Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department Punjab has issued fresh directions clarifying the rules governing the use of privately manufactured vehicle number plates across the province.
In a letter dated February 19, 2026, the department informed the Punjab Traffic Police that motorists must not be fined merely for using number plates produced by private vendors, as long as the plates strictly conform to the officially approved Punjab format.
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The department noted that during routine road checks, some traffic officers had been asking drivers to display original government issued number plates and, in certain instances, imposing penalties.
It clarified that the centralized production of government manufactured number plates has been discontinued and that the department is no longer collecting charges for issuing such plates.
Under the updated instructions, traffic police will check only whether the displayed number plate matches the prescribed Punjab design, specifications, and layout. Officers have been directed not to require motorists to produce original government manufactured plates, since centralized issuance is no longer in place.
The Excise Department has ordered strict compliance with these directions and asked authorities to ensure that vehicle owners are not subjected to unnecessary inconvenience during enforcement checks.
