Vehicles without a High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) will face legal action after February 18, according to the state transport department. Vehicle owners will face penalties because of negligence despite repeated deadline extensions.
According to officials, the department has given a final 15-day grace period for vehicle owners who had applied for HSRPs before December 31, 2025, but are still waiting for installation. Once this period ends, enforcement drives will begin across the state. People who applied before the deadline (December 31, 2025) will get a proper chance. After this, action will be taken.
Officials clarified that vehicle owners who booked appointments after December 31 may have to pay a fine of ₹1,000. According to the department, despite multiple extensions, many owners have ignored the rule. People are not taking the mandate seriously. Enforcement is now the only option.
Swapnil Bhosale, Deputy Regional Transport Officer, Pune, speaking to the Free Press Journal, said, "The HSRP rule applies to vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. Although it was first announced in December 2024, compliance has remained poor. In Pune, only about 35 per cent of eligible vehicles have installed HSRPs so far. Out of nearly 24.3 lakh vehicles, only 8.57 lakh have been fitted with the secure plates."
"During the enforcement drives, the RTO squad will not stop at checking number plates alone, but documents such as the registration certificate, insurance, pollution certificate, and driving licence will also be checked. Penalties will increase if any documents are missing. Since no new extension has been announced, the government is unlikely to relax the rules further," he added.
The transport department has issued six deadlines since the first notification on December 3, 2024, with December 31, 2025, being the final one.
