Punjab Opens Online Bidding for Premium Vehicle Registration Numbers

The Punjab government has opened online registration for an auction of premium vehicle registration numbers covering motorcycles, private cars and commercial vehicles, allowing citizens to take part in bidding from home rather than visiting Excise Department offices.

Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Faisal Yousaf said the digital platform will also publish information about successful bidders, according to the details shared about the scheme. Interested applicants can register through the e-Auction mobile application or the official web portal until November 30.

Under the department's e-auction policy, applicants must first check whether their preferred number is available. After selecting a number, they pay a non-refundable participation fee of Rs. 100 through e-Pay and submit personal details along with their CNIC or NTN and the vehicle's chassis number. Applicants are also required to deposit the reserve price or the average price, whichever is higher, for the registration number they have chosen.

Once the system approves a registration, the applicant receives a system-generated login ID and password to take part in bidding. Each Automated Identification Number (AIN) permits an applicant to contest only one registration number, so those seeking numbers for several vehicles must register each vehicle separately and obtain a distinct AIN through their login credentials. The department will allot a number only to a vehicle owned by the applicant, firm or company, including a vehicle acquired through ownership transfer.

Bidding follows set rules: participants can raise their offers in multiples of Rs. 500 for four-wheelers and Rs. 200 for other vehicles. The standard policy provides a three-day registration window, with results normally announced at 9pm on the same day. A highest bid placed during the final 15 minutes triggers an automatic one-minute extension for that number, and further extensions continue until no bidder challenges the top offer during the additional minute.

Successful bidders must pay the auction amount in addition to the prescribed vehicle registration fee and must register their vehicles within 15 days of the result announcement. The move is part of the province's broader push to shift public services online and reduce the need for in-person visits to government offices.