The extravagance of luxury enthusiasts never fails to astonish — after all, spending ₹1.17 crore on a number plate is now a reality.
The registration number ‘HR88B8888’ has officially become India’s most expensive number plate, securing a record-breaking bid in Haryana on Wednesday.
Haryana conducts weekly online auctions for VIP or fancy numbers. From Friday 5 pm to Monday 9 am, bidders apply for their preferred plates, followed by intense bidding until results are declared at 5 pm on Wednesday. The entire process takes place on the official fancy.parivahan.gov.in portal.
This week, the registration number 'HR88B8888' attracted the most interest, receiving 45 applications. Starting at a base price of Rs 50,000, the bidding escalated steadily and concluded at Rs 1.17 crore by 5 pm.
At noon, the bidding amount reached Rs 88 lakh, while the registration number 'HR22W2222' had secured Rs 37.91 lakh the previous week.
Media outlets report that Sudhir Kumar, a businessman from Hisar, acquired India’s most expensive vehicle registration number, 'HR88B8888', for Rs 1.17 crore. The 30-year-old entrepreneur is involved in various ventures, including a transport business, a software firm, and a mobile application focused on commercial transportation.
The number plate HR88B8888 is a premium, VIP vehicle registration number acquired through competitive bidding.
Here’s what each part signifies:
HR – The state code for Haryana.
88 – The specific Regional Transport Office (RTO) within the state.
B – The series code allocated to vehicles registered under that RTO.
8888 – The four-digit registration number assigned to the vehicle.
What truly sets this number apart is its visually striking pattern. In uppercase, the letter ‘B’ closely resembles the number 8, creating the appearance of a seamless string of eights, a combination considered rare, aesthetically appealing, and often associated with luck and prestige.
In April, Kerala tech billionaire Venu Gopalakrishnan bought the VIP plate ‘KL 07 DG 0007’ for ₹45.99 lakh after intense bidding that started at just ₹25,000. The ‘0007’ sequence, evoking the iconic James Bond code added to its exclusivity and further elevated his status in Kerala’s luxury car scene.