Decoding Car Number Plates: What do the Numbers Mean?

Posted on: Jun 23, 2022 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

Decoding Car Number Plates: What do the Numbers Mean?

What do the Numbers on Number Plate Mean

Imagine a world full of vehicles with no number plates! It will be impossible to identify your own car or bike in a sea of similar looking vehicles, right? Plus, if your car or bike got stolen, how would the police even trace it? So, yes, number plates are an integral part of any vehicle. A number plate or the vehicle license plate is a metal plate with a unique number that identifies the vehicle. This plate is attached at the front and rear of the vehicle, to ensure easy reading, even from a distance. Much like car insurance, and a driver’s license, number plates on vehicles are mandatory, and come with certain rules as to how it must be displayed. But first, let’s deconstruct the number plate and understand what the numbers mean.

Number plate format

Part 1

The first part of the number plate indicates the State or Union Territory in which the car has been registered. Each State or Union Territory has a unique two-letter code. For example, Maharashtra has “MH”, West Bengal is “WB”, Delhi is “DL”.

Part 2

The next two digits refer to the district RTOs (Regional Transport Office) in which the car has been registered. The RTO is responsible for vehicular registrations in its area of operation. Each RTO has a unique number, which it lends to the cars registered under it.

Part 3

This is a slightly complex bit, wherein you can have two letters or a single letter that denotes the class of vehicle and year of purchase. For example, the first alphabet denotes:

• C - cars & SUVs

• S - two-wheelers

• E - electric vehicles

• P - passenger vehicles, i.e., buses

• R - three-wheeler rickshaws

• T - tourist licensed vehicles

• V - vans and pick-up trucks

• Y - vehicles for hire

The second alphabet references the year. A for 2000, B for 2001, and so on.

Part 4

This four-digit number is unique to each vehicle. If a number is unavailable, an alphabet is used to replace the last digit, ensuring enough permutations and combinations of numbers exist for that specific RTO.

Part 5

The final part of the number plate is the chromium hologram of the “chakra”, and the international code for India – “IND”. These are used in High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP). These are tamper-proof plates, introduced to reduce vehicle theft. While its mandatory to have HSRPs, some states are yet to adopt the practice.

Number plates rules

As per the Motor Vehicles Act, Rule 50 and 51:

• The registration alphabet and number must be black, on a white background for private two-wheelers and light motor vehicles like a car.

• Commercial vehicles must have black lettering on a yellow background.

• Blue number plates with white lettering are given to foreign delegates. It also displays their international code.

• Red number plates are reserved for the President of India and various State Governors. Red number plates also signify temporary registration, as in the case of new cars.

• No fancy fonts are permitted on the number plate. Nor can you have any artwork on them.

• The number plate should be displayed in the front and rear of the vehicle.

• The size of the number plate, including the spacing, height, and thickness of the letters are all specified as follows,by the Road Transport Authority (RTA):

Type of Vehicle	Size
Two and three-wheelers	200 x 100 mm
Light motor vehicle. Passenger Car	340 x 200 mm or 500 x 120 mm
Medium or Heavy commercial vehicle	340 x 200 mm

Vehicle Class		Dimensions in MM
Vehicle Class		Height	Thickness	Space
Motorbike with engine capacity less than 70 CC	Front letters and numerals	15	2.5	2.5
Three-wheelers with engine capacity above 500 CC	Front and rear numerals and letters	40	07	05
Three-wheelers with engine capacity of less than 500 CC	Front and rear numerals and letters	35	07	05
All motorbikes and three-wheeled invalid carriages
	Front letters and numerals	30	05	05
	Rear letters	35	07	05
	Rear numerals	40	07	05
All other remaining motor vehicles	Front and rear numerals and letters	65	10	10

To avoid getting fined for violations, it’s best to stick to the number plate that is provided to you, and not do any modifications to it. Affix the plates in their designated positions, and you will steer clear of any violations. And finally, pay your car insurance premium on time, to stay insured, as driving without insurance is a punishable offence.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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