BH Number Plate in Chandigarh: Eligibility & How to Apply

For Chandigarh residents who keep moving back and forth across state borders, conventional car registration results in repeated paperwork, high upfront road tax payments, and re-registration hassles. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) launched the Bharat (BH) series number plate scheme in September 2021 to make these burdens lighter. 

With BH registration, owners pay road tax in 2-year instalments rather than a huge one-time payment and don't need to re-register their vehicle when shifting from one state to another.

• Step 1: Visit the VAHAN Portal: Visit the official Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) https://parivahan.gov.in/ portal.
• Step 2: Log in to Your Account: Enter your existing login credentials. After logging in, navigate to the option for new vehicle registration and select the BH Series registration service.
• Step 3: Enter Vehicle & Personal/Employment Details: Fill in vehicle details (make, model, chassis/engine number, etc.) and your personal information.
• Step 4: Upload Documents: Attach scanned copies of all necessary documents, including identity proof (e.g., Aadhaar / PAN/driver’s license), address proof, employer certificate/Form 60 (if required), insurance, and PUC certificate. Ensure all documents are legible and valid.
• Step 5: Make Payment: Pay the required road tax/registration fee via the online system.

The BH registration number will be issued to the vehicle only after the application and the documents have been verified.

• Step 1: Approach the Authorised Dealer: Visit the authorised dealer to initiate the BH series number plate registration process.
• Step 2: Submission of Form: The dealer will submit Form 20 at the VAHAN portal on your behalf.
• Step 3: Submission of Documents: Provide the required documents, like your identification proof, address proof, employment certificate/Form 60, vehicle invoice, insurance, and PUC certificate, to the dealer.
• Step 4: Verification of Application: The RTO officials of Chandigarh will check your documents and eligibility. After successful verification, the BH series number plate will be issued.

The offline process benefits those who want help completing the application requirements.

Below is the list of commonly required documents:

• Aadhaar Card
• Form 60 (applicable for private-sector employees)
• Form 20 (standard application form for automobile registration)
• Permanent Account Number (PAN) Card
• Vehicle papers (insurance documents, PUC certificate, original RC, and vehicle invoice for road tax computations)
• Official ID Proof (Government employee ID card or PSU ID card, etc.)
• Company’s GST Registration Certificate

The BH number plate is reserved exclusively for personal, non-transport vehicles like passenger cars and two-wheelers. Commercial vehicles such as buses, taxis, and trucks are not eligible for BH number plate registration, ensuring it remains limited to private use only.

Not everyone can get a BH plate; eligibility is limited to certain transferable jobs. In Chandigarh, you can apply only if you fall into these categories:

• Central or State Government employees (including officers on transfer).
• Defence and paramilitary personnel.
• Employees of Public Sector Undertakings (e.g. BSNL, ONGC, BHEL) or central PSUs.
• Private-sector employees whose companies have offices in at least four states or Union Territories.
• Other government-approved cases (e.g. leased company cars for eligible firms).

Under the BH number plate scheme, the applicable road tax is payable in 2-year instalments for the 14 years and annually at half of the previous rate thereafter. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of the renewal process:

• Step 1: Go to the Parivahan Portal: Go to the official website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (Parivahan Sewa) to initiate the BH number plate renewal process in Chandigarh.
• Step 2: Login and Select Services: Sign in to the portal and navigate to the "Pay Your Tax" link given under “Online Services”. Select Chandigarh as your registration state.
• Step 3: Provide Vehicle Details: Give the last five digits of your chassis and your registration number. The system will retrieve your vehicle information and display the amount of tax due.
• Step 4: Payment: Choose how long you want to pay for—two years or in multiples like four or six years. Once you've paid, the new due date will be displayed on your vehicle's tax information page.
• Step 5: Confirmation and Record Update: Upon successful payment, the portal will validate your renewal and revise the next due date for paying road tax in its database.

According to Indian law, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, all motor vehicles that operate on public roads must carry a valid motor insurance policy such as commercial vehicle insurance for protection against damages or harm caused to other parties.

This does not change with the BH (Bharat) series number plate; the BH format for registration is only about portability of registration and does not exclude vehicles from insurance obligations.

Insurers generally treat BH-series registered vehicles the same as other private vehicles when determining premiums, where factors like vehicle make/model, usage, age, location, and coverage type are relevant.

The Bharat (BH) series number plate is more than just a registration—it’s a modern solution for people with a mobile lifestyle. Perfect for defence personnel, transferable employees, or families that relocate frequently, it ensures nationwide validity, simplified tax payments in easy instalments, and reduced paperwork. This removes the hassle of repeated re-registration and makes vehicle ownership far more convenient.