Haryana’s Rs 1.17 cr priciest number plate breaks national record with HR88B8888’s all-8s allure

Haryana’s latest VIP-number auction turned into a midweek spectacle, with the registration plate HR88B8888 climbing past Rs 88 lakh by noon before closing at an unprecedented Rs 1.17 crore by 5 pm. The fierce online bidding, run through the state’s official VIP-number auction portal, made it the most expensive vehicle registration number ever sold in India.

Officials said the number’s draw came from its rare visual symmetry: a line of eights, amplified by the uppercase ‘B’ that resembles an “8,” creating what bidders saw as a continuous string of lucky digits. Such patterns routinely attract numerology followers and luxury-car buyers who prize auspicious, status-heavy combinations.

This week’s auction saw unusually high participation, with far more applicants than typical Haryana VIP-plate sales. The base price for the HR88 series was Rs 50,000, but sustained competition pushed the figure into crore territory for the first time in the country.

Haryana’s system for fancy numbers runs on a weekly cycle, with registrations on Friday, bidding early in the week, and final results every Wednesday. Winners must deposit the full amount within five days and block the number for use. Once payment is completed, HR88B8888 will be assigned to a vehicle registered under the Kundli RTO in Sonipat district.

The record-breaking bid has added fresh momentum to Haryana’s fast-growing market for distinctive number plates, which has seen demand soar sharply in recent years.