BH Series Number Plate

The Bharat series was introduced to solve a specific problem: someone transferring to another state had to re-register their vehicle there within a short window, paying road tax twice and dealing with a slow refund. A BH registration is valid nationally, so no re-registration is needed on transfer.

Eligibility is deliberately narrow. It covers defence personnel, central and state government employees, employees of public sector undertakings, and employees of private companies that have offices in a specified minimum number of states or union territories. It is not open to the general public or to ordinary commercial fleets.

The tax structure is what makes it distinctive: road tax is paid for a two-year block rather than a full fifteen-year term up front, and is renewed thereafter. The rate depends on the vehicle's price band and fuel type. Plates carry the year of registration, the letters BH, a four-digit number and a two-letter series.