HSRP on new cars in Maharashtra: who fits the plates, what they cost and the 2026 rules

By Arjun Ramanarayanan, IndiCar · Published 26 October 2026 · Tips

Every new vehicle has needed an HSRP since April 1, 2019. In Maharashtra the plate is fitted before handover, and your RC is not printed until its details are on VAHAN.

If you buy a new car in Maharashtra, you do not arrange the high-security registration plate (HSRP) yourself. It is fitted before the car is handed to you, and your registration certificate is not printed until the plate's details are on record. HSRP has been compulsory for every newly registered vehicle in India since April 1, 2019. The 2026 deadline and the Rs 531 to Rs 879 price list apply to vehicles registered before that date.

Who fits the plates on a new car

The Union government made HSRP mandatory for all new registrations from April 1, 2019. It put the onus on manufacturers to install the plates before vehicles reach customers. Under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways rule, manufacturers supply the plates to dealers along with the vehicles. The dealer puts the registration mark on them and fixes them before the car leaves the showroom.

Maharashtra officials describe the same sequence locally. Dealers buy the plates from suppliers and fit them once your vehicle number is generated after online registration at the RTO. Only three vendors are authorised in the state:

• Rosmerta Safety Systems Ltd
• Real Mazon India Ltd
• FTA HSRP Solutions Pvt

Because the RTO and the dealer handle the plate during first registration, a new-car buyer is reported not to need any plate documents of their own.

Why your RC waits for the plate

Your registration certificate is not printed until the HSRP is on record. The Maharashtra transport department requires dealers to upload photos and details of the plate to the VAHAN portal. The RTO holds the RC until that upload is done.

Where dealers have fallen short

Fitting the plate before handover is mandatory, but Maharashtra RTO officials have reported dealers handing over new vehicles without it. In some cases the HSRP kit is sent to the customer later, with a request to fit it themselves.

That moves a dealer's obligation onto you. Our view: a new car should reach you with its HSRP already fixed, and you should check this at delivery rather than accept a kit to fit later.

What an HSRP costs in Maharashtra

The state's fixed prices run from Rs 531 to Rs 879, and the car rate is Rs 879. These prices were set for vehicles registered before April 1, 2019.

For four-wheelers and larger vehicles, the GST component is Rs 134.10. The third registration mark is listed at Rs 50. Published guides quote the car plate at Rs 745 excluding GST.

For a new car, the plate is part of first registration rather than something you buy separately. One road-tax calculator lists Rs 1,100 for the HSRP, alongside Rs 600 for registration and Rs 1,500 for hypothecation if the car is financed. These come from third-party tools, not the transport department, so treat them as indicative.

Road tax alongside the plate

One guide lists Maharashtra road tax at 11% to 15% depending on price band and fuel type, plus a 2% road safety cess on the tax. Another says the state exempts electric vehicles from road tax.

You can run any model through the on-road price calculator. IndiCar gives you the written itemised breakup before you book.

The 2026 deadline for older vehicles

Vehicles registered before 1 April 2019 had until 30 June 2026 to get an HSRP or book a fitment appointment. Enforcement against vehicles without a plate or proof of appointment was set to begin on 1 July 2026. Drives were reported to have started that day, with fines of up to Rs 1,000 for vehicles still on old plates.

This deadline does not apply to a car you buy new, because its plate is fitted at first registration. It matters if you are keeping an older car alongside the new one.

What to check at delivery

• The HSRP is fixed on the car, not handed over as a kit to fit later.
• The registration mark on the plate matches your vehicle number.
• Your RC follows once the plate's photos and details are on VAHAN.

If you are still choosing a car, you can compare on-road prices for all new cars before you decide.

Sources: Over 700,000 Maharashtra vehicles plying without HSRPs, say RTO officials, HSRP Maharashtra Online Registration in 2026, Mandatory hi-security number plates in Maharashtra to cost Rs 531-879

Buying a new car through IndiCar

IndiCar arranges new-car purchases in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. You book a new car on IndiCar at the on-road price shown on its car page, with the full price breakup: ex-showroom, RTO 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

Do I need to buy an HSRP separately for a new car in Maharashtra?

No. The plate is fitted before the car is handed to you. Maharashtra officials say dealers buy the plates from suppliers and fit them once the vehicle number is generated after online registration at the RTO. New-car buyers are reported not to need any plate documents of their own.

Does the 30 June 2026 HSRP deadline apply to new cars?

No. That deadline was for vehicles registered before 1 April 2019. Every vehicle registered since April 1, 2019 must have its HSRP fitted at first registration.

How much does an HSRP cost for a car in Maharashtra?

The state set Rs 879 for cars and other four-or-more-wheeled vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, with a GST component of Rs 134.10. Published guides list Rs 745 excluding GST. For new cars, one road-tax calculator lists Rs 1,100 for the HSRP as part of registration charges.

Why has my registration certificate not been printed yet?

The Maharashtra transport department requires dealers to upload photos and details of the HSRP to the VAHAN portal. The RTO does not print the RC until that is done.

What is the fine for not having an HSRP in Maharashtra?

Enforcement drives were reported to have begun on 1 July 2026, with fines of up to Rs 1,000 for vehicles still on old plates.

Who is authorised to make HSRPs in Maharashtra?

Three vendors: Rosmerta Safety Systems Ltd, Real Mazon India Ltd and FTA HSRP Solutions Pvt.

Tags: hsrp, maharashtra, number plates, rto, road tax