BH Series vehicle registration: What is BH-series number plate? How will it benefit vehicle owners?

The Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways in vide notification dated August 26, 2021, introduced a new registration mark for new vehicles under the ‘Bharat series (BH-series)’ to facilitate seamless transfer of vehicles. Keeping in mind the cumbersome process of re-registration of vehicles when relocating or moving to another state, the Government rolled a new Bharat Series registration mark scheme which will not require an individual to get a new registration number for the vehicle if they move to another state.

The Ministry in a statement said that Bharat Series is an IT-based solution for vehicle registration is an effort by the Government to facilitate mobility. The effort for BH-series aims to ease the re-registration of vehicles while moving to another state.

Currently, the process of re-registration of vehicles while moving to another state requires the vehicle owners to obtain a no-objection certificate from the old state where the vehicle was earlier registered then get the vehicle registered in the new state and pay the road tax. Then file for a refund for the road tax already paid in the old state.

This IT-based solution for vehicle registration is part of a host of citizen-centric steps taken by MORTH to facilitate mobility. pic.twitter.com/XSyPYulAeC

— MORTHINDIA (@MORTHIndia) August 28, 2021

What is Bharat series (BH-series)?

Bharat series (BH-series) is an IT-based solution for vehicle registration by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to facilitate seamless transfer and re-registration of vehicles while moving from one state to another in India.

The registration facility will be available to Defense personnel, private organizations, individuals working at Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Central or State governments, or private sector companies which have offices across four or more states/Union Territories.

How will Bharat series benefit vehicle owners?

Under Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, an individual is allowed to keep a vehicle for only 12 months in any state other than the state where the vehicle is registered. During those 12 months, the individual is required to obtain a new registration in the new state.

With the new Bharat series registration mark, an individual will not be required to apply for re-registration when moving the vehicle from one state to another.

Under the scheme, the motor vehicle tax will be levied for 2 years or in multiple of two. After the completion of the 14^th year, the motor vehicle tax will be levied annually which will be half of the amount than the amount charged earlier for that vehicle.