HÀ NỘI — Five categories of automobile registration plates are expected to be auctioned online soon to serve people who desire to have their own unique registration plate as well as enrich the State budget.

The types of automobile registration plates proposed for auction include the same five digits, the same four last digits, the same three last digits, steadily increasing digits (for example, 56789), and people’s favourite.

The Ministry of Public Security announced on Tuesday that it had submitted the proposal to the Government for approval.

Lê Xuân Đức, deputy head of the ministry’s Traffic Police Department, said the proposal was finally submitted to the Government after collecting feedback five times from experts, relevant agencies and the public.

He said an online auction was believed to allow easy participation of the public.

The ministry has prepared a system to ensure that the online auction was smooth and transparent. The money from the auction would be sent to the State budget, Đức said, adding that the proposal was expected to be welcomed by the public if it gets the Government’s green light.

How to participate in the auction

Under the proposal, the registration plates to be auctioned will be published at every station where people register their vehicles, as well as on a website run by the ministry.

Those who want to take part in the auction must have an online account and a vehicle with legal documents.

The auction will comply with the current laws and regulations, including the Law on Road Traffic, the 2017 Law on Management and Use of Public Property, the 2016 Law on Property Auction, as well as regulations issued by the Ministry of Public Security on vehicle registration and management.

Based on the laws and regulations, the registration plate of a car is defined as a public asset under State management.

Đức said according to the regulation on vehicle registration, each registration plate was only granted to one vehicle. The winner of the auction would be allowed to use the registration plate for his or her car.

As per regulations, if the car was sold to a new owner in the same locality, the registration plate could be continued to be used for the vehicle. But if the car was sold to a new owner in another locality, the registration plate would need to be changed, Đức said.

It is estimated that the State could earn VNĐ5 trillion (US$222.2 million) every year from the auction of vehicle registration plates. — VNS