What is a BH Series number plate? The simple answer is a vehicle with a BH series number plate will not require a new registration card when moving from one state to another.
The BH or Bharat Series number plate was introduced in 2021 by the central government, and allows the owner of a non-cargo vehicle to move from one state to another without applying for a new registration.
This turns out to be helpful for car owners working for the government, in the defence sector and those working for multinational companies with offices around India.
The car owners would be able to drive their vehicles freely in another state without the hassle of going through the RTO process of a new registration.
All you need to know about the BH number plate
BH series number plates is a new system for having a universal registration / number plate across all states of India.
Car owners who move often and are not bound to one state for a long time can make use of the BH series of number plates and use their vehicles across states in India.
Regular registration process of a vehicle provides a number plate that is bound to one state. The first two letters of the number plate denote the state in which the vehicle was registered. For example, a car registered in Maharashtra will have MH on its number plate, whereas a car registered in Delhi will have DL.
When a vehicle is taken from the state it was registered in, to another state of residence, it is allowed to ply on the roads of the new state for a maximum of 12 months. After that, the car needs to be taken to the RTO in the new state and have the registration transferred, which includes the application of a NOC certificate and additional fees and taxes.
The car owner will be liable for fines if this process is not carried out in the new state. This can become quite a hassle for car owners who move from one state to another very often, such as those employed with multinational organisations, or state / central government employees.
The government of India has introduced a new system called BH series of number plates to eliminate all these procedures and make the transfer from one state to another seamless for these car owners.
The registration process for BH number plates began on September 15th 2021, and the process is completely digital meaning it has to be applied for online.
How does the tax structure work?
For a regular vehicle, when registered at a state’s RTO, the tax is levied for a minimum of 15 years, after which it has to be renewed. For BH series of number plates, the tax is imposed for a minimum of two years or depending on how long the car owner wishes to stay in state, in multiples of two years. Refunds are issued by the RTO for any extra years of tax that the owner pays for in the home state.
What was the scenario before BH number plates?
The RTO used to allow the owner of a car to drive around in another state for a maximum of 12 months. Once this 12-month period was over, the car owner had to apply for a new registration in the state he was driving the car in.
BH number plates solve this problem, because there is no need for the car owner to apply for a new registration. He can freely move from one state to another without any hassle from the RTO officers.
BH series number plates are valid across the country and provide a hassle-free vehicle ownership experience. There is no additional tax levied on the car owner, he can drive his car in another state without applying at the RTO for a new registration and there are no additional costs or paperwork involved.
Also Read: What is Vehicle Identification Number & how to read a VIN?
Who is eligible for a BH number plate?
Firstly, the applicant has to be a citizen of India if he wants to apply for a BH number plate. Secondly, the applicant must be working in the defence sector, for the state or central government. The third category of applicants that are eligible for the BH number plate are those working for multinational companies that have offices in more than four states in the country.
The whole process is digital, so the applicant can request for a BH number plate online. The car dealership can also apply for the BH number plate through the Vaahan portal when a person is purchasing a new car.
What will a BH number look like?
In terms of appearance, the BH number plate looks like a regular number plate with black font on a white background. It differs from a regular number plate in that it starts with two digits, followed by the letters BH, then four digits and finally two alphabets
Format: XY BH $$$$ XX
XY – Year of registration
BH – Bharat Series Code
$$$$ – Vehicle registration number (0000 -9999)
XX – Alphabets from AA-ZZ
So, for example 23 BH 1234 AB, means the vehicle was registered in the year 2023, BH is for Bharat, 1234 is the registration number for the vehicle and AB is the vehicle category.
What does a BH number plate cost?
For vehicles that have a purchase price of less than Rs.10 lakhs, the applicant has to pay eight percent of the vehicle’s purchase price to get a BH number plate.
For a vehicle purchased between Rs.10 lakh and Rs.20 lakh, the applicant has to pay 10% of the vehicle’s purchase price.
For vehicles above Rs.20 lakh, the applicant has to pay 12% of the vehicle’s purchase price.
Also Read: Know About The Process Of Making New High-Security Number Plate
How does one apply for a BH series number plate?
If a car owner meets the criteria of eligible people who can apply for the BH series of number plates (government employees, defence personnel, multinational organisation employees), then they can apply for the number plate at the RTO (Regional Transport Office), or online through the Vaahan portal.
Government employees will have to submit their government issued ID to prove their employment. Road tax will have to be paid for a minimum of two years. And no requirement of a NOC (No Objection Certificate) is needed.
This new system is aimed at easing the transfer between one state to another for people who have to relocate often.
BH series of number plates are available for passenger cars, bikes, scooters, SUVs, trucks and buses.
Some of the highlights of BH series number plates
Concerned Department – Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Date of commencement – 28th August 2021
Objective – To avoid transfer of vehicles from one state to another
Starting date of registration – 15th September 2021
Mode of registration – Online
Website – www.morth.nic.in
Also Read: Facts You Didn’t Know About the Indian Automobile Industry
Conclusion
The government of India has introduced this new scheme of BH number plates for vehicle registration. This system is very useful for people who need to relocate from one state in India to another due to work or government duties.
We hope this article has cleared your doubts about BH series number plates and will help you apply for one if required. The BH registration is valid all over India in all states.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is a BH number plate?
Ans. BH number plates are used to offer seamless transition from one state to another without the need of registering the vehicle once again. Currently, the BH series of number plates are only available for defence personnel, state and central government employees, and employees of multinational organisations in India that have a presence and offices in four or more states.
Q2. Why do you need a BH number plate?
Ans. BH series number plates are valid all over the country and allow a vehicle to move freely from one state to another, without the need of re registration. This means car owners will not have to apply for registration at the RTO when moving from one state to another. The hassle of going through the RTO process for registration and applying for an NOC certificate is eliminated with a BH series number plate.
Q3. How do you read a BH number plate?
Ans. The BH series of number plates starts off with two digits to designate the year of registration. This is followed by the letters BH, which stands for Bharat. After this is the registration number of the vehicle which is four digits from 0000-9999. Finally, you have two alphabets to designate the vehicle category.
The number plate will look something like this:
XX BH #### YZ
XX- year of registration
BH – Bharat Series
#### – Vehicle registration number
YZ – Category of vehicle
Q4. What is the use of the BH series of number plates?
Ans. BH series number plates aim to eliminate the hassle of car owners who have transferable jobs and have to move from one state to another. Previously, such car owners can use the vehicle in the new state for a maximum of 12 months, before the need to go through a re registration process at the RTO which will incur more time and finances.
A BH number plate allows the car owner, multinational organisation employees, defence personnel or state / central government employees to move their vehicles from one state to another without any hassles or additional fees.
Q5. What are the benefits of BH registration?
Ans. BH series of number plates make inter-state transfer of registration for personal vehicles in India, a seamless and hassle-free process that does not incur any further costs or procedures. The car owner doesn’t need to apply for a new number plate in the new state and obtain the NOC certificate which is required for other vehicles when they transfer from one state to another.
Q6. Who is eligible for the BH series of number plates?
Ans. BH series of number plates are beneficial for a number of people. Currently, the government is offering BH series of number plates only for certain people. Not everyone is eligible for the BH series of number plates.
In the future, the government is planning to offer BH series number plates for all vehicles, irrespective of the car owners’ credentials.
Right now, the BH series of number plates is available for
- Defence service employees
- State or central government employees who often move from one state to another
- Employees of private sector companies that have to move from state to another due to work
Q7. How to register online for a BH number plate?
Ans. If you need to apply for a BH series number plate, you will have to do so online. Registration for BH series number plates has already begun in the state of Odisha, the first state to introduce this new system.
Dealers of new vehicles can also apply for BH registration at the time of purchasing a new car.
Q8. What forms are used for registering under the BH number plate?
Ans. The new car owner has to register using Form 60 and submit the necessary documents. Some of the required documents are government ID card or multi organisation ID card. This is for employees in private companies.
New car dealers can also apply for BH registration at the time when the customer purchases a new car. Dealers will have to register using Form 20 on behalf of the vehicle owner for the BH number plate.
The BH series number plate application is done online on the Vaahan portal. There are no registration fees for the BH series number plate, however, the vehicle owner will have to pay tax depending on the cost of the new vehicle.
Once registered the car owner will get his BH number plate very quickly, i.e., there is no waiting period. The registration number on the number plate will be allocated randomly by a computer.
