Fees for embossed vehicle license plates have increased by up to four times after the military junta’s Road Transportation Administration Department revised its pricing, according to vehicle brokers.
The Road Transportation Administration Department announced that the new license plate fees would take effect from January 1, 2026, stating that the adjustment was made to align with current market conditions.
Under the new rates, embossed license plate fees are set at 40,000 kyats for cars, 40,000 kyats for three-wheeled trucks, 7,000 kyats for motorcycles, 10,000 kyats for three-wheeled vehicles, and 20,000 kyats for trailers, depending on the vehicle type.
A vehicle broker in Mawlamyine said the increase has placed a heavy burden on vehicle owners.
“I just helped arrange a license plate for a monk’s car at the Mawlamyine Road Transportation Administration Department office. Before, both front and back plates cost only 9,000 kyats. Now it has gone up to 40,000 kyats. That is nearly four times higher. For motorcycles and three-wheelers, it used to cost only 2,500 kyats, but now it can reach 20,000 kyats,” the broker said.
Brokers added that embossed license plates can be made not only at department offices but also at private vehicle shops approved by the military junta.
Despite the sharp price increase, vehicle owners say they have no choice but to replace their license plates, as the military junta has stepped up inspections and arrests of vehicles and motorcycles that do not use the new embossed plates.
A driver from Mudon Township said that although license plates issued by department offices are more durable than those made at private shops, the rising costs remain a concern.
“Plates made at the department office are better quality. Plates from outside shops peel off quickly. Even so, we must replace them. If we don’t, our vehicles can be seized,” the driver said.
According to official explanations, embossed license plates are used to allow real-time checks of vehicle information, track vehicle locations, identify vehicles involved in crimes, and arrest illegal vehicles.
Statistics from the Road Transportation Administration Department in 2025 show that more than 646,000 passenger vehicles are registered nationwide, along with over 33,000 trucks, 120,000 three-wheeled vehicles, 23,000 trailers, and more than 4.2 million motorcycles.
Amid rising living costs under military rule, vehicle users are facing additional financial pressure from higher license plate fees, while also reporting frequent arrests and demands for money by soldiers, Pyusawhtee members, police, and traffic police during roadside checks.
