Special registration numbers for vehicles to cost dearer now

The luxury of having a special registration number for your vehicle is set to cost more in Himachal Pradesh. The state has almost doubled the rates for the privilege.

The government has also introduced a new facility,which will enable vehicle owners to retain the special (VIP) numbers and use them on new vehicles if the old one meets with an accident and is discarded or sold off,without paying fresh special registration fees. However,re-registration of the old number will have to be done in a stipulated time fixed in the new draft of Himachal Pradesh Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Rules,2010. In case of total loss of vehicle in an accident,the period is six months from the date of issuance of ‘total loss certificate’ by the insurance agency. In case of sale or scrapping of the vehicle,the time limit is two months from the date of surrendering of the registration number.

The official notification of the amended rules was made on July 27 and is open for objections for the next 30 days,after which the amendments will be implemented.

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The government converted the special registration number series into paid numbers in June 2002.

According to the latest amendment,the numbers in the three categories between series 001 to 0100 have been made as totally paid numbers. Unutilised specified numbers will be allotted to vehicles of the state government without charging any special registration fee.