Patna: Bihar is seeing a strong rise in the demand for fancy vehicle number plates, turning a popular trend into a major source of income for the state government. In just two months, from December 1 to February 13, a total of 4,117 special number plates were issued across the state. This brought in nearly Rs 6 crore in revenue. Many people now want their vehicle numbers to match lucky digits, birthdays or special dates, and they are ready to pay high prices to get them.
Patna district recorded the highest number of fancy registrations in the state. A total of 1,597 fancy number plates were sold in the capital, earning Rs 2.46 crore alone. Other districts also showed growing interest. Muzaffarpur sold 358 fancy plates and collected Rs 52.17 lakh, Gaya sold 321 and earned Rs 41.10 lakh, Purnia issued 189 plates bringing Rs 33.53 lakh, and Rohtas sold 174 plates and collected Rs 20.90 lakh. These figures show that the trend is not limited to big cities but is spreading across Bihar.
Transport Minister Shravan Kumar said that the improvement in online systems has helped reduce long pending registrations at District Transport Offices. With fewer delays and more transparent services, people are now finding it easier to apply for registrations and choose special numbers. The faster process has also increased public trust in the Transport Department and encouraged more people to use digital services.
Fancy number plates are given through an e-auction system under state rules to ensure fairness. The numbers are divided into different groups based on demand and value. The most premium numbers like 0001, 0003, 0005, 0007 and 0009 cost up to Rs 1 lakh for private vehicles. Other popular combinations such as 9999, 1212 and 2525 are also available at higher prices. If more than one person applies for the same number, an online auction is held and the highest bidder gets the number.
Applications are made online through the official transport portal, and once a number is allotted, it cannot be changed. As people continue to link numbers with luck and status, the demand is expected to grow further. What started as a personal choice has now become a steady source of income for the Bihar government.
