Cars are more than just machines that transport you to and fro. They are a status symbol and a testament to one’s achievement in life. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that they are the pride of their owners. And when it comes to pride, even the number plates say a lot. After all, who wouldn’t want a swanky VIP number atop an equally pristine vehicle? But if you are wondering how to get a fancy number plate in the first place, we are here to help.
What’s a fancy number plate?
While regular number plates are randomly allotted, fancy number plates are specialized plates that are put up for sale via bidding, that come with fancy numberings such as sequences, double zero combinations, etc. And if you are wondering why anyone would spend more just to get a number, let us tell you that a fancy number plate is one of the most special ways of letting people know that the vehicle is quite beloved to the owner.
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How to get one for yourself
While fancy number plates are something that is going on forever, the process of getting one for your vehicle is now completely online and is carried through a bidding system, where users can bid in for their favorite numbers. The process here is much like any other bidding process. Each number comes at a minimum reserved price that differs in each state. Here’s the step by step procedure for engaging in the bidding process in Delhi:
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Step 1: Registration
For those interested in getting a fancy number plate, the first step is to sign up on the online Official Website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH), register for an upcoming e-auction, and get a Unique Acknowledgment Number via SMS.
Each registration is completed with a certain fee, which is different for each State. For the e-auction in Delhi, the fee is Rs.1000 which is to be paid online. The registration window is open for a total of 3 days from the date of commencement of the online auction as and when available. The time for registration spans from 6:00 AM (Day 1) to 12:00 midnight (Day 3)
Step 2: The Bidding
Once a user has registered for the bidding process, the bidding process begins and lasts for 3 days. The timings of the bidding spans from after 12 pm (Day 3) to 05:00 PM (Day 5), which may get extended by a few minutes to maximum of 30 minutes.
To participate in the bidding, the user needs to pay the minimum reserve price of the preferred number in form of a DD issued by any nationalized bank. The DD for Delhi State is to be issued in the favour of “Chief of Transport, Government of NCT of Delhi”, and the same will be kept at the office of Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation. The reserve price depends on the class of number and its type. As for the numbers, the user needs to visit the “Select mark of choice”, where one can see the available options. A user can also add the number of their choice, for which the reserve cost will appear. A single user can choose a maximum of 10 numbers. Once the bidding starts, each user can place their bids in multiples of Rs.10,000 (Category 1 to 4) while for category 5, the bid can be increased to multiples of Rs.1,000.
Step 3: Getting Allotment Letter
Once you have successfully placed the highest bid, and the fancy number you wanted is assigned, the user will promptly be updated via SMS. The final step then is to obtain the confirmation letter which is to be handed over to the vehicle dealer.
The dealer/showroom will then register your vehicle with the allotted number. To get the allotted number the user will need to visit the Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation office on any working day within 5 days of the successful assignment of the number through SMS. To get the confirmation letter, the user is also required to deposit the bid amount via DD within 5 days of the allotment. Once you procure the allotment letter, the same is valid for 90 days.
How much is a fancy number worth?
While the reserve price of each fancy number is different, to have a fair idea about the pricing, here is the list of the reserve price for Category 1 to 5 numbers:
Category 1: 0001 – Rs.5 lakh
Category 2: 0002 to 0009 – Rs.3 lakh
Category 3: 0010 to 0099, 0786, 1000, 1111, 7777 and 9999 – Rs.2 lakh
Category 4: 0100,0111,0200,0222,0300,0333,0400,0444,0500,0555, 0600, 0666, 0700, 0777, 0800, 0888, 0900, 0999, 2000, 2222, 3000, 3333, 4000, 4444, 5000, 5555, 6000, 6666, 7000, 8000, 8888, 9000, 0101, 0108, 1008, and 1313 – Rs.1 lakh.
Category 5: Any other series, which isn’t specified in classification No. 01 to 04 above and is looked for by an individual as a special request – Rs.20,000
So this was all about the process of getting a fancy number for your car. Stay tuned to the GoMechanic blog for everything automotive.
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