Bharat Number Plate – Everything You Need To Know

With ever-evolving metro cities now expanding, tier 2 cities have are being look at for relocation for business, as well as job opportunities. That is why many people are willing to relocate to a different state too. While travelling to a different state is easy with the developing infrastructure, relocating has certain challenges such as looking for a new home, adapting to the new culture, and more. However, there are certain specific challenges when it comes to relocating to a different state with your personal vehicle. As a vehicle owner, it is mandatory to avail of a transfer in your registration certificate within 12 months of moving to a different state. While this process is tedious, people with jobs that require them to relocate frequently find themselves in the hassle. Bharat number plates or the BH series were introduced by the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH), in August 2021. While the registration for this number series started in September 2021, the idea of introducing it was to offset the burden of transferring vehicle registration between states. However, all these vehicles with BH number series are required to comply with other rules around car insurance and pollution certificates.

Eligibility for the BH number series

The BH number series is not for all. It is only for those individuals that have jobs that require them to get frequently transferred between states. This saves them from the re-registration process in every new state. Central government employees, state government employees, and employees who have offices in more than four states or union territories can apply for a BH number series.

The application process for the BH number series

The concerned issuing authorities need to verify the eligibility criteria and then the vehicle owners can apply for one on the MoRTH’s Vahan portal. While you, as a vehicle owner, can do it, you can also get it done from your vehicle dealer. The dealer is required to fill up Form 20 on the portal on your behalf. For private sector employees, Form 60 is required along with an employment ID and a work certificate.

Tax on a vehicle registered with the BH number series

For standard (state-wise) registration series, the road tax is applicable for a period of 15 years. Thus, the buyers need to pay the entire tax amount at once on their initial purchase. But for the BH number series, this road tax has to be paid for two years, or in its multiples. Once the period ends, the owner can register and pay the road tax in another state, as per that state’s policy. * The Motor vehicle tax is the amount which the Road Transport Office (RTO) collects. These charges are collected based on the price of the vehicle. For vehicles with an invoice value below ₹10 lakhs, 8% motor vehicle tax is levied, whereas for vehicles with invoice value between ₹10 lakhs to ₹20 lakhs, 10% tax is levied. Lastly, for vehicles above ₹20 lakhs, this percentage is set at 12%. However, there is a markdown of 2% in road tax for electric vehicles, whereas it is 2% extra for diesel vehicles. * *Tax benefit is subject to change in tax laws

Format of BH number series

The BH number series has “YY BH #### XX” as its standard format. ‘YY’ represents the year of registration followed by ‘BH’ denoting the Bharat registration series. This is followed by a 4-digit number and 2 alphabets providing a unique identity to the registering vehicle. While the number plate might look different from what otherwise is commonly seen, insurance is a mandatory requirement as per the Motor Vehicles Act. Selecting a policy becomes easy when you compare car insurance online and shortlist plans that check all the right boxes. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.