BH Series Registration in Mumbai: Who Qualifies, What It Costs, How to Apply
By Arjun Ramanarayanan, IndiCar · Published 12 October 2026 · Tips
Under BH series a Rs 12 lakh petrol car pays about Rs 20,000 in road tax every two years, according to DigitalVehicle. Normal Maharashtra registration takes the full road tax upfront. Here is who qualifies and how to apply.
BH (Bharat) series registration lets you pay road tax on a new car in two-year instalments. Normal registration takes the whole amount when you buy. DigitalVehicle puts BH tax on a Rs 12 lakh petrol car at Rs 20,000 every two years. Under normal Maharashtra registration, Motomotar shows Rs 1,80,000 paid upfront on a Rs 15 lakh petrol car. These two examples use different car prices, so they are not a like-for-like saving. BH is voluntary, and it is open only to certain employees. DigitalVehicle also says BH can be cheaper overall in a high-tax state like Maharashtra.
Who can register a car under BH series
You qualify if you are a government employee, or if you work for a private company that has offices in four or more states or union territories. The rules come from the Maharashtra Transport Department. The department's list of who can apply names government employees and private company employees.
- Government employees. Vahan Info, a secondary source, says this covers central and state government employees. It also lists defence forces and bank employees as eligible, though they are not in the department's list.
- Private sector employees. You qualify only if your employer has offices in at least four states or union territories.
PB Partners lists the people who are excluded:
- freelancers
- business owners
- doctors in private practice
- lawyers
- employees of firms that operate in fewer than four states
The car must also qualify. The Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department says BH series applies only to the first registration of fully built non-transport vehicles, meaning private cars and two-wheelers. You choose it when the car is new. It is not something you add later.
How BH road tax is charged
BH road tax is paid for two years at a time, or in multiples of two years. The Maharashtra Transport Department says this follows the MoRTH notification. According to V3Cars, regular plates pay 15 years of road tax upfront. BH owners instead pay every two years through the e-Vahan portal. DigitalVehicle says that after 14 years, BH tax moves to yearly payments.
DigitalVehicle gives the formula as (ex-showroom price x tax rate x 1.25 x 2) divided by 15. Two worked examples from the sources:
- A Rs 12 lakh petrol car pays Rs 20,000 every two years, according to DigitalVehicle.
- A Rs 14 lakh petrol car pays about Rs 23,334 for two years, according to Bajaj General Insurance.
For diesel cars, Bajaj General Insurance lists BH rates of 10%, 12% and 14% across the price bands. Asymmetrica shows electric cars at 6%, 8% and 10%. It says diesel carries a 2% surcharge and EVs get a 2% concession.
BH versus normal Maharashtra registration
Normal registration in Maharashtra is a single upfront payment. The rates rise with the car's price. Here are the rates reported by MyCarHelpline, with Motomotar giving the same petrol figures:
| Car price | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| Below Rs 10 lakh | 11% | 13% |
| Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh | 12% | 14% |
| Rs 20 lakh and above | 13% | 15% |
MyCarHelpline gives two more points:
- Electric cars are fully exempt from road tax under normal Maharashtra registration.
- On an Rs 8 lakh petrol car, normal road tax is Rs 88,000, plus a Rs 1,760 road safety cess.
BH tax is paid in two-year amounts, while normal registration is a lump sum. DigitalVehicle says BH can be cheaper overall in high-tax states like Maharashtra. The examples above use different car prices, so they do not show the exact saving for any one car.
Electric cars are the exception. These sources list BH rates for EVs, while normal Maharashtra registration charges EVs no road tax at all. An EV buyer in Mumbai has no road tax saving to gain from BH on these figures. This comparison covers registration only. It says nothing about fuel, insurance or other running costs.
Worked example: what normal registration costs on a Volkswagen Taigun
On the cheapest Taigun in Mumbai, normal registration and road tax come to Rs 1,45,998. This is a normal-registration figure, and we do not have a BH figure for this car. The figures come from IndiCar's price list dated 12 October 2026, for an individual buyer. The variant is the Comfortline Petrol Manual:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ex-showroom price | Rs 10,99,900 |
| RTO registration and road tax (Mumbai, individual) | Rs 1,45,998 |
| Insurance (first-year comprehensive) | Rs 55,631 |
| TCS | Rs 10,999 |
| FASTag | Rs 850 |
| On-road price | Rs 13,13,378 |
The on-road price is Rs 2,13,478 above ex-showroom.
IndiCar prices 11 Taigun variant and gearbox combinations, all petrol, with manual and automatic gearboxes. On-road prices run from Rs 13,13,378 up to Rs 22,96,277 for the GT Plus Sport Petrol Automatic, a gap of Rs 9,82,899. The GT Plus Sport has an ex-showroom price of Rs 19,29,900. You can see each variant's breakup on the Volkswagen Taigun prices page.
How to apply for BH series
The application is made on the Vahan system using Form 20, and the state verifies your eligibility before the RTO approves it. Business Standard and GoDigit both describe two routes:
- You log in to the MoRTH web portal and apply yourself.
- Form 20 is filed on Vahan for you by an authorised dealer.
Once filed, state authorities check that you qualify and the RTO approves the BH series. You then pay the fee or motor vehicle tax online.
Documents you need
Private sector employees must submit Form 60, their employment ID and a work certificate, according to Business Standard. Acko lists the documents for Maharashtra as:
- Form 60
- Aadhaar
- PAN
- an official ID card
Business Standard also reports a recent court ruling. In an April 12 judgment, the Bombay High Court quashed a Maharashtra government circular that had added extra conditions for BH registration.
Sources
- Motor Vehicles Department, Maharashtra: BH Series Registration
- Vahan Info: How to apply BH Series registration
- PB Partners: BH Series Number Plate Eligibility
- V3Cars: BH Number Plate
- Bajaj General Insurance: BH Number Plate Road Tax
- Asymmetrica: RTO Registration Charges State-Wise India 2026
- DigitalVehicle: BH Series Road Tax Calculator 2026
- MyCarHelpline: Car Registration Charges in 2026
- Motomotar: RTO Road Tax on car by State in India 2026
- Business Standard: Bombay HC quashes circular on BH series number registration
- GoDigit: How to Apply for BH Number Plate in Maharashtra
- Acko: BH Number Plate in Maharashtra
Buying a new car through IndiCar
IndiCar sells new cars in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. You buy a new car from IndiCar at the on-road price shown on its car page, with every line itemised: ex-showroom, registration, insurance, TCS and FASTag. You book online with a refundable reservation, and IndiCar sources the car from partner dealer stock and handles the registration, insurance, paperwork and delivery.
You deal only with IndiCar from quote to delivery. Your phone number is never passed to a dealer, and you do not need to take the quote to a showroom to negotiate. See on-road prices and book or get a WhatsApp quote on +91 85916 41004.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for BH series registration in Maharashtra?
Government employees are eligible, and so are private sector employees whose company has offices in four or more states or union territories. This is according to the Maharashtra Transport Department. Vahan Info also lists defence forces and bank employees as eligible.
Can a business owner or freelancer get a BH number plate?
No. PB Partners says freelancers, business owners, doctors in private practice, lawyers and employees of firms operating in fewer than four states are excluded.
How much road tax does a BH car pay?
BH road tax is paid every two years. DigitalVehicle puts it at Rs 20,000 every two years on a Rs 12 lakh petrol car. Bajaj General Insurance gives about Rs 23,334 for two years on a Rs 14 lakh petrol car.
How does that compare with normal registration in Mumbai?
Normal Maharashtra registration charges road tax upfront at 11%, 12% or 13% for petrol cars, depending on price. Motomotar shows Rs 1,80,000 on a Rs 15 lakh petrol car. On IndiCar's cheapest Volkswagen Taigun, normal registration and road tax come to Rs 1,45,998.
Is BH worth it for an electric car in Mumbai?
On these sources, no. MyCarHelpline says electric cars are fully exempt from road tax under normal Maharashtra registration, while Asymmetrica lists BH rates of 6%, 8% and 10% for EVs.
What documents do I need to apply?
Acko lists Form 60, Aadhaar, PAN and an official ID card for Maharashtra. Business Standard says private sector employees must also provide their employment ID and a work certificate.
Tags: bh series, registration, road tax, mumbai, maharashtra, volkswagen taigun