📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Armaan2808
Automobile
Pune launches MH-61 vehicle registration series as MH-12 numbers run out
✍️ India Today
🗓 30 Aug 2026, 06:19 PM
👁 5
The Maharashtra Regional Transport Office in Pune has introduced the MH-61 series after the iconic MH-12 registration numbers were exhausted.
The Maharashtra Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Pune announced the rollout of the MH-61 vehicle registration series, marking the end of the long‑standing MH-12 sequence that has been synonymous with the city for decades. Officials said the MH-12 series, introduced in the 1970s, reached its allocation limit due to the surge in vehicle registrations across the metropolitan area.
To accommodate the growing demand, the RTO has allocated the next available series, MH-61, which will be assigned to new vehicle owners from the date of the announcement. The new series follows the standard Maharashtra format, with "MH" denoting the state and "61" indicating the specific RTO code for Pune.
Motorists are advised to update their documentation accordingly and can expect the new plates to bear the same design specifications as previous series, ensuring continuity in identification and law‑enforcement processes. The transition is expected to be seamless, with the RTO coordinating with dealerships and registration centers to issue MH-61 numbers promptly.
Transport officials highlighted that the change reflects Pune's rapid urban expansion and the corresponding rise in private and commercial vehicle ownership. They assured the public that the new series will be fully integrated into existing traffic management and digital registration systems.
To accommodate the growing demand, the RTO has allocated the next available series, MH-61, which will be assigned to new vehicle owners from the date of the announcement. The new series follows the standard Maharashtra format, with "MH" denoting the state and "61" indicating the specific RTO code for Pune.
Motorists are advised to update their documentation accordingly and can expect the new plates to bear the same design specifications as previous series, ensuring continuity in identification and law‑enforcement processes. The transition is expected to be seamless, with the RTO coordinating with dealerships and registration centers to issue MH-61 numbers promptly.
Transport officials highlighted that the change reflects Pune's rapid urban expansion and the corresponding rise in private and commercial vehicle ownership. They assured the public that the new series will be fully integrated into existing traffic management and digital registration systems.