Number plate colours in India are fixed by Rule 50 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways updated the colour list through notification S.O. 2339(E), which set the letter and background colour for each vehicle category. So the colour is not a style choice. It tells the police and the public whether a vehicle is private, commercial, electric, temporary or diplomatic.
The colour does not tell you the state. For that, read the first letters of the plate. Try the decoder below.
Number plate colour chart
| Vehicle category | Background | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Private (non transport) vehicle | White | Black |
| Commercial (transport) vehicle | Yellow | Black |
| Rent a cab (self drive) vehicle | Black | Yellow |
| Rent a cab, battery operated | Green | Black |
| Battery operated, private | Green | White |
| Battery operated, commercial | Green | Yellow |
| Diplomatic vehicle | Deep blue | White |
| Consular post vehicle | Deep blue | Yellow |
| Non diplomatic official of a mission or consular post | Light green | White |
| Temporary registration | Yellow | Red |
| Vehicle in possession of a dealer | Red | White |
White number plate
Black letters on a white background mean a private vehicle. It is meant for personal use and cannot carry paying passengers or goods for hire. Most cars and two wheelers you see are white plate vehicles. BH series private vehicles also use white plates.
Yellow number plate
Black letters on yellow mean a commercial or transport vehicle, such as a taxi, auto rickshaw, bus or truck. These vehicles need a permit, pay different taxes and need fitness certificates. The driver may need a licence that covers transport vehicles.
Green number plate
Green plates are for battery operated (electric) vehicles.
- White letters on green: private electric vehicle.
- Yellow letters on green: commercial electric vehicle, such as an e rickshaw or electric taxi.
- Black letters on green: electric rent a cab.
Black number plate
Yellow letters on a black background mean a rent a cab vehicle, often called a self drive rental. These are commercial vehicles that a person rents and drives on their own. Rental rules and permits vary by state.
Red number plate
Under the current rules, a plate with white letters on a red background is for a vehicle in the possession of a dealer. These are used for test drives, demos and moving unsold vehicles under a trade certificate. They are not meant for personal use.
Red number plate in Delhi: people often search this after seeing a red plate on a new car or a dealer car in Delhi. In most cases it is a dealer vehicle. Note that a temporary registration plate is now yellow with red letters, not fully red. Some older state orders and older plates may still show red, so check with the Delhi RTO if you are unsure. Separately, official cars of the President and Governors are known to carry the national emblem in place of a regular number.
Yellow plate with red letters (temporary number)
A new vehicle that is waiting for its permanent number gets a temporary registration. Its plate has red letters on a yellow background. The validity of a temporary registration is limited, so get the permanent number within the time your state allows.
Blue number plate
Deep blue plates are for vehicles of foreign diplomats and consular posts. White letters on blue are used for diplomatic vehicles, and yellow letters on blue for consular posts. These plates carry marks such as CD, CC or UN instead of a state code. Light green plates with white letters are for home based non diplomatic officials of a mission.
Arrow plates (armed forces)
Vehicles of the armed forces are registered by the Ministry of Defence, not by an RTO. Their plates start with an upward pointing arrow followed by a code. You will not find these codes in RTO lists.
Common mix ups
- Private car used as a taxi: if a white plate car carries paying passengers, it is breaking the rules. A taxi must be registered as a transport vehicle with a yellow (or green, for EVs) plate and a permit.
- Changing category: if you want to convert a private vehicle to commercial use, or the other way, apply at your RTO. The plate colour changes only after the RTO updates the registration.
- Coloured fancy plates: plates with designs, stickers or different fonts are not allowed, even if the colours look close. Only the plain HSRP with the right colours is legal.
- Fuel sticker colour: the light blue, orange or grey sticker on the windscreen shows the fuel type. It is not the same as the plate colour.
Other rules for every plate
- Only capital English letters and Arabic numerals are allowed. No names, slogans, symbols or other scripts.
- Plates on registered vehicles must be high security registration plates (HSRP).
- Using the wrong colour, such as a yellow plate on a private car, is an offence. Fines differ by state.
To read the letters and numbers on any plate, see our number plate format guide or browse state lists like UP and MH.
Questions people ask
What does a red number plate in Delhi mean?
A plate with white letters on a red background is for a vehicle in the possession of a dealer, used for test drives and demos. Temporary registration plates are now yellow with red letters. Official cars of the President and Governors are known to carry the national emblem instead of a regular number.
What is the difference between white and yellow number plates?
White plates with black letters are private vehicles for personal use. Yellow plates with black letters are commercial vehicles such as taxis, buses and trucks, which need permits and pay different taxes.
Which colour number plate is used for electric vehicles?
Electric vehicles use green plates. Private EVs have white letters, commercial EVs have yellow letters, and electric rent a cab vehicles have black letters.
Who uses a black number plate?
Black plates with yellow letters are for rent a cab (self drive rental) vehicles. They are commercial vehicles that customers drive themselves.
Can I choose my own number plate colour?
No. The colour is fixed by Rule 50 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 based on your vehicle category. Using the wrong colour can lead to a fine.