HSRP number plate: not changed yet? Will there be penalty or relief after the deadline? Know what the rules are

HSRP Number Plate Vehicle Penalty: The deadline for High Security Registration Number Plate (HSRP) for old vehicles in Maharashtra has passed, but the sound of challan has not been heard yet. On the morning of January 1, when lakhs of vehicle owners were afraid of fines, a decision of the Transport Department put the entire matter in suspense. Now the question is, has the action really been postponed, or is it something else? Let us know.

Despite the expiry of the deadline of December 31, 2025, there is relief news for the owners of old vehicles. The Transport Department has decided not to take punitive action at present. Due to the ongoing appointment process of new agencies, a temporary moratorium on fines has been imposed, which has brought great relief to vehicle owners.

Why was the punitive action stopped?

Maharashtra government had made it mandatory to install HSRP for old vehicles, the last date of which was fixed as December 31, 2025. Earlier, three main agencies Rosemarta Safety System, Real Mazon India and FTA HSRP Solutions were appointed for this work. However, the contracts of these contractors have now expired. For this reason, the Transport Department has started a new tender process and is looking for a new contractor. The department has indicated that no strict action will be taken against vehicles without new number plates until the new agency takes over the job.

What was the provision of fine regarding HSRP?

According to the rules, the government had made a provision of strict penalty on those vehicle owners who have not yet installed High Security Registration Number Plate (HSRP). The rule was that if someone has done online registration but has not got the number plate installed, then a fine of Rs 1,000 will be imposed on him. At the same time, there was a provision to impose a heavy fine of up to Rs 10,000 on those who did not start the process. But at present, this punitive action has been temporarily suspended due to the absence of a new agency and administrative confusion.

Crores of vehicles still in queue

If we look at the figures, the situation is quite challenging. There are about 2.1 crore old vehicles in Maharashtra. Of these, about 97 lakh vehicles have been registered online so far, but actually new number plates have been installed in only 75 lakh vehicles. This means that there are still crores of vehicles in the state which are waiting for the new HSRP. Lack of fitment centers and difficulties in getting appointments have also slowed down the process.

Transport Commissioner’s appeal and unresolved questions

The Transport Commissioner has clarified that vehicle owners who have already made online booking should wait for their turn and go to the concerned center on the scheduled date and time to get the plate installed. Due to this, they will not have to face any kind of legal trouble if action is initiated in future.

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However, there is still a lack of policy clarity on some issues. Lakhs of vehicles seized by the police or RTO in different crimes or accidents are currently gathering dust. Apart from this, the administration has not yet taken any concrete decision regarding making HSRP mandatory for the vehicles which have been scrapped.

In short, although the deadline has passed, there is no need for vehicle owners to panic as of now. Nevertheless, it would be in the interest of vehicle owners to complete the process to avoid future strictures. This situation is like a bus which is standing at the stop but is not moving at the moment due to the absence of a driver; As soon as the new driver (agency) arrives, the journey (action) will resume.