Before modern number plates, digital RCs, and India’s VAHAN system, there was a single, simple identifier that changed transportation forever:
Driving Permit No. 1
Issued in 1898 in the Netherlands, it became the first national vehicle registration number in history.
This humble number marked the beginning of organized road transport, vehicle tracking, regulation—and eventually, modern systems like India’s scrapping policy, fitness testing, and digital databases.
Let’s explore the fascinating story of Driving Permit No. 1 and how it shaped the world of mobility.
When Did Vehicle Registration Begin? The Dutch Revolution of 1898
Before 1898, cars were extremely rare, and most countries had no formal system to identify vehicles or their owners. As car numbers slowly increased, governments realized they needed a way to:
- Track ownership
- Maintain road safety
- Prevent misuse
- Control traffic
- Enforce laws
The Netherlands became the first country to introduce a nationwide registration system.
🌟 In 1898, the Dutch government issued the first-ever national vehicle registration: “1”
The document was officially titled:
Driving Permit No. 1
This number belonged to a Dutch businessman who registered his motor vehicle—making transportation history.
Why Was Driving Permit No. 1 So Important?
Driving Permit No. 1 was more than a number—it was a turning point.
✔ First global attempt to regulate motor vehicles
✔ Foundation for modern vehicle registration laws
✔ Enabled safety, accountability, and legal ownership tracking
✔ Inspired France, Germany, India, and other countries to adopt similar systems
✔ Led to license plates, chassis numbers, and digital RC systems
Today, every car—from a supercar to a small hatchback—carries a legacy that began with that simple number: 1.
From Driving Permit No. 1 to India’s Vehicle Registration System
India later adopted registration during the early 1900s under British rule, eventually formalizing it under:
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1914
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1939
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
Today, India maintains over 34 crore registered vehicles through its VAHAN digital platform.
What began with a handwritten Dutch permit evolved into:
- High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP)
- QR-coded plates
- Digital RCs
- Online transfer systems
- Automated fitness tests
The journey from “1” to millions of vehicles showcases how far mobility has come.
Did Driving Permit No. 1 Influence Modern Traffic Safety? Absolutely.
Without the concept of vehicle registration:
- Law enforcement could not trace vehicles
- Road accidents would be unmanageable
- Ownership disputes would be common
- Pollution tracking would be impossible
- Scrapping policies wouldn’t exist
Driving Permit No. 1 laid the foundation for organized transportation, which later enabled governments to:
- implement emission norms,
- track unfit vehicles, and
- enforce scrapping requirements.
How Vehicle Scrapping Connects Back to Driving Permit No. 1
Registration gave every vehicle an identity.
Scrapping ensures every vehicle has a responsible ending.
Old, unfit vehicles contribute heavily to:
- air pollution
- CO₂ emissions
- health problems
- unsafe roads
- climate change
India’s Vehicle Scrapping Policy ensures that vehicles that no longer meet safety or emission standards are removed from the roads.
When a vehicle is scrapped legally, its registration is permanently cancelled—
A direct continuation of the system that began with Driving Permit No. 1.
Carbasket plays a key role in this by offering:
- Government-authorized scrapping
- RC cancellation
- Scrap value
- Certificate of Deposit (COD)
- Eco-friendly recycling
Fun Facts About Driving Permit No. 1
- It was issued only on paper, long before plates became metal.
- The number was simply “1”, with no letters or region codes.
- It predates France’s 1893 city-level plates, but is the first national registration.
- More than 125 years later, it is still referenced in global transport history books.
🚘 What Is the First Vehicle Registration Number in India?
✅ India’s first vehicle registration number is NOT officially known.
There is no verified government record or historic RTO document that identifies:
- the first registration number,
- the first registered vehicle, or
- the first issued license plate in India.
Here’s why:
❗ Why India’s First Vehicle Registration Number Is Unknown
1️⃣ Vehicle registration did NOT exist when the first cars arrived (1897–1910).
India’s first car arrived in 1897 (imported by Mr. Foster of Crompton Greaves),
but there was no Motor Vehicles Act or central registration system yet.
2️⃣ First registration law came only in 1914.
The Indian Motor Vehicles Act, 1914 formalized:
- Registration numbers
- Driving licenses
- Regional codes
- Permit rules
Any vehicle before 1914 had municipal permissions, not standard number plates.
3️⃣ Early registration records were handwritten.
Separate provinces (Bombay, Calcutta, Madras) kept their own books, many of which:
- Were never digitized
- Were lost over decades
- Have no archival preservation
4️⃣ No national registration format existed before 1939.
Until 1939, each state or presidency used its own lettering system.
🔍 What Do Historians Believe?
Based on documented history:
✔ The first car in India (1897) likely received the first municipal registration/permit in Bombay Presidency.
But the number is lost, and no surviving photo or plate exists.
✔ No museum, archive, or collector has the “first number plate.”
Even the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways does not possess such a record.
🇮🇳 Earliest Known Vehicle Codes in India
The earliest known (but not first) regional codes were:
- B = Bombay
- C = Calcutta
- M = Madras
These appear in records from the 1910s–1920s, but even these do not represent the first registration numbers — only the earliest surviving documentation.
🛑 So what is the first vehicle number?
❌ No official document exists.
❌ No historian or government authority has confirmed it.
❌ No scanned archives contain the first registration entry.
Therefore, the first vehicle registration number in India remains unknown.
🌟 Why This Matters Today
This lack of early documentation highlights the importance of:
- Proper registration
- Digital record-keeping
- RC cancellation
- Official scrappage documentation
Old vehicles in India today often remain in VAHAN due to improper deregistration — which can cause legal issues and misuse.
♻️ Carbasket Helps Clean the Registration Ecosystem
To avoid situations like early undocumented vehicles, Carbasket ensures:
✔ Legal scrapping
✔ RC cancellation
✔ Chassis cut video proof
✔ Certificate of Deposit (CoD)
✔ Certificate of Vehicle Scrapping (CVS)
✔ Safe removal of old, inactive vehicles from VAHAN
FAQs — Driving Permit No. 1 & Early Vehicle Registration
1. What exactly was Driving Permit No. 1?
The world’s first national vehicle registration number issued in 1898 by the Netherlands.
2. Who received Driving Permit No. 1?
A Dutch businessman (name not officially recorded in preserved archives).
3. Was this the first number plate in the world?
It was the first nationwide registration number; France had city-level plates earlier in 1893.
4. How is this related to modern vehicle systems?
It established the idea of tracking vehicles by number—used today in RC systems, databases, and scrapping processes.
5. How does vehicle scrapping fit into this history?
A vehicle’s registration begins at issuance and ends when it is cancelled during scrapping. The lifecycle depends entirely on the registration concept that started with Driving Permit No. 1.
6. What is the first vehicle registration number in India?
The exact first registration number is unknown because no official record survives from the pre-1914 era.
7. Why is the first registration number not documented?
Because India did not have a formal Motor Vehicles Act until 1914. Early registrations were handled locally, on paper, and most were never preserved.
8. Who owned the first car in India?
The first recorded car in India was imported in 1897 by Mr. Foster of Crompton Greaves (Bombay).
4. Did his vehicle have the first registration?
Most likely yes — but the actual number was never documented or archived, so it is lost to history.
9. When did India start official vehicle registration?
In 1914, under the Indian Motor Vehicles Act, 1914.
10. What were the earliest known registration codes?
Early presidency regions used their own codes such as:
- B for Bombay
- C for Calcutta
- M for Madras
But these were not the first registrations — only the earliest surviving documents.
11. When did India adopt a uniform number plate system?
In 1939, under updated Motor Vehicles rules.
12. Why does knowing the first registration number matter?
It shows how vehicle documentation evolved and highlights the importance of proper registration and RC cancellation today.
13. Are early vehicle records preserved anywhere?
No. Pre-1930s records are largely lost due to:
- No digitization
- Poor archival systems
- Multiple state-level logbooks
- Wear and damage over decades
14. How does Carbasket help with modern vehicle records?
Carbasket ensures:
✔ Safe scrapping
✔ RC cancellation
✔ Removal of inactive vehicles from VAHAN
✔ Documentation via CVS & CoD
Conclusion
From the issuance of Driving Permit No. 1 in 1898 to India’s advanced digital registration and scrapping systems today, the world has come a long way. One handwritten registration number triggered a global transformation in mobility, safety, and sustainability.
At Carbasket, we continue this legacy by ensuring that every old vehicle receives a safe, legal, and environmentally responsible end-of-life journey.
