Can a car's license plate be changed?
2 Answers
A car cannot change its license plate unless it is transferred to a new owner, in which case a new plate can be issued, but the new plate belongs to the new owner. To change the license plate, one would need to purchase another vehicle. According to regulations, to retain a license plate, the owner must first complete a transfer registration or cancellation registration, transferring the old vehicle to someone else or applying for its scrappage. Then, within six months, the owner must submit an application to the vehicle management office to retain the original plate number, providing the necessary documents for the new vehicle and surrendering the old plate. License plates follow a limited lifetime system; applications must be made within six months after scrappage or after owning the plate for at least three years. When registering a new vehicle, the owner can apply to continue using the original plate number or choose a new one. If the owner fails to apply to retain the plate number within six months, the vehicle management office will reclaim the plate and make it available for public selection by other vehicles.
Regarding changing license plates, it's not as simple as you might think. According to our country's regulations, license plates are tied to the owner's information, and they can only be replaced if there's a legal reason. The most common situation is vehicle transfer—for example, if you sell your car to someone else, the original plate must be reclaimed and reissued. Additionally, if the plate is stolen or severely damaged and unreadable, you can apply for a replacement at the DMV, though the number usually stays the same. If you want a completely new plate number, your options are basically limited to transferring ownership or going through an auction process. A reminder: after changing plates, you must immediately update your ETC and car insurance information, or you might run into trouble with toll reimbursements. I've seen many people on forums transferring ownership to relatives or friends just to get a desired plate number, but this approach is both costly and time-consuming.
