Can a car's license plate be changed?
4 Answers
In principle, it is not allowed to change the license plate. If there are special circumstances requiring a license plate change, you must apply for re-registration at the vehicle management office. Below is the procedure for handling the replacement of a license plate: Required documents: In addition to the vehicle's registration certificate and your ID card, you must bring the motor vehicle registration certificate if it has been processed. For company vehicles, the organization code certificate is also required. Vehicle Management Office: The owner first needs to fill out a license replacement application form at the vehicle management branch. For company vehicles, the form must be stamped with the company's official seal before submission. The vehicle management office will then provide a police receipt and a temporary license plate. The temporary license plate should be placed in a visible position on the vehicle's front windshield for inspection by traffic police. Using a temporary license plate does not affect the annual inspection. If only one license plate is lost, the old plate must be surrendered when applying for a replacement. Waiting: After 30 working days, you can collect the new license plate from the vehicle management office. The new license plate will have the same number as your original one, and your vehicle registration certificate can still be used.
You can change the license plate, but you must go through the formal procedures at the vehicle management office. I previously changed the plate for our family's old car, and the process was as follows: prepare the vehicle registration certificate, ID card, and driving license, then go to the vehicle management office to fill out an application form. Note that license plate changes are only allowed in three cases: vehicle transfer, change of residence, or damage to the license plate. Simply wanting a luckier number won’t work. When selecting a new number, you must choose from 50 options in the system. It’s advisable to check the recent number segments in advance to avoid numbers with '4' or restricted tail numbers. Finally, pay a 120 yuan processing fee. The old license plate will be recycled and destroyed, and the new plate must be installed using the special screws provided by the vehicle management office. The entire process takes about two hours. After completion, don’t forget to update your ETC information.
I'm quite familiar with changing license plates, having helped friends with it twice. The most crucial point is that the reason for the change must be legitimate: either the vehicle was bought or sold and transferred, the owner's household registration was moved to another location, or the original plate was damaged in a collision. Bring all the required documents to the DMV window, where the staff will check if the vehicle has any outstanding violations. Choosing a new number is like opening a blind box—you have to be quick to stop the rolling screen. Last time, I missed out on a nice number with '88', but ended up randomly selecting one with '7K', which was pretty cool too. Once you get the new plates, install them immediately, and if you're stopped by traffic police, remember to show them the change certificate.
Changing license plates in real life is more troublesome than imagined. Last year, I had to transfer my household registration to a neighboring province to meet the replacement requirements, and I took time off specifically to visit the vehicle management office. The staff repeatedly emphasized three points: the original license plate must have been used for at least one year, the vehicle cannot have any mortgage loans, and special number combinations cannot be requested for the new plate. During the number selection process, I found that pure numeric plates were basically unavailable, as they now use alphanumeric combinations. Finally, I received the new blue plate with white characters, but during installation, I discovered that my older car required an additional adapter bracket, costing me an extra 80 yuan. It's advisable to clear all traffic violations on your vehicle before attempting to change plates, otherwise, the trip would be in vain.
