As per the transport department's notification dated August 30, the cost for the coveted number '0001' will rise to INR 5 lakh for four-wheelers, up from the current INR 3 lakh. For two and three-wheelers, the fee will increase to INR 1 lakh, doubling from the existing INR 50,000.
In high-demand areas such as Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Pune, Thane, Raigad, Aurangabad, Nashik, Kolhapur, and Nashik, the VIP fee for '0001' will be INR 6 lakh, up from INR 4 lakh for vehicles with four or more wheels.
Many high net-worth individuals, top businessmen, politicians, and celebrities among others prefer VIP numbers for their expensive cars.
The revised 'three-time basic fees' will be INR 15 lakh for four-wheelers and more-wheeled vehicles and INR 3 lakh for two- and three-wheelers if the number '0001' is unavailable in the current series for that particular type of vehicle and if it needs to be given from another series as per the rules, the notification stated.
The new fees mean that an out-of-series VIP number will cost up to INR 18 lakh in major cities including Mumbai and Pune, comparable to the price of several mid-segment cars. Previously, the fee was INR 12 lakh, a sum paid by entities like Reliance Industries for such numbers after opting for it "out of series" in the last few 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 INR 2.5 lakh up from INR 1.5 lakh for four-wheelers and more-wheeled vehicles and INR 50,000 for two-wheelers and three-wheelers instead of the existing INR 20,000.
Fees for other sought-after numbers is also increased. For 16 popular numbers, the new fee is INR 1 lakh for four-wheelers instead of the existing INR 70,000 and INR 25,000 for two-wheelers from INR 15,000.
For 49 additional numbers, the fee has been raised to INR 70,000 from current INR 50,000 for four-wheelers and INR 15,000 for two and three-wheelers.
For another set of 189 registration numbers, like 0011, 0022, 0088, 0200, 0202, 4242, 5656 and 7374, the revised fees are INR 25,000 for four-wheelers and INR 6,000 for two-wheelers and more than two-wheel vehicles.
In a move to benefit vehicle owners, the government has extended the period for producing a vehicle with a reserved number from 30 days to six months, as per the state government notification.
There will be no reservation of VIP numbers for government vehicles, though exemptions from the payment of fees for the registration mark can be granted through special orders, allowing for allotment from any existing series.
The fee increase is expected to generate additional revenue for the state transport department, which reported earnings of INR 139.20 crore from registration number issuances in 1,83,794 cases in the 2017-18 financial year.
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