What is the meaning of different colored number plates on vehicles? Know the complete mathematics of white, yellow, green and BH series

While walking on the road, you must have seen that vehicles have number plates of different colors – like white, yellow, green, blue, black and red. ‘BH’ is also seen written on many vehicles. Do you know that the color of the number plate is not just a design, but it gives official information about the category of the vehicle, its commercial use, fuel type and safety regulations?

Under the Motor Vehicles Act, number plates of specific colors have been made mandatory for different categories of vehicles in India. Let us understand the meaning and rules of every number plate from the perspective of an automobile and traffic rules reporter.

1. Meaning of different colored number plates

1. White Number Plate (White Plate – Private Vehicles)

• Identification: Black letters on white background.

• Use: This is only for personal vehicles like your own car, bike or scooter.

• Rule: This vehicle cannot be used as a taxi, to carry passengers or for commercial hire purposes.

2. Yellow Number Plate (Yellow Plate – Commercial Vehicles)

• Identification: Black letters on yellow background.

• Use: This happens in commercial vehicles like taxis, cabs (Ola/Uber), buses, trucks, auto-rickshaws and delivery vans.

• Rule: These require a commercial permit to operate, and in some cases, a commercial driver’s license (CDL).

3. Green Number Plate (Green Plate – Electric Vehicles)

• Identification: Green background.

• Use: This is especially true only Electric vehicles (EVs) Is scheduled for.

• Color of letters: Private electric vehicles (EV) on green background white letters While on commercial electric vehicles (such as EV cabs or buses) yellow letters Are written.

4. Black Plate – Rental/Self-Drive Cars

• Identification: Yellow letters on black background.

• Use: It is used in self-drive rental vehicles (such as Zoomcar or Revv) and luxury hotel taxis.

• Rule: This vehicle is commercial, but the person renting it can drive it with his normal (personal) driving license.

2. Special Number Plates: VIP, Embassy and Defense Vehicles

• Blue Number Plate: Meant for vehicles of foreign embassies and diplomats. On this, instead of the state code (like DL, UP), the code of their country/mission is written.

• Red Number Plate:

  • for new vehicles Temporary Registration Is used as.

  • Apart from this, India’s President And Governors A special red plate is installed on official vehicles of the Government of India, on which the Ashoka Pillar (the coat of arms of India) is engraved.

• Broad Arrow: Used for Ministry of Defense and Indian Army vehicles. The first/second digit indicates the year in which the vehicle was inducted into the Army.

3. What is BH (Bharat Series) number plate and its benefits?

BH (Bharat Series) Number plate is a special registration system introduced by the central government.

• Useful for: For those employees who are transferred frequently from one state to another (like defense personnel, central employees, bank employees or employees of private companies having offices in more than 4 states).

• Biggest advantage: In case of normal vehicles, on changing the state, new registration has to be done by paying RTO tax of the other state within 12 months. But BH series vehicles can be driven anywhere across India without re-registration.

Why are number plate rules so strict?

As per traffic police and RTO rules, every vehicle must have High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) is mandatory. Keeping the number plate clean and clear is the biggest legal basis to reach the vehicle owner in case of an accident, theft or any crime.