About rto state code finder
Vehicle registration numbers in India begin with a two-letter state code, such as GJ for Gujarat, MH for Maharashtra and DL for Delhi.
Parts of a number plate
- State or union territory code.
- A two-digit number for the RTO district.
- A series of letters, then a four-digit unique number.
Bharat series
BH-series plates are meant for people who move between states for work, so they need not re-register in each state.
A worked example
A plate reading GJ 01 AB 1234 means Gujarat (GJ), RTO district 01 (Ahmedabad), series AB and unique number 1234. Other common codes are MH for Maharashtra, DL for Delhi, KA for Karnataka and TN for Tamil Nadu.
Before buying a used vehicle
The plate code shows where the vehicle was registered. Moving it to another state needs a no-objection certificate and re-registration, so check the paperwork before you buy.
More about the series
After the state code and district number, the letters and digits are issued in order, so a lower series generally means an older registration in that district. Commercial vehicles use the same layout but a different plate colour.
