Vehicle Registration

BH Series (Bharat Series) Number Plate

The Bharat series is a pan-India registration mark for private vehicles. If you are eligible, your vehicle stays legally registered wherever in India you move — no NOC, no re-registration, no refund claim for road tax you already paid. This guide covers who qualifies, what it costs under Rule 51B, and how to apply.

Introduced by

G.S.R. 594(E)

In force from

15 Sept 2021

Vehicle type

Private only

Tax cycle

Every 2 years

The Problem BH Series Solves

Under Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a vehicle kept in a State other than the one where it is registered for more than twelve months must be assigned a new registration mark by that State. For anyone with a transferable job, that meant a recurring administrative burden: obtain an NOC from the original RTO, register afresh in the new State, pay road tax again, then separately claim a refund of the unused portion of the lifetime tax already paid — a refund that is notoriously slow to arrive.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways created the Bharat series to remove that cycle. A BH mark is valid across India for the life of the vehicle, so relocation triggers no registration formality at all. In exchange, road tax is paid in rolling two-year blocks at nationally uniform rates instead of as a single lifetime payment to one State.

What a BH Plate Looks Like

22Year

BHBharat

1234Random

ABSeries

YY — last two digits of the year of first registration
BH — identifies the Bharat series
#### — four-digit number, randomly allotted
XX — alphabetical series code

A BH mark carries no State code, which is the whole point — nothing on the plate ties the vehicle to one State. It is displayed on a standard HSRP, black on white for private vehicles.

Who Is Eligible

Eligibility is deliberately narrow — the scheme targets people whose employment actually moves them between States.

🎖️

Defence personnel

Serving personnel of the armed forces, who are posted across States through their career.

Proof required: Official identity card / service certificate

🏛️

Central & State Government employees

Includes All-India Services and other transferable government posts.

Proof required: Official identity card / service certificate

🏢

Central & State PSU employees

Employees of public sector undertakings owned by the Centre or a State.

Proof required: Official identity card / service certificate

💼

Private sector employees

Only where the employer has offices in four or more States or Union Territories. The Form 60 requirement was tightened in 2022 to curb misuse.

Proof required: Working certificate in Form 60

The four-State test trips most people up. A private-sector employee qualifies only if the employer has offices in four or more States or Union Territories — not four cities, and not four branches within one State. If your employer cannot certify that in Form 60, you are not eligible, however often you personally relocate.

What It Costs — Rule 51B Tax Slabs

Motor vehicle tax for BH vehicles is set centrally by Rule 51B of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules and charged on the invoice price of the vehicle. Diesel vehicles pay two percentage points more; electric vehicles pay two percentage points less.

Invoice price	Petrol / CNG	Diesel (+2%)	Electric (−2%)
Under ₹10 lakh	8%	10%	6%
₹10 lakh – ₹20 lakh	10%	12%	8%
Above ₹20 lakh	12%	14%	10%

Paid every two years

Rule 51B levies the tax for a two-year block, or a multiple of two years, collected electronically through the portal. This is the key structural difference from normal registration, where a State collects one lifetime tax upfront.

Halves after 14 years

After the fourteenth year from first registration, the tax is levied annually at half the earlier rate — recognising that an older vehicle is worth, and is taxed, less.

Late payment

Rule 51B allows a grace period of seven days from the due date. Beyond that, an additional charge of ₹100 per day of delay applies. Because BH tax recurs rather than being a one-time payment, diarising the renewal date matters far more than it does with normal registration.

The exact payable amount is computed by the Vahan portal at the time of registration, applying the formula in Rule 51B to your invoice price. Use the slabs above to estimate the order of magnitude, and treat the portal's figure as authoritative.

How to Apply for a BH Series Registration

1
Confirm you actually qualify
Government, defence and PSU employees qualify on the strength of their service. Private-sector employees qualify only if the employer has offices in four or more States or UTs — check this before paying anything, because it is the most common reason an application is rejected.
2
Get your eligibility document ready
Government, defence and PSU staff need an official identity card or a service certificate. Private-sector employees need a working certificate in Form 60, issued and signed by the employer. Form 60 is a declaration by the employer about its multi-State presence, so allow time for HR to process it.
3
Apply through the dealer or the registering authority
For a new vehicle, the dealer initiates the BH application on the Vahan portal at the point of sale. You may apply to a registering authority in the State of your permanent residence or your place of work — the place-of-work option was added by the 2022 amendment.
4
Eligibility verification
The registering authority verifies the Form 60 working certificate or the official identity card / service certificate before the mark is issued. This is a real check, not a formality, and is where most delays occur.
5
Pay the two-year motor vehicle tax
Tax is computed on the invoice price under the Rule 51B slabs and levied for a two-year block, or a multiple of two years. It is paid electronically through the portal rather than as a one-time lifetime tax.
6
Registration mark is allotted randomly
Once verification and payment are complete, the BH mark is generated randomly by the portal. You cannot pick or reserve the number. Fit an HSRP showing the allotted mark.
7
Renew before the block expires
Track the expiry of your two-year tax block and renew on the portal. Rule 51B provides a seven-day grace period after the due date, after which an additional charge of ₹100 per day of delay applies.

Converting an Existing Registration to BH

When the scheme launched in September 2021 it applied only to vehicles being registered for the first time, which left out anyone who already owned a car and later became eligible. That gap was closed by G.S.R. 879(E) dated 14 December 2022, the Central Motor Vehicles (Twenty-third Amendment) Rules, 2022, which permits a vehicle holding a regular registration mark to be converted to a BH mark on payment of the requisite tax.

The same amendment made two other practical changes: a BH vehicle may be transferred to a buyer whether or not that buyer is eligible for the series, and an application may be filed at the owner's place of residence or place of work. It also tightened verification of the Form 60 working certificate for private-sector applicants, after concerns that the four-State criterion was being certified loosely.

Advantages

✓No re-registration when you move to another State or UT — the mark stays valid nationwide.
✓No need to obtain an NOC from the original RTO or file Form 28 on relocation.
✓No chasing a refund of unused lifetime road tax from the State you left.
✓Lower upfront cost, since tax is paid in two-year blocks instead of one lifetime payment.
✓Tax rate falls to half, levied annually, after the fourteenth year.

Trade-offs

✕Recurring payments — you must actively renew every two years or incur a ₹100-per-day late charge after the grace period.
✕Total tax over the life of the vehicle can exceed a one-time lifetime tax, especially in low-tax States.
✕Eligibility is narrow, and the private-sector four-State test excludes most employers.
✕The registration number is allotted randomly; no fancy or reserved numbers.
✕Private (non-transport) vehicles only — commercial vehicles are excluded entirely.

BH Series vs Normal State Registration

	BH Series	Normal Registration
Who can apply	Defence, government, PSU and qualifying private-sector employees	Any vehicle owner
Vehicle type	Non-transport (private) only	Private and commercial
Tax payment	Every two years (Rule 51B slabs)	One-time lifetime tax, set by the State
Tax basis	Invoice price, uniform national slabs	Varies widely between States
On relocating	Nothing to do — mark remains valid	Re-registration required if kept over 12 months (Sec. 47)
NOC / Form 28	Not required	Required from the original RTO
Tax refund on moving	Not applicable	Must claim refund of unused lifetime tax
Choosing your number	Random allotment only	Fancy / reserved numbers available in most States

Is BH Series Worth It for You?

BH is a convenience scheme, not a discount scheme. It is clearly worth it if your job actually moves you across State lines every few years — the savings are in avoided NOCs, avoided re-registration, and refunds you never have to chase, not in the tax itself.

It is a weaker proposition if you are eligible on paper but expect to stay in one State for the life of the vehicle. In that case you take on a recurring two-yearly payment, a late-fee exposure, and a possibly higher lifetime cost, in return for portability you will never use. Compare the Rule 51B slabs above against the one-time lifetime road tax your own State charges before deciding.

Frequently Asked Questions About BH Series

What is the BH series number plate?

BH stands for "Bharat". It is a pan-India vehicle registration mark for private (non-transport) vehicles, introduced by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways through G.S.R. 594(E) — the Central Motor Vehicles (Twentieth Amendment) Rules, 2021 — which came into force on 15 September 2021. A vehicle carrying a BH mark does not have to be re-registered when its owner moves to another State or Union Territory.

Who is eligible for BH series registration?

Four categories qualify: defence personnel; employees of the Central Government or a State Government; employees of Central or State public sector undertakings; and employees of private-sector companies or organisations that have offices in four or more States or Union Territories. Government employees prove eligibility with an official identity card or service certificate, while private-sector employees must submit a working certificate in Form 60 issued by their employer.

Can I get a BH series plate for a commercial vehicle?

No. The BH series is available only for non-transport vehicles — that is, private cars and two-wheelers used for personal purposes. Transport (commercial) vehicles such as taxis, goods carriers and buses are outside the scheme and continue with normal state registration and permits.

How is BH series road tax calculated?

Under Rule 51B of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, tax is charged on the invoice price of the vehicle: 8% where the invoice price is under ₹10 lakh, 10% between ₹10 lakh and ₹20 lakh, and 12% above ₹20 lakh. A diesel vehicle pays 2 percentage points more and an electric vehicle pays 2 percentage points less. Unlike normal registration, the tax is paid for a two-year block at a time (or multiples of two years) rather than as a one-time lifetime tax.

What happens to BH series tax after 14 years?

Rule 51B provides that after the fourteenth year from the date of first registration, motor vehicle tax is levied annually at half the rate that applied earlier. So the payment cycle changes from two-yearly to yearly, at a reduced rate.

Can I convert my existing normal registration to BH series?

Yes. Conversion was not permitted when the scheme launched, but G.S.R. 879(E) dated 14 December 2022 (the Central Motor Vehicles Twenty-third Amendment Rules, 2022) allowed vehicles holding a regular registration mark to be converted to a BH mark on payment of the applicable tax. This helps owners who became eligible after buying the vehicle — for example, on joining a qualifying employer.

Can I choose my own BH series number?

No. The BH registration mark is generated randomly through the Vahan portal after your eligibility documents are verified. Fancy or reserved number booking, which many states offer for normal registration, is not available under the BH series.

What does a BH series plate look like?

The format is YY BH #### XX — for example, 22 BH 1234 AB. YY is the last two digits of the year of first registration, BH identifies the Bharat series, #### is a randomly allotted four-digit number, and XX is an alphabetical sequence. As with all registration marks, it is displayed on a High Security Registration Plate with black lettering on a white background for private vehicles.

Where do I apply for a BH series registration?

An application may be made to any registering authority in the State where the owner has a permanent residence or a place of work — the 2022 amendment added the place-of-work option for flexibility. For a new vehicle the dealer normally initiates the BH application on the Vahan portal at the time of purchase.

Can a BH series vehicle be sold to someone who is not eligible?

Yes. The 2022 amendment expressly facilitated transfer of ownership of a BH-marked vehicle to persons who are either eligible or ineligible for the series. The tax treatment on transfer follows the rules applicable at the time, so confirm the position with your registering authority before the sale.

Is BH series cheaper than normal registration?

Not necessarily. BH spreads payment into two-year instalments instead of one lifetime payment, which lowers the upfront cost, but the total paid over the life of the vehicle can be higher — particularly in States where lifetime road tax is comparatively low. BH is best understood as a convenience scheme for people who genuinely relocate between States, not as a tax-saving device.

Why does relocating normally require re-registration at all?

Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 requires a vehicle kept in a State other than the one where it is registered for more than twelve months to be assigned a new registration mark by that State. That process involves an NOC from the original RTO, fresh registration, and a refund claim for the unused portion of the original lifetime tax. The BH series exists to remove exactly this burden.

Legal basis

• G.S.R. 594(E) — Central Motor Vehicles (Twentieth Amendment) Rules, 2021, notified August 2021, in force from 15 September 2021. Introduced the BH series and inserted the Form 60 working-certificate requirement.
• Rule 48 & Rule 51B, Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 — application and eligibility verification, and the motor vehicle tax slabs and two-year levy.
• G.S.R. 879(E) — Central Motor Vehicles (Twenty-third Amendment) Rules, 2022, dated 14 December 2022. Allowed conversion of existing registrations, transfer to ineligible buyers, and application at the place of work.
• Section 47, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — the twelve-month re-registration requirement that the BH series is designed to avoid.

Rules change. Confirm current eligibility, slabs and fees on the official Vahan / Parivahan portal or with your registering authority before acting on this page.