Last updated: September 2026 – checked against the Central Motor Vehicles Rules on registration marks.
The colour of a number plate in India isn’t a style choice: it tells traffic police and other road users what kind of vehicle it is and how it may be used. A white plate means a private vehicle, a yellow one a commercial vehicle, a green one an electric vehicle, and so on. This guide explains every type of number plate in India, what each colour means, how a registration number is structured, and the rules every plate must follow.
Number Plate Colours and What They Mean
| Plate | Colours | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| White | Black characters on white | Private (non-transport) vehicles |
| Yellow | Black characters on yellow | Commercial (transport) vehicles such as taxis, trucks and buses |
| Green | White characters on green | Private electric vehicles |
| Green | Yellow characters on green | Commercial electric vehicles |
| Black | Yellow characters on black | Self-drive rental vehicles |
| Temporary | Red characters on yellow | Vehicles with a temporary registration |
| Trade | White characters on red | Unregistered vehicles used by dealers and manufacturers under a trade certificate |
| Blue | White characters on blue | Vehicles of foreign diplomats and consular officials |
| Red with emblem | Gold national emblem on red, no number | Official cars of the President and state Governors |
| Upward arrow | Broad arrow symbol before the number | Military vehicles registered with the Ministry of Defence |
Each Plate Type Explained
White Plate: Private Vehicles
The most common plate on Indian roads. A white plate with black characters means the vehicle is registered for private use. It can’t legally be used to carry paying passengers or goods for hire; doing so without a commercial registration and permit is an offence and can void your insurance.
Yellow Plate: Commercial Vehicles
Black characters on a yellow background mark a transport vehicle, such as a taxi, auto-rickshaw, truck or bus. These vehicles need a permit, a valid fitness certificate and, for most categories, a driver with the right commercial licence endorsement. Commercial vehicles also pay road tax periodically rather than once.
Green Plate: Electric Vehicles
Battery electric vehicles get green plates so they can be easily recognised for incentives such as parking and toll benefits some cities offer. Private EVs have white characters, and commercial EVs, such as electric taxis and buses, have yellow characters. Hybrid vehicles with a petrol or diesel engine don’t get green plates.
Black Plate: Self-Drive Rentals
Yellow characters on a black background identify commercial vehicles rented out for self-drive. Because the customer drives the vehicle themselves rather than hiring a driver, they can do so with an ordinary driving licence, while the vehicle itself is still registered commercially.
Temporary and Trade Plates
A vehicle driven before its permanent number is allotted carries a temporary registration, valid for one month, shown in red characters on a yellow background. It’s legal to drive on a valid temporary registration, but not after it expires. Writing “Applied For” or a paper number on the plate isn’t acceptable. Separately, dealers and manufacturers use trade certificate plates, with white characters on red, to move or test unregistered vehicles. See our registration status guide to track a permanent number.
Blue Plate: Diplomats
Vehicles belonging to foreign embassies, consulates and international organisations carry blue plates with white characters. Instead of a state code, they show letters such as CD (Diplomatic Corps), CC (Consular Corps) or UN (United Nations), along with a code identifying the country or organisation.
Emblem and Military Plates
The official cars of the President and state Governors don’t carry a registration number at all; instead they have a red plate bearing the national emblem in gold. Military vehicles are registered with the Ministry of Defence rather than an RTO, and their plates start with an upward-pointing broad arrow, typically followed by digits for the year the vehicle was procured, a code and a serial number.
How a Registration Number Is Structured
A standard number such as MH-12-AB-1234 has four parts: the state code (MH for Maharashtra), the two-digit RTO code (12 for Pune), a letter series, and a unique four-digit number. Vehicles registered under the Bharat (BH) series, available to eligible employees who move between states, follow a different format, such as 26-BH-1234-AA, where the first two digits show the year of registration and the plate stays valid across states. See our RTO list for state and RTO codes.
Rules Every Number Plate Must Follow
Fancy Plates vs Fancy Numbers
These are often confused. A fancy plate, one with a stylised font, altered spacing, designs or stickers, is illegal and can be fined and removed. A fancy number is different and completely legal: you can pay to reserve a preferred registration number, such as 0007 or 9999, through Vahan’s fancy number service before your vehicle is registered. The number is then displayed on a standard HSRP like any other.
Using a non-standard plate, the wrong colour for your vehicle type, or no plate at all can lead to a fine under the Motor Vehicles Act. See our traffic fines list for current penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive a white-plate car as a taxi?
No. Carrying paying passengers requires a commercial registration with a yellow plate, a permit and commercial insurance.
Do hybrid cars get green number plates?
No. Green plates are for battery electric vehicles. Hybrids with a petrol or diesel engine carry the normal plate for their use.
Is a fancy font on my number plate allowed?
No. Plates must use the standard font and size. You can legally choose a preferred number, but not change how it’s displayed.
What does a red number plate mean?
White characters on red indicate a trade certificate vehicle used by a dealer or manufacturer. A red plate with the gold national emblem and no number is used on the official cars of the President and Governors.
Related guides: High Security Registration Plates, License Plate Lookup, Traffic Signs and Rules.