Government introduces a new registration mark for new vehicles: “Bharat series (BH-series)” to facilitate seamless transfer of vehicles

New Delhi: Government has taken a host of citizen-centric steps to facilitate mobility. An IT-based solution for vehicle registration is one such effort. However, one of the pain points in the vehicle registration process that needed attention was the re-registration of a vehicle while moving to another state.

Station relocation occurs with both Government and private sector employees.  Such movements create a sense of unease in the minds of such employees with regard to transfer of registration from the parent state to another state as, under section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a person is allowed to keep the vehicle for not more than 12 months in any state other than the state where the vehicle is registered, but a new registration with the new state- registering authority has to be made within the stipulated time of 12 months.

A passenger vehicle user takes the following steps to re-register a vehicle:

(i) No Objection Certificate from the Parent State for assignment of a new registration mark in another state.

(ii) Assignment of new registration mark after the road tax on prorata basis is paid in the new State

(ii) Application for refund of the road tax in the parent State on pro rata basis.

This provision to get refund from the parent State on pro rata basis is a very cumbersome process and varies from one State to another.

In order to facilitate seamless transfer of vehicles, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highwaysvide notification dated 26 Aug 2021,  has introduced a new registration mark for new vehicles  i.e. “Bharat series (BH-series)”.Avehicle bearing this registration mark shall not require assignment of a new registration mark when the owner of the vehicle shifts from one State to another.

Format of Bharat series (BH-series) Registration Mark –

Registration Mark Format: –

YY BH #### XX

YY – Year of first registration

BH- Code for Bharat Series

####- 0000 to 9999 (randomized)

XX- Alphabets (AA to ZZ)

This vehicle registration facility under “Bharat series (BH-series)” will be available on voluntary basis to Defense personnel, employees of Central Government/ State Government/ Central/ State Public Sector Undertakings and private sector companies/organizations, which have their offices in four or more States/Union territories.

The motor vehicle tax will be levied for two years or in multiple of two. This scheme will facilitate free movement of personal vehicles across States/UTs of India upon relocation to a new State/UT. After completion of the fourteenth year, the motor vehicle tax shall be levied annually which shall be half of the amount which was charged earlier for that vehicle.