How vehicle numbers are counted
Indian registration plates carry a state code, a district number, a letter series and a final number. Most practitioners count only the final block, which is the part people remember and quote. If you prefer, this calculator can also add every digit on the plate, or every digit and letter using Chaldean values for the letters.
What the totals mean
1 suits a vehicle used for work and visibility, 3 for long family journeys, 5 for constant travel and commercial use, 6 for comfort and family cars, 9 for heavy or high-powered vehicles. Totals of 4 and 8 carry the Rahu and Saturn associations of delay and repair, which is why they are usually avoided even by people who dismiss the rest of the system.
Buying a new vehicle
Many Indian states let you pay for a preferred registration number, which is where this becomes practical rather than theoretical. If you are going to pay for a choice, pick a final block whose total is friendly with your driver number. Do not pay a premium for a number that only a numerologist would notice, and never let it decide which vehicle you buy.
Questions people ask
Which part of the number plate do I count?
Most Indian practitioners use only the last block, so KA 01 AB 1234 is counted as 1+2+3+4 = 10, which reduces to 1. Options for the full plate are available above.
Which vehicle numbers are considered unlucky?
Totals of 4 and 8 are the ones usually avoided. Practitioners also dislike numbers hostile to the owner's driver number.
What if I already own a vehicle with an unfavourable number?
The common advice is practical: service it properly and drive calmly. Some people add a charm on the dashboard, which is tradition rather than mechanics.