Embossed Number Plate Easier Said than Done

On August 8, Bibek Duwal, a UI/UX designer from Panauti, headed to Gurjudhara with excitement to register his newly purchased Ather scooter and get the embossed number plate mandated by the Department of Transport Management (DoTM). What he thought would be a simple task, however, turned into hours of frustration.

“I went to the registration office after submitting the online form, thinking it would take just an hour,” recalled Duwal. “But the barcode on my printed form wasn’t readable. Even though my documents had already been verified, I had to start the entire process again.”

Exasperated, Duwal eventually turned to a broker — and with their help, the task was completed smoothly. His experience reflects the frustration of many service seekers who find the process more cumbersome and costly than expected.

By provision, new vehicle owners should be able to directly register for embossed number plates. In practice, however, they must first register their vehicles under the old system, obtain a traditional plate, and only then apply for an embossed one. “This cost me double the money and time,” Duwal said.

According to government pricing, vehicle owners must pay Rs 2,500 for motorcycles and scooters, Rs 3,200 for cars, jeeps, vans, and tractors, and Rs 3,600 for heavy vehicles to install embossed plates. In addition, Duwal noted that users are charged an extra Rs 600 for the metal mount required to fix the plate to their vehicle.

The embossed plate system, first introduced in 2021, was meant to modernize vehicle registration in Nepal. Embossed plates feature camera-readable digits and an RFID (radio-frequency identification) microchip, which the government claims will help trace vehicles in cases of theft, disappearance, or accidents. Globally, around 95 percent of countries have already adopted the system, making Nepal the only South Asian nation yet to enforce it fully.

But despite its promised benefits, users describe the process as unnecessarily full of hassles. The online form often malfunctions, with barcodes failing to scan, forcing applicants to spend 30–60 minutes refilling the same details. The form is also poorly designed, recognizing only fuel-engine vehicles by cubic capacity while leaving electric vehicle owners — who measure engines in kilowatts — confused. Many, like Duwal, eventually resort to brokers.

Adding to the backlash, the government has failed to effectively communicate the system’s advantages. Instead, public resistance has grown, especially over the decision to print plates in English rather than the traditional Devanagari script. Social media campaigns argue the move undermines Nepali identity.

Amid rising controversy, the government has temporarily halted the mandatory installation of embossed plates. Yet, since the program’s launch seven years ago, nearly 50,000 users have already installed them — a sign that despite public resistance, the system is slowly taking hold.