[MiKeMo]

Hi
Recently I secured a choice number for my HyRyder from Dy. RTO, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. The process was completed without any agent and hence thought of penning my experience here.

Choice number selection / buying is not exactly an online process in Maharashtra. However, you can select a number beforehand by reviewing available numbers in Parivahan site.
The link is: https://fancy.parivahan.gov.in/fancy...lNumbers.xhtml

From here, the process is simple and can be followed for all RTO’s under MH.

1. After opening the above link, Select Maharashtra and respective RTO. In my case it was Vashi, Navi Mumbai (43)
2. The result shows all the available numbers as of today – 2W, 3W, 4W – non transport and transport both for this particular RTO
3. There are four series to choose from. Select the series depending on type of vehicle- once you select a series, on right hand top corner, it will show the vehicle type (LCV or 2W – like that) and in the main body all the available numbers
4. Please note down a suitable number for you. Numbers in green will cost you Rs.5000 (4W, private, within 1000 numbers of current number) or Rs.7500 (in case number is beyond 1000 numbers from current number)
5. Numbers in RED will cost minimum Rs. 15000, or more, depending on how exotic the number is
6. The system is fairly evolved now, and generally simple numbers would be available for Rs.5000 for a private 4-wheeler
7. Better to select an alternate number as well. In case your choice number has been taken by someone else, you may have to once again go through the long list of available numbers. For e.g. I wanted numbers with 6,0,8 & 4. I had made two choices – 6840 and 6804
8. Once you have one or two choice numbers, visit the RTO. Yes, physical visit is necessary and will cost you two hours of your time, max
9. You will need (a) Aadhar card, with a linked mobile number (for OTP/SMS), a copy of the Aadhar card – as a proof of residence, (b) PAN card and copy, and (c) copy of the advance payment receipt you made to the dealer for your vehicle
10. The charges for choice number are accepted only by DD. In case you are sure of fees involved (Rs.5k / 7.5k etc.) please bring the DD as well. DD for Vashi RTO was in the name of “DY RTO NAVI MUMBAI”
11. This is the only fees to be paid, no other charges
12. I was under impression that fees less than 10k would be accepted in cash, but the person at RTO confirmed that even 3k is not accepted in cash. If you have DD available, it will save at least half an hour for sure
13. Collect the form for choice number, fill it up with the details including the number. I first went to Window no. 6, the person there checked the form, compared physical Aadhar and PAN
14. Then he checked the system for availability of my choice number and wrote on the form the fees (Rs.5k) and DD details – in the name of “DY RTO NAVI MUMBAI”
15. Once I had the DD, went again to the same counter and he accepted form, copies of personal details and DD. He signed the form, which I took to the Dy RTO office for his signature
16. Went to Window no. 3 where they accepted the signed form and asked me to wait for the SMS. I had to wait for c. 20 minutes for the SMS. It seems that the back office processes the form, enter the details in Parivahan site and once its over, SMS is generated. The SMS would be delivered to the mobile linked to your Aadhar card only
17. Once SMS was shown to the counter 3 person, she printed a receipt of the payment and asked me to check all the details on the receipt
18. This is an important step – take time to go though all the details on the receipt and confirm the correctness – name, choice number etc.
You are done – if you have the DD, it should be less than an hour’s job
19. Copy / snapshot of the receipt would be required by the dealer for registration purpose
20. In case you need some exotic numbers, the site to refer is the same
(https://fancy.parivahan.gov.in/fancy...ic/login.xhtml) please select relevant process
21. Lastly, this number reservation is valid for 30 days only. So be sure of getting registration within this time limit

Overall, I found this process to be more evolved that renewal of the license. I did that as well in DIY mode (link: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ce-online.html (DIY: Renewal of Maharashtra (MH) Driving Licence online)) , but this is much faster and simpler process. Absolutely no need to pay any fees to RTO agent, for sure.

One passing thought: earlier we used to get simple choice numbers by paying extra 1k-2k (I paid 1.5k in 2015 for 6084), the same will cost you minimum Rs.5k and an hour of your time now in 2023! Government is making good money out of this system, at the least.

[ruzbehxyz]

The charges for choice number are accepted only by DD. In case you are sure of fees involved (Rs.5k / 7.5k etc.) please bring the DD as well.

Thanks for sharing this. My question: what if the amount payable in DD is different ? Can we change the number there.

[sandeepsc]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

Thanks for sharing this. My question: what if the amount payable in DD is different ? Can we change the number there.

You can select any number falling under that amount on DD. However if the choice number selected is different than that of series of numbers under DD amount then you will have to draw another DD of that particular amount. You can not combine two DDs of different values.

Also when your choice number goes for auction(If another person also demands for same number as of yours on same day, that number goes for auction) then you have to bid at higher value than other person. You have to submit DD of your bid value at RTO. You have time limit to submit the DD at RTO up to 12.00PM as per my knowledge. After 2.00PM auction procedure starts and whoever has highest bid in terms of DD amount gets that choice number. DDs of other bidders also get deposited by RTO. That means you loose money as well as your choice number.

[MiKeMo]

Thanks, @sandeepac. Yes, @ruzbehxyz, if DD amount differs, a new DD would be needed. So if you are not sure of the amount better to confirm. Also exact name on which DD should be drawn.
Due to this mixed process, exotic number selection becomes difficult for a DIY person, I reckon.

[Sahil]

This is such a tedious process. I have always had agents do it for me and since they are registering the car also, they haven’t charged a separate fee.

Most other states now allow you to book vip/choice numbers online very easily. MH is still an agent driven corrupt system for the most part hence this online facility is yet not provided.
BMC needs to clean up its act here.

It’s 2023 and we are still doing these simple task like we were in the dark ages!

[narayans80]

I had done this in Madras KK Nagar RTO twice, once in 2018 and 2020.

The choice number rates are surprising. For 2W it was 2000, for 4W costing above 4 lakhs (which is practically all cars) was 16000. I believe these rates have further increased after October 2022.

RED colour fancy numbers like 6666 or 1234 involve bureaucracy, and it is expensive (> 50K). Best to choose within the running series of 1000 numbers where the rates are reasonable.

However I did not have to make a DD for the payment.

One point to note is Parivahan fancy microsite is not 100% accurate, as the number would have been taken. But it will be gone off the site only after the car gets registered. You'll have to go prepared with a dozen choice numbers in hand, to not spend time at the RTO thinking. Your car/bike dealer will have a better idea on running series, since they register vehicles on a day-to-day basis.

There was a similar thread few months back by tud.

Originally Posted by Sahil

I have always had agents do it for me and since they are registering the car also, they haven’t charged a separate fee.

I doubt this free of charge part. Unless you know the agent and you give regular business to him.

I was charged 1000 Rs in September 2022, which I took since the time and distance penalty this time around was half a day (compared to 2 hours I had spent for earlier instances)

[rpunwani]

Originally Posted by Sahil

This is such a tedious process. I have always had agents do it for me and since they are registering the car also, they haven’t charged a separate fee.

I too got the dealer to get me a choice number, gave him a few options. They did not charge anything extra besides the RTO fee for the number

[IndigoXLGrandDi]

I had taken Choice Number 1617 for our Jupiter in Dec 2022.

I was out of RTO within half an hour with Receipt without paying extra charges other than Official Rs. 5000/- through DD.

Then I handed over a Xerox Copy of Receipt to our TVS Dealer and till evening I got the Delivery of Vehicle. The Number Plates were installed after 4 days.

[sandeepsc]

Originally Posted by Sahil

This is such a tedious process. I have always had agents do it for me and since they are registering the car also, they haven’t charged a separate fee.

Most other states now allow you to book vip/choice numbers online very easily. MH is still an agent driven corrupt system for the most part hence this online facility is yet not provided.
BMC needs to clean up its act here.

It’s 2023 and we are still doing these simple task like we were in the dark ages!

The process as such is not tedious. If you bring correct amount DD in favor of respective RTO then you will have just fill the form and submit it along with DD and requisite papers. After that within an hour or two choice number will be allotted to you. Staffs at RTO are very much cooperative these days and will guide you properly without expecting anything.

Sorry but how BMC comes into picture in this matter. The RTO department comes under State Government and it has nothing to do with BMC. BMC is independent local government body whose primary services are water supply, roads, healthcare etc. Every inconvenience caused in Mumbai can not be blamed on BMC. Sorry for off topic but needed to be clear the matter.

[TejasV]

I know a friend's dad who has been slyly gunning for the fanciest number to get one for free. His scheme was simple, he'd choose a really nice number like all 9s or single digits every time they went to register a number. And rest assured, it would go to an auction where someone desperate for it would ask him to back out and take another number so that this doesn't go to auction (in which case you only pay the base price). He always ended up getting a nice number that isn't as expensive as the 9999 or 1s etc. and for free because the the guy would pay for it rather than have someone fight over the number he really wants.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by sandeepsc

The process as such is not tedious. If you bring correct amount DD in favor of respective RTO then you will have just fill the form and submit it along with DD and requisite papers. After that within an hour or two choice number will be allotted to you. Staffs at RTO are very much cooperative these days and will guide you properly without expecting anything.

Sorry but how BMC comes into picture in this matter. The RTO department comes under State Government and it has nothing to do with BMC. BMC is independent local government body whose primary services are water supply, roads, healthcare etc. Every inconvenience caused in Mumbai can not be blamed on BMC. Sorry for off topic but needed to be clear the matter.

Spending hours at a govt office physically to get something so simple done is tedious, IMO. This should be something one should be able to do with a few clicks on their mobile or computer, anything more than that is not justified to me.

My bad, I thought RTO is under BMC.

[FHW]

I find this process very hectic when compared to what I experienced while securing a choice number for my car.

Choice Number Process Srinagar :

Upon finalizing the car, I informed the sales executive about assignment of choice number for new car (same number as that of old car, as old car was retained). He promptly said they will take care of it. We headed to registration section in the dealership and concerned employee asked me the choice number.

Dealership employee searched for it in current running series, and to my excitement the number was available. He asked for my Aadhaar card and punched in the details like name, father's name, address, aadhar number mobile number.

Now comes the payment part: He suggested two payment method 1) He will make payment from his own account/card and later I give him equivalent cash or transfer the amount to his account. 2) Payment will be made from my account directly. He however insisted on first.

He made the payment from his own account and number booking was successful. I got email and SMS confirmation for the same. The number was book with "Vehicle not purchased yet" option. He also handed over to me a printout of acknowledgement and filed its another copy in my car file.

Next day I transferred amount to their account. The car was readied for delivery, next day I received SMS from vahan confirming the receipt of road tax against the choice number.

[MiKeMo]

Originally Posted by sandeepsc

The process as such is not tedious.. Staffs at RTO are very much cooperative these days and will guide you properly without expecting anything.
.

I agree. We just need to be aware of correct process, and job will not take much time. In this case, getting DD of correct value and in the correct name is some time consuming affair, rest is manageable.
Surely, if the process was online, it would have been more practical.

[yashg]

The DD part is cumbersome. You will come to know the amount at the counter and then have to go to bank to get the DD made. If your branch is far from the RTO, it will be a pain.

[Born 2 Be Wild]

Mumbai is so different!
In delhi and ncr its so much easier, register on mparivahan, chose the no. Of choice on first come first serve basis max 1,00,000/- or the auction bit which is bidding. Get the no. Of your choice after online payment with an id proof and give it to your dealer who will do the rest. Have got 4433 and 0063 for my last 3 cars using the same method.