KP CM launches new vehicle registration, number plate system “PRM”

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Wednesday formally launched the Personalized Registration Marks (PRM) system for vehicle registration and number plates, introducing a major shift in how vehicles are documented in the province.

Under the new PRM system, a vehicle’s registration number will be assigned to the owner rather than the vehicle, allowing citizens to retain, reuse, or surrender their personalized registration marks even after selling their vehicles. Officials said the model aligns with systems used in various developed countries.

According to the KP government, the new digital system means vehicle owners will permanently hold rights to their registration number—similar to how they own their CNIC or mobile number.

After selling a vehicle, the previous owner will retain the number without any additional fee, while the buyer will be required to apply for a new registration number.

Citizens will also be allowed to keep their registration number unused for up to three years, without attaching it to any vehicle.

Chief Minister Afridi said the PRM system would play an effective role in eliminating fake number plates and vehicle cloning, adding that it would make the registration process “faster, transparent, and corruption-free.”

He directed the Excise Department to introduce a fully online vehicle registration system to further facilitate the public.

According to a notification issued by the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department, vehicle registration numbers and number plates will now be linked to the owner’s CNIC instead of the vehicle’s chassis number. The PRM aims to curb the use of vehicles in criminal activities and improve traceability.

Vehicle owners have been instructed to transfer them into their own names within three months, while sellers must ensure that ownership is properly shifted to the buyer.

Under the new rules, when a vehicle is sold, the CNIC-linked registration copy or smart card will be deactivated but will remain with the previous owner until reassignment.

Owners may transfer their existing registration number and plates to a newly purchased vehicle. Deactivated registration numbers can be retained for up to three years, subject to annual biometric verification.

If the number is not reassigned within three years, it will be cancelled, and the registration copy, smart card, and number plates must be returned to the registering authority.