Indian Vehicle Number Plate Codes — All States & RTOs
Every Indian vehicle plate starts with a 2-letter state code (e.g. MH = Maharashtra) followed by a 2-digit RTO code (e.g. 12 = Pune). Together they identify exactly where the vehicle was first registered.
Browse codes by state
Click any state to see its full list of RTO codes.
How Indian number plate codes are assigned
Indian vehicle registration follows the format SS-RR-LL-NNNN, where:
- SS = 2-letter state code (MH, DL, KA, TN, etc.) — assigned by the Central Government to each state and union territory.
- RR = 2-digit RTO code (01, 02, ... 99) — each state assigns these to its individual Regional Transport Offices.
- LL = 2-letter series — A-Z, increments after every 9999 vehicles registered at that RTO.
- NNNN = 4-digit serial number — 0001 to 9999.
States with the highest number of RTO codes are Haryana (1-99), Kerala (1-99), Tamil Nadu (1-99), West Bengal (1-99) and Himachal Pradesh (1-92). Smaller states or UTs (like Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep) use only a handful of codes.
BH (Bharat) series — special case
Since 2021, eligible employees of central / state government, defence and PSUs can opt for a BH series plate (format: 22BH 5678 AA) which doesn't need re-registration when moving between states. Read more in our BH series guide.
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