Can a 9-Seater Passenger Vehicle Get a Blue License Plate?
3 Answers
9-seater vehicles should be registered with blue license plates. Here is an introduction to why 9-seater vehicles can get blue license plates: (1) Vehicles with a total mass below 4500KG (excluding) and passenger capacity (excluding the driver) under 20 people (excluding) are eligible for blue license plates. (2) Vehicles with a body length below 6 meters (excluding) are classified as small cars and should be issued blue license plates with white characters and white borders. Currently, license plates come in five colors: blue with white characters, yellow with black characters, black with white characters, white with black characters, and green with white characters. 1. Green with white characters license plate: Solid green is for tractor license plates, while gradient green is a special plate introduced for new energy vehicles. 2. Blue with white characters license plate: Blue license plates, the most common type, are mainly used for small vehicles. 3. Yellow with black characters license plate: Yellow license plates are also very common and are generally used for large vehicles, motorcycles, driving school training vehicles, and trucks. 4. Black with white characters license plate: These are for foreign enterprises (Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan), foreign and international organizations stationed in China, vehicles purchased by foreigners in their personal names for use in China, and vehicles entering from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, or foreign countries. 5. White with black characters license plate: White license plates are mainly used for public security, procuratorate, and law enforcement vehicles, armed forces vehicles, and military vehicles of the People's Liberation Army, among other authority vehicles.
I used to drive a 9-seater Iveco, which handled quite smoothly and had a blue license plate. Vehicles with seating capacity within 9 seats are classified as small passenger cars, and a blue license plate is completely acceptable. This is much more convenient than vehicles exceeding 9 seats that require yellow plates, as blue plates enjoy lower parking fees in urban areas and share the same road rights as regular sedans. When purchasing such vehicles, the vehicle management office primarily checks the seating capacity stated in the vehicle registration documents, so it's crucial for manufacturers to accurately label this at the factory. In my experience, traffic police occasionally conduct inspections in some areas, and issues like overloading or seating discrepancies might cause trouble, but normal use of blue-plate vehicles is hassle-free. I recommend paying attention to license plate colors and vehicle types to avoid purchasing incorrectly modified used cars that could affect registration.
I recently planned to switch to a 9-seater business van for daily commuting. I specifically consulted the vehicle management office, and they said that small passenger vehicles with 9 seats or fewer can get blue license plates, and the procedures are not complicated. The advantage of blue plates is the flexibility for daily travel, easier parking in urban areas, and relatively lower insurance costs. If the vehicle exceeds 9 seats, it requires a yellow license plate, which involves obtaining a special operating permit—quite troublesome. I think it’s best to check the vehicle management office’s website before buying to avoid misjudging the seating capacity. For example, some vehicles exceed the seat limit after modifications and require re-registration. In short, blue-plate vehicles are more convenient for family or small group trips.
