Patna: Motorists driving vehicles registered in Delhi, Mumbai, or any other state into Bihar may soon face action if they fail to comply with regional vehicle registration laws. The state’s Transport Department has stepped up surveillance and enforcement efforts, warning that even minor violations could lead to vehicle seizure.
In recent months, vehicles bearing number plates from outside Bihar have become a common sight across Patna and other districts. Many of these are reportedly purchased in neighbouring states to avail of lower taxes or better discounts and are then driven in Bihar without informing local authorities. This practice, however, is in direct violation of transport regulations.
Under current rules, any vehicle brought from another state and driven in Bihar must be reported to the District Transport Office (DTO) within seven days. Additionally, the owner must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the original registering state and re-register the vehicle in Bihar. Transport officials note that compliance remains dismally low—with only around 5% of such vehicles undergoing local registration.
According to department data, an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles from other states enter Bihar annually. Of these, only about 1,000 are officially reported to the respective DTOs. The remaining vehicles continue to operate on Bihar’s roads without the required documentation, prompting the department to intensify its crackdown.
To identify non-compliant vehicles, authorities are now relying on CCTV surveillance at toll plazas along state borders as well as cameras within urban areas. These systems are being used to log not just vehicle numbers, but also to track how long each out-of-state vehicle has remained in Bihar. A database is being developed to monitor such cases comprehensively.
For those found in violation, the first step will be the issuance of a show-cause notice. Vehicles that have remained unregistered in Bihar for more than a year risk being seized outright.
Officials have confirmed that all out-of-state vehicles will be subject to heightened scrutiny in the coming weeks. The campaign signals a clear warning to vehicle owners: comply with the rules or face strict penalties.
