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Independent guide by India Customer Care · Not the Parivahan government website · We never ask for your licence number, vehicle number, Aadhaar or OTP. Official services: parivahan.gov.in

BH Series Registration: Eligibility, Tax and How to Apply

By ICC TeamUpdated Facts checked against official sources on

The BH (Bharat) series is an optional registration mark that lets your vehicle move between states without being re-registered. It is open to defence staff, central and state government and PSU employees, and employees of private companies with offices in four or more states or UTs. You pay road tax for two years at a time instead of a one-time state tax; the central rule sets 8%, 10% or 12% of the invoice price; ask your RTO what your state charges. Since December 2022 you can also convert an existing vehicle to BH.

Started
15 September 2021
Format
YY BH 1234 AA
Tax
Every 2 years
Private staff proof
Form 60
Convert old vehicle
Form 27A
A BH series number plate. A car moves from one state to another along an arc and keeps the same number, with tax paid every two years. IND 26 BH 4821 AC State A State B Same number in every state Road tax paid every 2 years
A BH number stays the same when you move stateIllustration · not an official image
On this page
  1. Who is eligible
  2. How to apply
  3. BH series tax
  4. Tax estimator
  5. Selling, changing jobs and the number format
  6. States and BH
  7. Frequently asked questions

Who can get a BH series number?

The Central Motor Vehicles (Twentieth Amendment) Rules, 2021 (G.S.R. 594(E), in force from 15 September 2021) open the BH series to:

  • defence personnel;
  • employees of the central government or a state government;
  • employees of central or state public sector undertakings;
  • employees of private companies or organisations with offices in four or more states or union territories.

It applies to private (non-transport) vehicles and is voluntary.

How do I apply for a BH number?

Government, PSU or defence employee

Your proof of eligibility is your official identity card or, since December 2022, a service certificate.

Private-sector employee

You need a working certificate in Form 60, signed by an authorised signatory and sealed by your employer. In it the employer declares that you work there and that the organisation has offices in four or more states or UTs. It includes:

  • the organisation's name, registration number, PAN, registered office address and email (GST number optional);
  • your employee ID, UAN, PAN, mobile number and email;
  • your signature and the authorised signatory's.

YouRTODecision

Getting a BH series number
  1. Get your ID card, service certificate or Form 60 from your employer
  2. Is the vehicle new?No: apply in Form 27A to convert it
  3. Choose BH when the new vehicle is registered
  4. The RTO checks your eligibility
  5. Pay road tax for two years
  6. A BH number is allotted at random
  • New vehicle: opt for BH when the vehicle is registered. Apply to a registering authority in the state or UT where you have your permanent residence or your place of work.
  • Existing vehicle: since the 2022 amendment (G.S.R. 879(E), 14 December 2022), an owner who becomes eligible can apply in Form 27A to the registering authority where the vehicle is registered or kept, and pay the BH tax. The rules don't mention a refund of the state road tax you already paid.

How much is the BH series tax?

Rule 51B sets the tax as a percentage of the invoice price, without GST:

Invoice priceRate
Below ₹10 lakh8%
₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh10%
Above ₹20 lakh12%
Diesel vehicle+2%
Electric vehicle−2%
  • The tax for two years is the price × the rate × 1.25 × 2 ÷ 15, rounded up to the next rupee. The portal calculates it when you pay.
  • You pay for two years at a time, or a multiple of two years. From the 14th year after first registration, the tax is paid every year at half the earlier amount.
  • If you pay more than 7 days after the due date, an extra fee of ₹100 a day applies.
  • The tax is collected online and passed to the state or UT.

BH series tax estimator

Enter the vehicle's price

The estimator runs only in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.

What if I sell the vehicle or change jobs?

  • Selling to an eligible buyer: the vehicle stays in the BH series as long as the buyer remains eligible.
  • Selling to someone who isn't eligible: the vehicle gets a new regular registration mark and pays state road tax under that state's rules. See ownership transfer.
  • Leaving an eligible job: the vehicle stays in the BH series for the period you have already paid tax for. The rules don't say what happens after that, so ask your RTO before the tax runs out.
  • Paying the tax online: the BH tax is collected online and passed to the state. Use VAHAN citizen services or ask your RTO.

What does a BH number look like?

"YY BH #### XX": the last two digits of the year of first registration, then BH, then four numbers from 0001 to 9999, then one or two letters. The letters I and O are not used. The plate has black letters on a white background.

Have any states resisted BH registration?

  • By 15 July 2022, 24 states and UTs had started BH registration, according to a Lok Sabha reply.
  • Kerala: the state told the High Court of Kerala that BH registration would cause a financial loss to the state exchequer, and it was not among the 24 states and UTs listed in July 2022.
  • Implementation is a state matter, so ask your RTO how it handles BH applications.

Frequently asked questions

Who can get a BH series number?

Defence staff, central and state government and PSU employees, and employees of private organisations with offices in four or more states or UTs.

What does a private employee need?

A working certificate in Form 60, signed and sealed by the employer.

Is BH tax paid every year?

No, every two years. From the 14th year it is paid yearly at half the earlier amount.

Can I convert my existing car to BH?

Yes, since December 2022, by applying in Form 27A and paying the BH tax.

Can I apply in the state where I work?

Yes. You can apply where you have your permanent residence or your place of work.

Can I choose my BH number?

No. The number is generated at random after your eligibility is checked.

What is the penalty for paying BH tax late?

₹100 a day, once you are more than 7 days past the due date.

Sources

  1. PIB – new BH series registration mark, 28 Aug 2021 (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
  2. PIB – amendments to BH series rules, 16 Dec 2022 (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
  3. PIB – Lok Sabha answer on BH registrations, 15 Dec 2022 (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
  4. MoRTH notification text – BH series rules and forms, Government of Himachal Pradesh copy (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
  5. PIB – BH series registration of vehicles (Lok Sabha reply), 21 Jul 2022 (accessed 25 Oct 2026)

Page history: 25 Oct 2026: first published. 25 Oct 2026: sources limited to government websites.

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