Indians have a habit of looking at a vehicle’s registration plate first, and every now and then, some even shell out way more than their vehicle to get a fancy number. However, every once in a while, we see a plate that’s completely out of the ordinary. This is mostly the Bharat series number plate. For those wondering what this is, here’s a detailed explanation, and how you can get one.
Bharat number plate — What is it?
The Bharat number plate, or the BH plate, was introduced in August 2021 and eliminates the need to re-register a vehicle when moving to a different state. For example, if a vehicle is registered in Delhi (DL) and when the owner moves to Mumbai, the DL registration is valid for 12 months in Mumbai, after which it has to be re-registered to MH.
This is a tedious process since the BH plate does not require a person to re-register the vehicle. However, the BH plate is not for all. Here’s more about the BH plate.
Bharat number plate — Who is eligible?
To be eligible for a BH plate, one must be a government employee, be in the Defence, a bank employee, be in the administrative services, or a employed by a private firm that has offices in four or more Indian states. The reason is that people employed in the above sectors often travel or relocate as the situation demands, and re-registering vehicles is a time-consuming process.
That said, commercial and transport vehicles, such as taxis, trucks, buses, and smaller cargo carriers are not eligible for a BH plate. While it seems like such vehicles travel more than private vehicles, they do not spend more than a year in a certain state apart from where they are registered.
Bharat number plate — How to apply?
If you fall under one of the eligible criteria above, you can log on to the Vahan portal and follow the step-by-step details. For a new car, the process is easy since the dealer will take care of everything, from needed forms to the process and payment.
However, things can get a bit tricky if you want a BH plate for an already registered vehicle as a new car dealer won’t be able to help. For this, one must fill out form 27(A) meant for this particular purpose and submit this to the RTO. After verification, you can apply for a BH-series number plate.
Bharat number plate — Facts to keep in mind
Here are a few quick facts to keep in mind about the BH-series number plate:
- The road tax for BH plates is valid for 14 years
- The tax structure is 8% for cars below Rs 10 lakh, 10% for cars above Rs 10 lakh and up to Rs 20 lakh, and 12% for cars above Rs 20 lakh
- One must notify the dealer for a BH plate when purchasing a new car