Why Shouldn’t You Use Fancy Number Plate on Your Bike?

You cannot start using your bike immediately after you purchase it. Several important steps are involved before you start cruising the roads on your latest purchase. These include the purchase of third-party bike insurance, registering your bike at the RTO, etc. It is important to ensure both aspects are duly fulfilled to legally ride on Indian roads.

When buying a two-wheeler, you must first register it with the RTO. According to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 every Indian bike owner must get their vehicles registered with their respective Regional Transport Office (RTO).

To initiate this process, either the vehicle owner or the dealer must apply for a temporary bike registration that remains active for a month. This is done because it takes time to finalise the permanent vehicle registration certificate. Until the final certificate is provided, the RTO issues a temporary vehicle registration number for the bike. This temporary certificate can be used until the permanent certificate is provided.

Every bike owner must ensure that they have a valid two-wheeler insurance policy and they have applied for the vehicle registration number or the bike no. plate. Riding an unregistered bike without these two documents can invite legal problems. This is because the Indian motor vehicle act mandates the requirement of at least a valid third-party insurance policy for bikes and a registration certificate (RC). Every vehicle owner must carry both these documents with them when they ride. It is important to note that without a valid RC, one cannot invest in a two-wheeler insurance policy. This is because when you apply for 2-wheeler insurance online, you will be expected to provide the vehicle registration number to your insurance provider. Without a valid RC, you cannot even raise a claim against your two-wheeler insurance policy.

Once vehicle owners receive their temporary registration number, they must apply for the permanent one with their RTO at the earliest. It is important to complete this process before the temporary RC expires. After the permanent registration number is provided, the vehicle owner has to get two number plates that have to be fixed on the front and the back of their bike.

As mandated by the Central Government in 2013, every vehicle owner must have a High-Security Registration Plate (HSRP). The HSRP is a smart number plate that helps provide crucial vehicle information. This includes information such as the chassis number, vehicle engine number, etc., which is stored in the central database.

The motor vehicles act, 1988 has issued certain guidelines for bike owners to follow:

• The vehicle’s registered number plate must be clearly visible and fitted on the back as well as the front of every vehicle

• Every number and letter on the bike no. plate must be written in English. The numbers must be written in Arabic numerals.

• There should be no sticker, name, or picture on the bike no. plate aside from the registration number

• A stylish number plate with a fancy font or different colours is not permitted

• As can be deciphered by the aforementioned, no bike owner is allowed to have a fancy bike number plate.

There are two important reasons why vehicle owners must have a normal and clearly readable bike number plate:

A fancy bike number plate is illegal

The motor vehicle act of India states that it is illegal to have a stylish number plate for bikes. This includes having a different language, fancy fonts, different colours, etc., on your bike’s number plate. Riding a bike with a stylish number plate can invite legal trouble as it is a punishable offence. The owner of such a vehicle might have to pay a fine and undergo legal hassle. Moreover, if you are stopped by traffic police and are caught with a fancy bike number plate, you will likely be penalised for this offence.

It becomes challenging to identify the vehicle

In addition to legality, your bike’s number plate must be clearly visible and readable for security reasons as well. To illustrate with an example, imagine that your beloved vehicle gets stolen. Now, you visit the police station, file an FIR, and the police initiate their search. To trace your bike, the police will ask you to share your bike’s registration number and, through surveillance, try to trace your vehicle. However, if you have a stylish bike number plate that is illegible, it becomes challenging to find your vehicle. This problem further multiplies if you haven’t secured your bike with a comprehensive two-wheeler insurance policy. This is because without a comprehensive insurance policy for bikes, the vehicle owner will not be compensated for the theft of their vehicle and will be forced to incur a financial loss. To prevent this unpleasant scenario, bike owners must refrain from getting a stylish number plate for bikes and adequately protect their vehicles with a comprehensive insurance policy for bikes.

Although vehicle owners may be tempted to modify their vehicles to make them look unique, it is important to carefully think through the modifications. Before you modify your bike, ensure that the modification is legally permissible. Additionally, to protect your vehicle from road mishaps, invest in 2-wheeler insurance online. When you buy 2-wheeler insurance online, you can easily compare policies and find the right coverage. The comprehensive two-wheeler insurance policy by Tata AIG secures your bike against a host of unpleasant road scenarios such as accidents, natural and man-made disasters, fire, theft, and even third-party liabilities.