The Obsession With 0001 & 8888: Inside India’s Wild Number Plate Auctions

From the highways of Haryana to the bustling lanes of Uttar Pradesh, a quiet yet fierce competition is unfolding, not on the roads, but on number plates. What was once a simple vehicle identifier has now become a symbol of influence, wealth, and social standing.

Bids soaring into crores, deposits stacked in lakhs, and an almost feverish hunt for rare digit combinations reveal a growing truth: in today’s India, fancy numbers are no longer about convenience or choice; they are a badge of power, pride, and prestige.

Haryana And UP’s Record-Breaking Bids

In Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, the bid for the fancy number HR88B8888 surged to an astounding Rs 1.17 crore. This continues the state’s trend of high-value auctions as buyers compete fiercely for ‘premium’ digits.

A similar craze was witnessed

in Gautam Buddha Nagar, UP, where the much-coveted 0001 number was sold for Rs 27.50 lakh, marking the highest bid ever recorded in the district for an attractive plate.

The number was purchased for a Mercedes in the UP16 FH series by a pharma company, M/S Aviorion Private Limited. The firm entered the auction with an initial deposit of Rs 33,333, eventually securing the number with the top bid.

According to the transport department, the base price for the plate was Rs 1 lakh, after which the bidding escalated rapidly.

Gautam Buddha Nagar’s ARTO (Administration), Nand Kumar, confirmed that interest in fancy numbers is growing steadily. With every new series released, people are prepared to pay substantial sums to acquire their preferred combinations.

Past Records In Noida

September 2025: Bid for UP16 FD-0008 touched Rs 11 lakh.

October 2024: Bid for UP16 EP-0001 climbed to Rs 32 lakh, though the buyer later withdrew.

Last month’s auction:

• 0001 sold for Rs 9.76 lakh
• 0007 sold for Rs 9.35 lakh
• 0004 sold for Rs 9.05 lakh

In an earlier case, a bidder once offered Rs 50 lakh for the number 6 on a two-wheeler, but the number was not allotted as the remaining payment was not completed.

New Series: First Come, First Served

The upcoming UP16 FJ series for private cars will soon be released. Attractive and highly attractive numbers will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Interested vehicle owners can register and book their preferred numbers through the transport department’s official website: parivahan.gov.in. Auction registration will begin the day after the series is announced.