TS number plate guide for Telangana, from TS 01 to TG 38

What is a TS number plate?

A TS number plate is the registration plate of a vehicle registered in Telangana between 18 June 2014 and 14 March 2024. TS was the state’s two-letter code in that period. It sits at the start of the number, followed by a two-digit office code, one or two series letters and a four-digit number.

Where you still see TS plates

Almost every car, scooter, auto and truck bought in Telangana during those ten years carries TS. That is why the code is still the most common prefix on Hyderabad roads, even though new vehicles have moved to TG. A TS vehicle is recorded on the national Vahan database like any other.

What the plate does not tell you

The code shows where the vehicle was registered, not where the owner lives today. A TS car can belong to someone who has moved to Bengaluru, and a vehicle with a Karnataka or Maharashtra code can be driven daily in Hyderabad.

Why did TG registration replace TS?

TG registration replaced TS because the Telangana government asked for TG, the abbreviation it preferred, and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways agreed. MoRTH issued a gazette notification under section 41(6) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and TG became the state code from 12 March 2024.

What changed for owners

Only the code given to new vehicles changed. Dealers and RTA offices began issuing TG numbers within days; the first TG series at the Khairatabad office opened around 15 March 2024. Existing registrations were not touched, so no owner had to apply for anything.

Other TS names that changed

The switch also affected the state road transport corporation. TSRTC was renamed TGSRTC by a decision of 23 May 2024, and its buses now carry TG numbers in the Z series reserved for the corporation.

TG registration state: which state uses TG?

If you are asking which TG registration state a plate belongs to, the answer is Telangana. No other state or union territory uses TG. The code is Telangana’s current prefix, so every vehicle newly registered at any of its district transport offices since March 2024 starts with TG.

TG on a commercial vehicle

A goods carrier or taxi with TG on a yellow plate is also registered in Telangana. It may still run in other states under a permit, so seeing a TG truck on a highway far from Hyderabad is normal.

TS registration which state is it from?

TS registration is from Telangana too. Before the state was formed, its districts were part of Andhra Pradesh and used AP codes. Telangana started issuing TS in June 2014 and stopped in March 2024. For a short state-by-state answer to the same question, see our guide on 2 wheeler registration codes by state.

Why TS is still everywhere

Ten years of registrations carried TS, so a large share of Telangana’s vehicles still show it.

TS and the Hindi question

Many people search for the same answer in Hindi. Our page on TS kahan ka number hai explains it in Hinglish.

Is a TS plate still legal after the TG change?

Yes. A TS plate stays legal for as long as the vehicle’s registration is valid. The 2024 notification changed only the code given to new registrations. Existing TS numbers, and the older AP numbers from undivided Andhra Pradesh, remain valid and are not reissued.

When a TS vehicle gets a new number

A TS vehicle gets a new number only when it is re-registered, for example after a permanent move to another state. Selling the vehicle within Telangana does not change the number; the transfer of ownership is recorded against the same TS registration.

Can you repaint a TS plate as TG?

No. Your plate must show the exact number on your registration certificate. Changing TS to TG on the plate makes it differ from the record, and a mismatched plate is treated as an altered registration mark. Telangana RTA officials have publicly warned owners of older vehicles not to do this.

What police checks look for

Hyderabad traffic police ran a special drive against fake and tampered plates in July 2026. An officer checking your vehicle will compare the plate with the record on Vahan, and a TG plate on a TS registration will not match.

Look-alike plates

Fancy fonts, stickers, logos and look-alike plates without the HSRP hologram are also not allowed. If your plate is damaged, order a replacement high security plate for the same TS number.

How do you read a TS vehicle registration number?

A TS vehicle registration number has four parts. The first two letters are the state code, TS or TG. The next two digits are the registering office. Then come one or two series letters, and finally a number from 0001 to 9999. Example: TS 09 EA 1234.

A worked example

In TS 08 HK 4567, TS is Telangana, 08 is the Medchal office, HK is the series running when the vehicle was registered, and 4567 is its unique number in that series. No other vehicle in India has the same combination.

Why some plates have one letter

Each office starts a series at a single letter, such as A, and moves to two letters once the single-letter series are used up. A one-letter plate is usually older than a two-letter plate from the same office.

What do the first two digits after TS mean?

The two digits after TS or TG identify the transport office that registered the vehicle. Telangana numbers them from 01 to 38. Codes 01 to 16 cover the older districts and the Hyderabad offices, while 17 to 38 were added after new districts were created in 2016 and 2019.

Codes follow offices, not population

Numbers were given as offices opened, so a higher code is not a bigger or richer district. TG 38 Narayanpet is simply the newest district office in the list.

One code, several counters

A code can be shared by a main office and its sub-agencies. Vehicles registered at Huzurabad, for instance, still get the Karimnagar code 02.

What do the series letters mean on a number plate in Telangana?

Telangana reserves blocks of series letters for vehicle classes. Letters A to S are used for private passenger vehicles, T to Y for commercial transport vehicles and Z for state road transport buses. The Khairatabad office uses a P series for police vehicles.

Why the letters matter

The series tells you at a glance whether a vehicle is private or commercial, even before you notice the plate colour. A TG plate with a T or U series on a white background should prompt a second look.

Same rule as Andhra Pradesh

The scheme carries on from undivided Andhra Pradesh, where the same letters were reserved. Andhra Pradesh still follows a similar pattern for its own AP 39 and AP 40 series.

TS number plate list: every Telangana RTO code

The TS number plate list below gives all 38 Telangana office codes. The same numbers are used with TS on older plates and TG on new ones, so TS 15 and TG 15 are both Sangareddy. Sub-agencies issue numbers in their parent office’s code.

How reliable is this list?

The list comes from a public compilation of RTO districts, because the Telangana Transport Department site could not be reached when we checked. Office names rarely change, but always confirm a specific office on Vahan or the department’s site.

Two Warangal codes

Warangal appears twice. TS 03 covers Hanamkonda district and TS 24 covers Warangal district, a result of the old Warangal district being split in 2016.

Where are TS 01 to TS 06 registered?

TS 01 to TS 06 belong to the older district headquarters outside Hyderabad: Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal (now the Hanamkonda district office), Khammam, Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar. These offices existed in undivided Andhra Pradesh under AP codes and kept serving their regions after 2014.

TS 01, TS 02 and TS 03

TS 01 is Adilabad in the north. TS 02 is Karimnagar, with a sub-agency at Huzurabad. TS 03 is the Warangal office whose jurisdiction is now Hanamkonda district, so many Warangal city vehicles carry 03.

TS 06 Mahbubnagar

TS 06 is Mahbubnagar in the south. After 2016, parts of its old area moved to new districts such as Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy and Gadwal, which each received a code of their own.

Hyderabad number plate code: which offices issue TG 07 to TG 14?

The Hyderabad number plate code depends on the office. Hyderabad district itself is served by five offices with codes 09 to 13, and TS 14 is reserved for the city. The suburbs come under TS 07 Attapur for Ranga Reddy and TS 08 Medchal for Medchal-Malkajgiri.

Why one city has eight codes

Greater Hyderabad spreads across Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. Attapur, Medchal, Uppal, Kukatpally and Patancheru are in the city but outside Hyderabad district, so their vehicles carry the codes of neighbouring districts.

Patancheru vehicles

Vehicles registered at the Patancheru counter, on the city’s western edge, carry Sangareddy’s code 15, not a Hyderabad code.

Which Hyderabad number plate code covers Secunderabad?

Secunderabad is TS 10, the Hyderabad North office. If you live in the cantonment area, Marredpally, Bowenpally or nearby northern localities, a new vehicle is usually registered there and gets a TG 10 number. Your registering office follows your address, not the dealer’s showroom.

How the office is chosen

The dealer files the registration with the office that has jurisdiction over the address on your proof of residence. Buying a car in Banjara Hills does not give you a Khairatabad number if you live in Secunderabad.

Changing your Hyderabad code

Moving house within Telangana does not change the code. You update the address on the RC, and the vehicle keeps its original number.

What did Hyderabad plates look like before 2014?

Before Telangana was formed, Hyderabad vehicles carried AP codes: AP 09 Khairatabad, AP 10 Secunderabad, AP 11 Malakpet, AP 12 Kishanbagh and AP 13 Mehdipatnam. The suburbs used AP 28 for Attapur and AP 29 for Uppal. These vehicles still drive with their AP numbers.

Old district codes

Outside the city, Telangana’s districts used AP 01 Adilabad, AP 15 Karimnagar, AP 20 Khammam, AP 22 Mahabubnagar, AP 23 Medak, AP 24 Nalgonda, AP 25 Nizamabad and AP 36 Warangal. For how these split between the two states, see our guide to Telangana registration and old AP numbers.

An AP plate in Hyderabad today

An AP 09 car seen in Hyderabad was most likely registered there before June 2014. Its record now sits with the Telangana office.

TS 14 which district does it belong to?

If you are wondering TS 14 which district, public lists treat it as a code reserved for Hyderabad rather than a separate district office. Insurer RTO directories agree on this. One listing site names Uppal for TS 14, but that is not supported by the other sources, so we do not rely on it.

Seeing a TS 14 vehicle

If you come across a TS 14 or TG 14 number, look it up on Vahan. The result names the registering authority, which settles the question for that vehicle.

Why codes are kept in reserve

States sometimes hold back a number for a future office or a special purpose. Until the department publishes a use, treat TG 14 as a Hyderabad code.

TS07 registration: which office is Attapur?

TS07 registration is done at the Attapur office, which serves Ranga Reddy district on Hyderabad’s south-western side. It also has sub-agencies at Ibrahimpatnam and Shadnagar. Under undivided Andhra Pradesh, the same area used AP 28.

Areas that usually get TS 07

Large parts of the city’s western and southern suburbs fall in Ranga Reddy district. The exact boundary follows district and mandal lines, so check your address against the office list on the transport department site.

Shadnagar and Ibrahimpatnam

Owners near Shadnagar or Ibrahimpatnam can use the local sub-agency instead of travelling to Attapur. Their vehicles still receive a TG 07 number.

TS 08 registration area: what does Medchal cover?

The TS 08 registration area is Medchal-Malkajgiri district, which takes in Hyderabad’s northern and eastern suburbs. The main office is at Medchal, and the Uppal Kalan RTO and the Kukatpally unit office issue numbers in the same code.

Why TS 08 is so common

The district covers fast-growing residential belts, so TS 08 is one of the most frequently seen codes in the city.

Before Medchal had its own district

Medchal-Malkajgiri district was carved out of Ranga Reddy in 2016. Before that, the Uppal area registered as AP 29.

RTO Medchal registration number and its sub-offices

The RTO Medchal registration number is TG 08 for new vehicles and TS 08 for those registered before March 2024. All three counters in the district share it, so the plate alone will not tell you whether a car was registered at Medchal, Uppal or Kukatpally.

Finding the exact counter

The Vahan record names the registering authority. If you need the specific counter for a document or an appointment, the RC and the search result are the places to check.

Booking work at the office

Most work, such as an address change, a duplicate RC or a transfer, starts online through Vahan or the state portal. You visit the office only when the service asks you to bring the vehicle or original documents.

TS08 vehicle registration at Uppal and Kukatpally

TS08 vehicle registration at Uppal Kalan and Kukatpally works like it does at the main Medchal office. Uppal is listed as an RTO and Kukatpally as a unit office headed by a motor vehicle inspector. Both register vehicles in the TG 08 code for residents of their areas.

Uppal Kalan

Uppal, on the eastern side, was once the Rangareddy (Uppal) office with AP 29. Its vehicles moved to the Medchal-Malkajgiri code after the 2016 district split.

Kukatpally

The Kukatpally unit office serves the north-western suburbs. Vehicle owners there receive the same TG 08 code as Medchal.

TS 09 registration: Khairatabad and the police series

TS 09 registration is Khairatabad, the Hyderabad Central office. It is the city’s best-known code: it hosts the TG 09 P series used for Telangana Police vehicles, and it was where the first TG fancy numbers were auctioned in March 2024.

The P series

A plate such as TG 09 PA 1234 belongs to a police vehicle. Other offices do not use P for this purpose, so the 09 P combination identifies the police fleet.

First TG fancy numbers

On the first day of the TG series, TG 09 0001 was reported to have sold for ₹9,61,111 at Khairatabad. These figures come from news reports, not an official fee list.

TS 04 registration: Khammam district

TS 04 registration belongs to the Khammam office in south-eastern Telangana. It has sub-agencies at Sathupalli and Wyra. Before 2014 the district used AP 20. After the 2016 district changes, the Kothagudem area got its own code, TS 28.

Kothagudem and Bhadrachalam

Vehicles registered at Kothagudem or the Bhadrachalam sub-agency now get TG 28. Older vehicles from those towns may still show TS 04 or AP 20.

Searching a TS 04 vehicle

Searching a Khammam number works the same way as any other: enter the full number on Vahan or the app.

TS 05 registration: Nalgonda district

TS 05 registration belongs to the Nalgonda office, which has a sub-agency at Miryalaguda. Nalgonda used AP 24 before 2014. In 2016, Suryapet and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri became separate districts with their own codes, TS 29 and TS 30.

Suryapet and Kodad

Suryapet district registers as TG 29, with a sub-agency at Kodad on the highway to Vijayawada.

Which codes came with the 2016 new districts?

On 11 October 2016, Telangana created 21 new districts, taking its total to 31. Most codes from TS 17 Kamareddy to TS 36 Siddipet belong to districts formed or redrawn at that time. Hyderabad district was not divided, so its five office codes did not change.

Northern districts

Kamareddy (17), Nirmal (18), Mancherial (19), Asifabad in Komaram Bheem district (20), Jagtial (21), Peddapalli (22) and Sircilla (23) came out of the old Adilabad, Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts.

Southern and eastern districts

Nagarkurnool (31), Wanaparthy (32), Gadwal (33), Vikarabad (34), Medak (35) and Siddipet (36) came out of Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Medak. Bhupalpalle (25), Mahabubabad (26), Jangaon (27), Kothagudem (28), Suryapet (29) and Bhuvanagiri (30) came from Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda.

Which codes were added for Mulugu and Narayanpet?

Telangana created two more districts, Mulugu and Narayanpet, on 17 February 2019. Mulugu received TS 37 and Narayanpet TS 38. These are the newest codes in the list, and the state now has 33 districts.

Before 2019

Vehicles in Mulugu were earlier registered under the Bhupalpalle code 25, and those in Narayanpet under the Mahbubnagar code 06. They keep those numbers.

Will more codes come?

If new districts are created, new office codes usually follow. Watch the Telangana Transport Department for any notice before assuming a new code exists.

Number plate Telangana colours: what each one means

A number plate in Telangana follows the national colour scheme. Private vehicles show black letters on white, commercial vehicles black on yellow, private electric vehicles white on green, commercial EVs yellow on green, and self-drive rentals yellow on black. The colour shows the use; the code shows the office.

Temporary plates

A vehicle waiting for its permanent number may show a temporary registration in red on a yellow background. It is replaced once the permanent number is allotted.

Colour and series together

Colour and series letters should agree. A TG plate with a T to Y series and a white background suggests a commercial vehicle on a private plate, which is worth reporting.

Telangana bike number plate: size and layout

A Telangana bike number plate is a high security plate with fixed sizes: 28.5 cm x 4.5 cm at the front and 20 cm x 10 cm at the rear. The rear plate usually shows the number on two lines, with TS or TG and the office code on top.

Layout on two lines

A typical rear bike plate reads TG 10 on the first line and AB 1234 on the second. The front plate is a single strip. Both must carry the IND mark and the chromium hologram.

What is not allowed

Names, slogans, caste or party symbols and decorative fonts are not permitted on a bike plate. The full design rules are in our number plate design guide.

Do electric bikes in Telangana get green plates?

Yes. A battery electric vehicle registered in Telangana gets a green plate, as notified by MoRTH on 7 August 2018. A private electric scooter shows white characters on green; an electric auto or commercial e-bike shows yellow characters on green.

Same code rules

An electric vehicle still gets a TG office code and series like any other vehicle. Only the plate colour is different.

Checking an EV record

The Vahan record of an electric vehicle shows its fuel as electric. If it shows petrol or is blank, ask the dealer to correct it before the plate is made.

High security number plate status: how to check it

To check your high security number plate status, go back to the portal where you booked and paid for the plate, open its track-order option and enter your order number or vehicle number. The status shows whether the plate is booked, ready or fitted, along with your fitment slot.

Booking channel

Many guides point Telangana owners to the Book My HSRP portal for booking and tracking. Use only a portal linked from the Telangana Transport Department or your vehicle maker.

If the status does not change

Wait a few days after payment before raising a complaint. If the slot passes and nothing happens, contact the fitment centre or the portal’s help desk with your order number.

Is HSRP compulsory for old vehicles in Telangana?

Yes. A Telangana order of 9 April 2025 made high security plates mandatory for vehicles made before 1 April 2019, with a deadline of 30 September 2025. We found no later extension. Vehicles made since April 2019 come with HSRP fitted by the dealer under national rules.

Who still needs to act

If your TS or AP vehicle was made before April 2019 and still has an ordinary plate, book an HSRP now. The order also covered imitation plates with fake holograms or IND marks, which must be replaced.

Rules for features

A genuine HSRP has a chromium hologram, a laser-etched number and snap-lock rivets. Our number plates guide explains how to tell a genuine plate from a copy.

How does a TS registration search work?

A TS registration search works on Vahan’s Know Your Vehicle Details page or the mParivahan app. You type the full number, pass a captcha or OTP and get the registration record. The search accepts TS, TG and old AP numbers.

1. Open the search. Go to Know Your Vehicle Details on Vahan or open the mParivahan app.
2. Enter the number. Type the registration number exactly as on the RC, with TS, TG or AP.
3. Verify. Fill in the captcha on the website or the OTP in the app.
4. Read the result. Check the registering office, dates, insurance, fitness and tax validity.

Typing the number

Leave out spaces and hyphens if the form rejects them. Most failed searches happen because someone typed TG for a vehicle that is actually registered as TS.

SMS option

Vahan also offers a basic SMS search: send VAHAN followed by the number to 7738299899. Operator charges may apply.

What do TG vehicle details show?

TG vehicle details in a public search include the registering authority, registration date, a masked owner name, the vehicle’s make and model, fuel type, and the validity of insurance, fitness, tax and PUC where recorded. The same fields appear for TS and AP numbers.

Reading the validity dates

The insurance date comes from the insurer’s feed and may lag a few days after renewal. If you have just renewed, keep the policy document with you until Vahan updates.

When details look wrong

If the record has a wrong address, mobile number or fuel type, apply for a correction through the online services. The office may ask for proof.

RC checking Telangana: Vahan or the state portal?

For RC checking in Telangana, Vahan is the simplest route because it covers every state and shows the same record the RTA uses. The Telangana Transport Department site offers state services and office information. DigiLocker and mParivahan can also show a digital RC.

Which one to use

Use Vahan or mParivahan to look up any number. Use the state portal for Telangana-specific services and office details. Both read from the same registration record.

Digital RC

A digital RC in DigiLocker or mParivahan is accepted as a valid document during checks.

Can you find the owner of a TS number?

Only partly. The public search shows a masked owner name, not a full name, address or phone number. Full owner records go only to authorised users such as police, insurers and the RTO. Our guide on vehicle registration details explains what you can and cannot see.

Challans on a TS vehicle

Pending traffic fines are a separate check. For Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda, see our TG challan guide.

If you suspect misuse

If someone is using a plate that copies your number, report it to the local police with your RC.

FTA number plate: what does it mean?

We could not find any official meaning for an FTA number plate in Telangana. No transport department notice, public RTO list or news report we checked describes an FTA series or plate type. It may be a dealer marking, a personal sticker or a misreading of a series.

What to do if you see one

Check the registration certificate or search the full number on Vahan. If the plate does not match a real record, or shows letters where the number should be, it is not a legal plate.

Similar letters on real plates

Real series can include letter pairs such as FT, followed by four digits. A plate reading TG 09 FT 1234 is ordinary.

How is a new vehicle given a TG registration?

For a new vehicle, TG registration is mostly handled by the dealer. The dealer enters the sale on Vahan, you pay road tax and fees, the district office approves the application and the next free number in the current series is allotted. The dealer then fits the HSRP.

Choosing the office

The registering office is decided by your address. A Kukatpally resident gets TG 08 even if the showroom is elsewhere.

Documents

Keep your address proof, identity proof, PAN or Form 60 and insurance ready. The dealer will tell you exactly which forms they need.

What does a new car show before its TG number arrives?

A new car leaves the showroom with its permanent TG number in most cases, because dealers register and fit HSRP before delivery. A temporary registration is used only when the vehicle must be moved before permanent registration, for example a chassis sent for body building.

How long a temporary number lasts

Under section 43 of the Motor Vehicles Act, temporary registration is for one month, with limited extensions in some cases.

Can you choose a fancy TG number?

Yes. You can book a choice or fancy number for a new vehicle through the online fancy number service. Popular numbers go to auction, and prices can run into lakhs. For fees and auction rules, see our guides on VIP number plate price and the 0001 number plate price.

Booking before registration

The number must be booked before the vehicle is registered. Once a regular number is allotted, you cannot swap it for a fancy one in the same registration.

What happens to a TS vehicle that moves out of Telangana?

A TS vehicle can travel anywhere in India on its existing number. If the owner moves permanently to another state, the vehicle must be re-registered there within the time allowed. The Telangana office issues an NOC, and the new state allots its own number.

Paying tax again

The new state charges its own road tax, and you can apply to Telangana for a refund of unused tax where state rules allow.

Moving into Telangana

The same applies in reverse. A vehicle that moves permanently to Telangana from another state gets a new TG number after re-registration.

Can a Telangana vehicle use an all-India series instead of TG?

Yes, if eligible. The BH series is available to defence personnel, government employees and staff of companies with offices in four or more states. A BH vehicle shows a code such as 24 BH 1234 AA instead of TG. Read our BH number plate guide for eligibility and tax.

Private vehicles only

BH applies to private non-transport vehicles. Taxis and goods carriers in Telangana still receive TG numbers.

Converting later

An existing TS or TG vehicle can be converted to BH by applying in Form 27A and paying the tax.

How do AP, TS and TG plates compare?

All three codes have been used on Telangana vehicles. AP was used until June 2014, TS from June 2014 to March 2024, and TG since then. All three remain valid on vehicles registered under them, and each is searched in the same way.

Office codes carried across

The office numbers did not carry over from AP. AP 09 became TS 09, but AP 28 Attapur became TS 07, so do not assume the digits match.

What buyers should check

When buying a used car, check that the plate, RC and Vahan record show the same code.

What mistakes do people make with TS numbers?

The most common mistakes are thinking TS plates are no longer valid, typing TG when searching a TS vehicle, reading TS 14 as a regular office and taking an old AP plate for an Andhra vehicle. Each one is easy to avoid.

Buying a used vehicle

Match the plate, chassis number and RC against Vahan before paying. A plate that has been repainted from TS to TG is a warning sign.