Until recently upon purchasing a motor vehicle, you had the option to customise the license plate with colour, language and font of your choice. However, all of this has changed with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) bringing about amendments in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
The new mandate requires all vehicles sold on or after 1st April, 2019 to be affixed with High Security Registration Plates (HSRPs). and to have a motor insurance for your vehicle is also a important factor. These plates will form a uniform pattern of displaying motor vehicle registration numbers across the country. The Ministry has taken this step to curb vehicle theft and enable easy tracking of lost or stolen vehicles.
Let’s discuss further about this new rule, how the new plates look like and how these are different from the ones already existing in our vehicles:
How do I get an HSRP for my vehicle?
According to the Ministry’s new rule, a vehicle manufacturer has to provide these HSRP to the dealers along with the vehicle. Once you make a purchase, the dealer will stamp the allotted registration number on the plates and fix them to your vehicle. You should have a two wheeler insurance or a car insurance along with the high security registration plate to stay protected during any emergencies.
Auto makers need to ensure that dealers have the necessary infrastructure to place the mark of registration on the HSRPs and print the third registration plate, wherever required. The new rule also states that the cost of an HSRP and the cost of affixing it to the new vehicle after placing the mark of registration should be included in the price of the vehicle. Thus, if your dealer demands an additional amount for the HSRP, you know that it is against the rules.
Moreover, the HSRPs come with a guarantee of 5 years, wherein if it is damaged or its letters or numbers fade away, the dealer who fitted the plate will replace it free of cost.
What does an HSRP look like?
The HSRP are made of aluminium and come with reflective tapes. They are hot-stamped with a chromium-based hologram of the Ashok Chakra in Blue on the top-left corner. At the bottom-left corner, a 10-digit permanent identification number (PIN) is etched with laser. In the middle of the chakra hologram and the laser code, ‘IND’ is inscribed in Blue.
‘INDIA’ is inscribed in font size 10, font type Arial Bold and colour Blue at an angle of 45-degree in hot stamping foil across all letters and numbers on the plate. The plates also feature two non-removable snap-on locks that, if somehow removed, will remain non-usable.
Besides the front and rear registration plates, a chromium hologram sticker with high refractive index is affixed on the bottom-left corner of the windshield from the inside. This self-destructive sticker is the third registration plate that contains details like the 10-digit PIN, the actual registration number, the engine and chassis numbers, the date of first registration of the vehicle and the name of the registering authority.
The specified background colour of the hologram sticker/third registration plate is orange for diesel vehicles, light blue for petrol and CNG vehicles and for grey for other vehicles.
Does my old vehicle need a new HSRP?
As per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), existing vehicles will also have to switch to the new HSRP. For the purpose, you have to visit your car dealer. You will be required to surrender your old registration number and destroy the number plate.
After the process of registration is over and the HSRP is affixed to your vehicle, the new registration number will be electronically linked to your vehicle.
Why is HSRP important?
You might wonder why your existing registration plate needs to be changed at all as it seems to serve its purpose well enough. However, it must be noted that the old number plates are very easy to tamper with, which makes stealing a vehicle very easy. Also, the first thing that thieves generally do after stealing a vehicle is remove the number plates.
Further, some of us customise our vehicle’s number plate very artistically, which makes it difficult for anyone, including the police, to read. Consequently, the police fails to track down such a vehicle in case it is lost or stolen. The uniquely styled HSRPs are a one-stop solution to all these problems as these plates are tamper-proof and act as a deterrent to thieves.