Types of Number Plates in India
Today, based on CAGR, India has ranked third in car production, having surpassed Japan recently. As seen with this growth, there has been a need to identify vehicles, using number plates as a method of identification. The Motor Vehicles Act 1988 further states that any vehicle must first be registered with the Regional Transport Office (RTO). It is unlawful to operate an unregistered car and it attracts stiff penalties. They include the number plates in India with varying colors; every color is associated with a specific meaning. Here’s a simple guide to understanding the different types of number plates in India:
White Number Plate
India has the largest share of such plates with white background and black color for both letters and numbers; these indicate the private cars. These plates are construed as belonging to an individual use and are not usable for anything that requires transporting of goods or persons.
They are part of all types of number plates in India and are the most frequently seen license plates in the country.
Yellow Number Plate
Transport vehicles such as taxis, rickshaws, buses, and trucks in India use plates with yellow backgrounds colored with black fonts of both the numbers and alphabets. They entail a different taxation regime, and the operators should possess a commercial driver’s license.
Black Number Plate
In India, black number plates with yellow letters are used for self-rental vehicles like bikes and cars. These are registered as commercial vehicles, but drivers do not need a commercial driving license.
Black number plates are also popular with luxury hotel transport, allowing these vehicles to operate commercially without requiring the driver to have a commercial license.
Green Number Plate
In India, green number plates are designated for electric vehicles (EVs). These plates have white letters and numbers for private EVs, and yellow letters and numbers for commercial EVs.
This distinction applies to all road-legal electric vehicles, including buses and cars like the Mahindra e20 and Tata Tigor Electric. Green plates are exclusively for fully electric vehicles.
Red Number Plate
In India, red number plates with white letters are issued for brand-new vehicles as a temporary registration. These plates are valid for 30 days until permanent registration is obtained from the RTO. Some states do not allow vehicles with temporary red plates to be driven on their roads.
Blue Number plate
In India, blue number plates with white letters are used for vehicles belonging to foreign diplomats and embassies. These plates display codes like CC (Consular Corps), UN (United Nations), and CD (Diplomatic Corps) instead of state codes. They signify vehicles of foreign missions, featuring the diplomat’s country code.
Numberplate with an upward-pointing arrow
In India, military vehicles have yellow number plates with black letters and an upward-pointing arrow, known as the Broad Arrow. These plates are registered under the Ministry of Defence. The arrow is followed by digits indicating the year of procurement, a base code, a serial number, and a final letter denoting the vehicle class.
Red number plate with India’s Emblem
In India, vehicles used by the President, Vice President, Governors, and Lieutenant Governors of the states are identified by red number plates with white text and characters emblazoned with the national emblem.
These plates are only assigned to these dignitaries and are different types of number plates in India, distinct from standard registration plates issued for newly created vehicles.
Conclusion
In India, number plates serve as crucial identifiers for various types of vehicles. The most common type is the white number plate with black lettering, used for personal vehicles, while yellow plates with black lettering signify commercial vehicles. Electric vehicles are distinguished by green plates, with white for private use and yellow for commercial. Red plates, featuring temporary white lettering, are issued for brand-new vehicles, valid for one month. Blue plates, displaying white lettering, are reserved for vehicles of foreign diplomats and missions. Military vehicles bear yellow plates with black lettering and an upward-pointing arrow, indicating Ministry of Defence registration. Official vehicles of high-ranking officials feature red plates with India’s emblem. All types of number plates in India are governed by specific regulations under the Motor Vehicles Act, ensuring clarity and compliance across the board.
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