If your vehicle was registered before April 2019 and still has the old number plate, it’s time to make a necessary change. Maharashtra’s transport department has now made HSRP number plate Maharashtra mandatory with a final deadline set for 15 August. This isn’t just another routine update. These High Security Registration Plates (HSRPs) are part of a broader plan to bring all vehicles under a standard, more secure system. If you're wondering how this affects you and what steps to follow, the details below will help you stay on track and avoid any last-minute trouble.
Older number plates are straightforward sheets of metal or aluminium, stamped or printed with a registration number. They serve a single purpose: displaying that number. In contrast, an HSRP carries built-in security elements that make tampering far more difficult. The plate follows a uniform format approved across India, and once fitted, it stays fixed to the vehicle in a way ordinary screws cannot replicate. In simple terms, the idea is to move from a basic identifier to a plate that also acts as a secure record.
That design shift alone explains why the authority insists on replacing the older style. It is not about aesthetics; it is about adopting a standard set at the national level.
The state transport department in Maharashtra has already given extensions several times. It was first the end of March, then it was pushed to late April, and later to the end of June. Again, no response came, and one final window was given. The deadline now runs out on 15 August.
Squads will chase plates on the road from 16 August onwards. Any vehicle still in running condition with a standard plate, and not having a slot for placing a fixed one can be chased under state law. The department gave an important clarification point: If your real date of fitting may be pushed, but you have done HSRP booking before the deadline, you are not out of order. A reserved slot may be taken as evidence.
Online is the fastest way to go. ACKO takes owners straight to the correct regional vendor, thereby avoiding guesswork and waiting in lines. Here's how you book HSRP:
Begin on ACKO's website and provide your registration number. The website redirects you directly to the registered HSRP vendor in your area.
There, you'll input the engine number and chassis number. Select an installation option: a centre visit or a home installation facility.
Pay online, select a time convenient to yourself, and receive confirmation via SMS or email. Don't misplace that message. It is your protection against any check until the plate is installed.
Those three steps rarely take more than a few minutes, and everything is done from a phone or computer. No paperwork run-around, no extra forms..
Here are the key things to know:
Regulation changes are often abrupt, but the way to comply is quite simple in this case. You enter a number, input two simple details, pay, and receive a date; it's no more difficult than ordering a service online. And with that one temporary step out of the way, you have avoided a rush as the deadline approaches.
Why don't you take a few minutes today to complete the HSRP booking, and file away the confirmation message? When the traffic team does its post-deadline rounds, your vehicle will already be easy to identify for the right reasons: it now satisfies the new requirement under the HSRP number plate Maharashtra rule; no hassle, no risky last-minute dash, no fines.