The Maharashtra government has announced a significant increase in the fees for “choice numbers,” commonly referred to as VIP numbers, for new vehicles. Starting from the new fee structure, the cost for the most coveted ‘0001’ number will now be ₹6 lakh in high-demand areas such as Mumbai, Pune, and other major cities. This is a notable rise from the previous fee of ₹4 lakh.
The revised fees, as outlined in a notification from the transport department dated August 30, have doubled the cost for the coveted ‘0001’ number for four-wheelers to ₹5 lakh from ₹3 lakh. For two-wheelers and three-wheelers, the fee has increased to ₹1 lakh from ₹50,000. In high-demand areas including Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Pune, Thane, Raigad, Aurangabad, Nashik, and Kolhapur, the new fee for ‘0001’ is set at ₹6 lakh.
The fee hike also extends to out-of-series VIP numbers. Previously, obtaining such a number cost ₹12 lakh, a sum paid by entities like Reliance Industries. The new maximum fee for out-of-series VIP numbers has been set at ₹18 lakh in major cities, aligning with the price of mid-segment cars. This represents a substantial increase from the previous fee.
The Maharashtra government has also made provisions for the transfer of VIP numbers to immediate family members, such as spouses, sons, and daughters, a change from the previous restriction against such transfers. This is expected to provide added convenience for those who wish to pass on their VIP numbers within their families.
In addition to the increase for ‘0001’, fees for other sought-after numbers have also risen. For notable numbers like 0009, 0099, 0999, 9999, and 0786, the new fee is ₹2.5 lakh for four-wheelers, up from ₹1.5 lakh, and ₹50,000 for two-wheelers and three-wheelers, up from ₹20,000. Fees for 16 popular numbers have increased to ₹1 lakh for four-wheelers from ₹70,000, and ₹25,000 for two-wheelers, up from ₹15,000. Another set of 49 numbers will now cost ₹70,000 for four-wheelers and ₹15,000 for two-wheelers.
Additionally, the state government has extended the period for producing a vehicle with a reserved number from 30 days to six months. However, VIP numbers will not be reserved for government vehicles, though special orders may grant exemptions from the fee for registration marks.
This fee revision, which follows a draft notification issued in September 2022 and represents the first update since April 2013, is expected to boost revenue for the state transport department. In the 2017-18 financial year, the department earned ₹139.20 crore from registration number issuances.
