valid throughout the country thus diminishing the hassle of registering a vehicle again and again.

Who All Are Eligible for the BH Series Number Plate?

The new BH series number plate has been introduced to private, central, defence, state, government PSUs, and private sector companies. However, for newly introduced BH series number plates, the private sector needs to have offices in four or more states/ UTs.

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How to Apply for NH Number Plate?

If you fall in the above-given categories, you are eligible to obtain a BH series number. The application to apply for this process involves:

• Filling up Form 60 (Available on the Parivahan web portal)
• Submit a copy of valid Employment ID/proof online

The state authorities will then verify the submitted proofs and assign them to the BH registration, where the registration number will be generated by a computer.

How can you avail BH Number Plate?

The new BH series number plate can be easily availed by registering your vehicle online without having to go through the standard and complex offline registration processes at RTOs.

How will the Plate be Generated?

There is no scope for preference or guesswork in getting the registration number for the BH series vehicle because they are produced arbitrarily or randomly. The numbers will be written in black color on a white background. Here is an example of a BH series number:

22 BH 3421 AA

In this number plate, the first two numbers are the vehicle’s registration year followed by BH (which stands for Bharat). Then there is a randomly generated four-digit number followed by two random alphabets excluding the alphabet ‘I’ and ‘O’.

Applicable Taxes on the New BH Number Plate

There are some set taxes applied on the newly released number plate, which are listed as follows:

1. Road tax: In vehicles where there is a state-wise registration number plate, the citizens must pay the road tax for 15 years. However, for vehicles that are registered under the Bharat (BH) series, road tax must be paid only for 2 years. After the 2 years is over, the vehicle owner is free to move to a different state and then they can pay the road tax as per the respective state’s policy.
2. Motor vehicle tax: Getting the number plate doesn’t give the vehicle owner the liberty to skip RTO or the registration tax/fee. Though, the central government will certainly collect the fees according to the matrix stated below:

• Electric motors or other electric vehicles will be charged 2% less
• Diesel vehicles will be charged 2% higher
• The difference in the charges is also in conjugation with the global warming initiatives taken by the government

The vehicle invoice price also varies on various factors which deduce the road taxes as stated below:

• Below 10 lakh rupees: 8% motor vehicle tax of vehicle invoice price
• Between 10-20 lakh: 10% motor vehicle tax on vehicle invoice price
• Above 20 lakhs: 12% motor vehicle tax of vehicle invoice price

An extra charge of 2% is applicable on diesel vehicles and redemption of 2% on the Electric vehicles

Conclusion

From keeping valid motor insurance to ensuring timely car insurance renewal, owning a vehicle always calls for certain legal formalities. Though travelling to another state in India never calls for any such legal prerequisites, travelling with your own vehicle has still always called for several challenges. Relocation to another state with a vehicle that is registered in another state has been a major trouble for frequent travellers and job seekers. The introduction of this exceptional BH plate series has made this relocation of owned vehicles hassle-free.