VIP car number plates: The Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra has increased the fees for "choice numbers," often referred to as VIP numbers, for new vehicles. This hike means that the most coveted '0001' number for four-wheelers in high-demand areas such as Mumbai, Pune, and other cities will now cost Rs 6 lakh.
Interestingly, with the new fee structure, an out-of-series VIP number can now cost up to Rs 18 lakh in major cities like Mumbai and Pune. This amount is comparable to the price of new mid-segment cars.
VIP numbers are often favored by high net-worth individuals, top businessmen, politicians, and celebrities, who prefer these exclusive numbers for their luxury vehicles.
Check revised fees
According to the transport department's notification dated August 30, the cost for the '0001' number will increase to Rs 5 lakh for four-wheelers, up from the previous Rs 3 lakh. For two and three-wheelers, the fee will double from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
In high-demand areas like Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Raigad, Aurangabad, Nashik, and Kolhapur, the VIP fee for '0001' will rise to Rs 6 lakh for vehicles with four or more wheels, up from the earlier Rs 4 lakh.
If the number '0001' is not available in the current series for a particular type of vehicle and needs to be sourced from another series, the revised fees will be Rs 15 lakh for four-wheelers and vehicles with more wheels, and Rs 3 lakh for two- and three-wheelers, the notification stated.
Rs 18 lakh in major cities
With the new fees, an out-of-series VIP number will cost up to Rs 18 lakh in major cities like Mumbai and Pune, which is comparable to the price of several mid-segment cars. Previously, the fee was Rs 12 lakh, a sum that entities like Reliance Industries have paid for such numbers after opting for them "out of series" in recent years.
Additionally, the state government has allowed the transfer of VIP numbers to immediate family members, including spouses, sons, and daughters, a change from the previous restriction against such transfers. This fee revision, which follows a draft notification issued on September 16, 2022, represents the first update since the last fee revision on April 20, 2013.
Maharashtra has identified 240 VIP numbers in each registration series, with notable numbers like 0009, 0099, 0999, 9999, and 0786, apart from 0001, seeing a fee increase to Rs 2.5 lakh up from Rs 1.5 lakh for four-wheelers and more-wheeled vehicles and Rs 50,000 for two-wheelers and three-wheelers instead of the existing Rs 20,000.
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