KOCHI: The growing craze for fancy vehicle registration numbers has earned the Ernakulam regional transport office (RTO) Rs 33.15 crore over the last five years, reflecting the increasing demand for premium registration numbers, particularly among luxury car owners.
According to official data, Ernakulam RTO collected Rs 33,15,50,000 through the allotment of bespoke numbers between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2026. During the period, Litmus Systems Consulting Pvt Ltd emerged as the highest bidder for a fancy number.
Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) officials said the demand is driven mainly by buyers of premium vehicles. “Most of the demand is for premium cars. People buying a new vehicle increasingly want an attractive registration number. Many families also try to retain the same fancy number when purchasing another vehicle. That has led to a steady rise in demand,” an official said.
Numbers such as 7777 continue to be among the most sought-after in the KL-07 series, while 0001 remains the costliest notified registration number. Officials said fancy numbers have evolved into a status symbol, with buyers considering them an extension of their premium vehicles. The booking and auction process is conducted entirely online.
Applicants no longer need to visit the RTO office, and numbers go for auction only when more than one person books the same registration number during the booking period, said Arun C D, joint regional transport officer, Ernakulam.
“The online system has made the process more transparent and convenient. Earlier, physical auctions created opportunities for bidders to identify one another and sometimes settle matters outside the auction. That possibility has largely been eliminated,” Arun said.
He added that while demand remains strong, there have been signs of a moderation in aggressive bidding following a High Court ruling made successful bidders liable to honour the amounts they bid.
“Not every applicant spends lakhs on a registration number,” Arun pointed out. Many buyers opt for numbers in the Rs 3,000-5,000 range, while non-notified numbers can be obtained without an auction if there is no competing applicant within the booking period. Revenue generated from fancy numbers is credited to the state treasury.
Meanwhile, transport commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam said the department has proposed expanding the notified list of fancy registration numbers beyond the existing 120 combinations and revising the current fee structure. “We have sent a proposal to the government to notify a larger range of fancy numbers than the present 120. A revision of the fee structure has also been suggested,” he said.
The commissioner acknowledged that the present auction system is being exploited by certain agents. “The present system of bidding is being misused by some agents. They bid at the last minute so as to extend the time,” Nagaraju said.