Fines on Fancy Number Plate

6 min read • Posted on 22 May 2024

For many vehicle owners, a car or motorbike is more a way of reflecting living status rather than a mode of transport. To step up and make their vehicles look extraordinary, they prefer various customizations and getting a fancy registration number is one of the options. The fancy number plate personalizes the vehicle and makes it look unique. Regional Transport Offices across the country issue these vehicle registration numbers.

Fancy Registration Number Plate for Your Vehicle

But issuing a fancy registration number is more challenging than the regular registration number of a vehicle. There are certain norms to follow when you attach a registration plate to your vehicle, or else you end up paying huge penalties from the government.

This article will help you understand the guidelines for a registration number and brief you about the charges applicable if you don’t comply with government norms.

Guidelines for Vehicle Registration Number Plate

The Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1989, specifies the provisions for issuing the registration number or the fancy registration number plate for a vehicle plying on the roads. Every Indian citizen is entitled to follow the regulations mentioned below.

Clear and specified display of a licensed number plate on the front and rear side of the vehicle.
The car number plate and the font should be in the pre-determined size only, as mentioned below

For two and three-wheelers: 200×100 mm

Light motor vehicles/ passenger cars: 340x200 mm or 500×120 mm

Medium /heavy commercial vehicle: 340×200 mm

Font of car number plate: 65x10 mm with a 10 mm space between the number and alphabet.

All the alphabets should be in English font, while the numerals should be in Arabic numerals.
No art, picture, character, names, or stickers are allowed on the number plate.
The vehicle owner needs to bid in the auction to issue a VIP number plate, whether online or offline.
The Regional Transport Department of India allows the following colour and combinations.

Vehicle Type	Colour of Number Plate	Font Colour
Private Vehicle	White	Black
Commercial Vehicle (Taxi or Truck)/ Temporary Registration	Yellow	Black
Foreign Delegate	Blue	White
Private Commercial Vehicle (available for rent)	Black	Yellow
Electric Vehicle	Green	White

Why Does Government Levy Penalty on Fancy Number Plates?

Many people want to use the curved font or write stylish names or designations on the number plates to look different from the crowd. But the government of India strictly prohibits such steps. If you are caught breaching the laws, heavy penalties are levied. Why?

Well, it is the sole responsibility of the government to maintain vehicle law and order across the country. If you use a fancy number plate with a different font (irregular), it becomes difficult for the authorities to read the text and track the vehicle in the case of mishappenings. Hence, using the prescribed guidelines for the registration number plate is mandatory.

Moreover, the government recognizes the concern of having fancy registration number plates and reserves the right to allot customized or VIP numbers from 1 to 9999. To allot these number plates with different number combinations requires a definite registration charge. Every state government allot a fancy registration number by conducting an online or offline auction. Hence, the vehicle owner must pay heavy penalties when a registration number doesn’t follow the pre-set guidelines.

Different Charges by the Government on Fancy Vehicle Numbers

If a vehicle owner is caught driving a car with a number plate that does not imply the norms specified by the Government of India, then a challan is issued to you, and you need to pay the fine as specified under the Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1989. Generally, RTO fines an amount of Rs. 1,000/- but the amount may vary state-wise.

Some states also have strict guidelines and may suspend your license if caught a fancy number breaching the provisions even after repeated warnings.

Also, breaking the law can land you in trouble when applying for an insurance claim.

Is it Mandatory to Have an HSRP for a Fancy Number Plate?

Before looking into whether it is mandatory to have an HSRP number plate, let’s walk through a quick intro to what is an HSRP registration number plate.

According to the number plate regulations of the Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1989, all vehicle registration number plates, including fancy number plates, must be equipped with HSRP to ensure consistency and top-notch security. This helps the vehicle owner to exclude any further difficulty and penalties regarding the number plates. The High-Security Number Plate (HSRP) is a number plate made of aluminium and fixed onto the vehicle with chromium-based non-removable snap-on locks. These number plates have a hot stamped chromium-based Ashoka Chakra hologram in blue colour on the top left corner.

The HSRP has a unique 10-digit PIN, a combination of vehicle engine and chassis numbers, which ensures easy vehicle identification in case of theft. Before the implementation of HSRP, it was easy to remove/replace a number plate and used to make tracking the vehicle difficult. With an HSRP, the stolen vehicle can be scanned and tracked using the CCTV installed on the roads.

Bottom Line

Personalizing a car number plate with a fancy registration number attracts people. It represents your personality, but it may also levy significant fines if it does not comply with the provisions made by the government. You must follow the prescribed format and process to issue a registration number set by the government. So, consider the government norms next time you think of having a fancy number plate written BOSS, BOYS, etc.

In addition, with a fancy number plate, you also need to safeguard your vehicle with suitable car insurance . Car insurance provides you coverage against theft, fire, accidents, and other misfortune situations. You can directly connect with motor vehicle insurance companies or contact D2C Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd., like RenewBuy. Our POSP advisors will help you buy or renew your motor insurance in minutes.