Embossed number plates mandatory, owners free to install at convenience

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 27: Amid recent confusion and debate surrounding the installation of embossed vehicle number plates, the government has reaffirmed that their implementation remains mandatory. 

The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) issued a statement detailing the technical, legal, and administrative aspects of the initiative on Tuesday. 

According to the Department, installing embossed number plates has been made compulsory during vehicle registration, ownership transfer, and renewal, in accordance with the Transport Management Act, 1992, the Transport Management Regulations, 1998, and decisions of the Council of Ministers.

The department further clarified that the use of English on these plates has been constitutionally and legally validated by the Supreme Court. 

Highlighting the importance of modernising transport management and realizing the “Digital Nepal” vision, the DoTM has urged public cooperation for the successful implementation of embossed plates.

Addressing widespread misinformation that penalties would be imposed if plates were not installed by September 17, the department emphasised that no immediate fines or legal action would be taken. Vehicle owners can install the plates at a convenient time, according to Director General for the department Rajeev Pokharel. 

The statement also dismissed concerns about personal data falling into foreign hands or posing a national security risk. “All information and records related to embossed number plates are securely stored at the Department of Transport Management’s Data Centre,” it said.

The department noted that a contract was signed with the contractor company in December 2016. Despite delays, the timeline has been extended for a second time, with the current deadline set for December 26, 2024, and work is proceeding accordingly.

Transport groups urge govt. to delay embossed plates rollout

Meanwhile, three transportation workers’ organisations have appealed to the government not to make embossed vehicle number plates mandatory for now, scheduled to come into effect from September 17. 

The Nepal Transport Workers’ Union, Nepal Transport Independent Workers’ Organisation, and All Nepal Transport Workers’ Organisation jointly issued a statement on Tuesday opposing the directive from the Department of Transport Management.

The statement argued that the government’s notice, which mandates the use of embossed plates in English, contravenes the spirit of the constitution, which requires official communication to use Devanagari script, the national script. 

The organisations also raised concerns over the lack of technical infrastructure to read the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips embedded in the plates.

They highlighted a discrepancy between the Department of Transport Management’s recent notification on August 19, 2025 and the Part 2 of the Nepal Gazette, published by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport on April 27, 2023, which stipulates that embossed number plates should feature a combination of Devanagari and English characters or both.

The organisations further questioned the feasibility of enforcing embossed number plates, citing the government’s decade-long mandate on such plates with limited implementation and results. 

They noted ongoing issues in printing driver’s licenses, with citizens are reportedly unable to obtain them even after two years.

“Making embossed number plates mandatory for millions of vehicles under current conditions is both unreliable and questionable. While we are ready to support initiatives that modernise the transport sector and implement timely technological improvements, such measures should only be enforced once technical infrastructure is fully prepared to locally produce plates, safeguard sensitive data, and allow printing at subsidised rates, following thorough consultations with all stakeholders,” the statement said.