BH Number Plate Features, Benefits, and Eligibility

The Bharat Series is a new number plate series for vehicles in India starting with the letter ‘BH’. Created by the Ministry of Transport, this series has many highlights that you might be interested in knowing about. As per the information from the ministry, a vehicle having this Bharat series number plate will have permission to move their vehicles from one state to another without going through the process of number plate changing.

In this blog, we are discussing the important things that you should know about the Bharat series including what is Bharat Series Number Plates.

What is the BH Number Plate Series?

The Bharat Series numbers are created especially to cater to drivers or vehicle owners who need to cross state boundaries frequently. In this case, the ‘BH’ alphabet (which stands for Bharat) will replace the alphabets that indicate your state on your vehicle number plate to signify the registration of the particular state that you got the vehicle registered from. For private vehicles, these number plates will have the numbers written in black on a white background plate.

Features of BH Series Number Plates

The features of the Bharat Series Number Plate are mentioned herein below:

• The BH series number plates look similar to the other number plates. However, the format of the license number is different
• The BH series number plate is valid across the country
• This kind of number plate is applicable only for non-transport vehicles
• The process of re-registering a vehicle becomes easier as the owner of the vehicle shifts to another state.

Who can get the Bharat Number Plate?- Eligibility

The BH or Bharat series number plates for vehicles can be acquired by those meeting the following criteria:

• People from the armed forces background
• State and central government employees
• States/UTs with five or more offices for both central and state Public Sector Undertakings
• And the private sector organizations with five or more offices in different states of the country

How Much Do the BH Series Number Plates Cost?

The table below depicts the price of the BH series number plates:

Cost (invoice)	Motor Vehicle Tax (invoice percentage)
Below 10 lakh	8%
INR 10 to INR 20 lakh	10%
Above 20 lakh	12%

You may note that an extra 2% charge is levied on diesel-run vehicles, while electric vehicles get a 2% discount on tax. Also, remember that for private vehicles, the BH number plate road tax is charged for 2 years or in multiples of two like 4, 6, 8, etc.

What is the Bharat Series Number Plate Format?

YY BH #### XX

The above is the format of the Bharat series number plates in India.

Here,

• YY represents the original year of registration,
• BH represents the Bharat Series code,
• #### is the random number between 0000 to 9999 chosen for the number plate, and
• XX stands for any alphabet between AA to ZZ.

BH Series Registration – Steps to be Followed while Applying for a BH Series License Plate

To apply for a BH series license plate, one has to follow certain steps. And the BH registration steps are as follows:

• Step -1: As you buy a new vehicle, your automobile dealer will fill out Form 20 on Vahan Portal, on your behalf
• Step -2: The next step includes the selection of series type, which has to be BH series type
• Step -3: You would then be needed to submit some documents such as a Working Certificate (Form 60) or copy of an Official ID Card and several other documents
• Step -4: The RTO will then approve the BH series
• Step -5: You will have to pay the online fee, as required
• Step -6: As you complete all these steps, the BH series registration number will be generated by the Vahan Portal.

BH Number Plate Benefits – Key Advantages of Bharat Series Number Plates

• In the new series of the number plate, vehicle tax would be charged for at least two years or even more
• With this arrangement, it will be simple for private vehicles to move freely across the country
• But fresh registration of the state will be required under this series for the sale of cars
• Under the Bharat series, transferring ownership of vehicles will be easy

Cons of BH Number Plate – Primary limitations

Limited Availability – One of the key disadvantages of the BH series number plate is that it is limited to specific groups like defense personnel, government workers, bank employees, and employees working in private firms with multiple offices across India. Therefore, all vehicle owners cannot avail themselves of the benefit of having a BH series number plate for their vehicles.

Not applicable to Transport Vehicles – At present, the BH series number plates are available for only non-transport/private motors. So, taxis, buses, trucks, and other transport vehicles are not qualified to avail of this series. This is another limitation of the BH-series number plates.

Road Tax Structure of Bharat Number Plate

If your vehicle has a BH series license plate, the road tax you have to pay is for two years or for multiple of 2 years. You will be able to pay the road tax for the BH series plate online and it can be applied only for 14 years. After completion of 14 years, you have to make an annual payment.

Invoice Price	Percentage of Invoice Price	Remark
If the car costs less than INR 10 Lakh	8% Road Tax based on the Invoice Price	2% extra charge for Diesel Vehicles
If the car costs between INR 10 to INR 20 Lakh	10% Road Tax based on the Invoice Price	2% less charge for Electric Vehicles
If the car costs above INR 20 Lakh	12% Road Tax based on the Invoice Price	-

How to Apply for BH Series Number Plate?

Here are the important processes to keep in mind for applying for a number plate with the BH series:

• The owner of the vehicle must apply for the new BH Bharat series number at the RTO where the original registration was done by presenting a government ID card to prove his job profile.
• The car owner will have to pay road tax for 2, 4, or 6 years as per the duration of their stay in the state from where they got the car.
• The ‘No Objection Certificate’ is not necessary under the new Bharat number plate as there is no state contribution of the state in the new series. So, here the owner of the car can apply for re-registration right away in the state that they have moved to
• Here, the car owner can utilize the tax revenue of the state. So, if the car owner wants, they can wait till the duration of the old tax revenue expires and then can apply for a new registration
• Even with the new Bharat series number plate, a vehicle owner will have to pay fines for not renewing the RC as per the predetermined time frame if they are caught by the Traffic cops
• However, in this case, you can seek reimbursement if you choose to make the payment of the road tax of the new state. For this, you must process a reimbursement request for the original state’s road tax

Does the Bharat Series Number Plate Influence Vehicle Insurance Premium?

According to insurance companies, there will be no immediate influence or impact of the BH series number plates on vehicle insurance premiums. Like in the case of vehicles with regular number plates, vehicle owners with BH series number plates will have to buy insurance to comply with the regulations of IRDAI or the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India.

The premium charged for such vehicles depends on various common factors such as the model and make of the vehicle, vehicle age, security system installed, coverage type, engine type, and more. BH series number plates streamline the entire process of licensing and registration of motors and allow several perks to users.

Hence, the execution of the BH series number plate is important in terms of standardizing the vehicle registration and licensing process in India. This series presents a uniform structure for both transport authorities and vehicle owners in the country.