Can a new car be driven without license plates for 7 days?
2 Answers
A new car cannot be driven without license plates for 7 days. An unregistered new car is not allowed on the road and must be registered with the traffic management department of the public security authority before it can be driven. If temporary driving is needed, a temporary license plate should be obtained. Driving a new car without license plates also carries a risk: in the event of a traffic accident, the insurance company may refuse to compensate for the commercial insurance portion, as driving without plates is generally covered under the insurance company's exemption clauses. After purchasing a new car, procedures such as purchasing insurance, handling the purchase tax, vehicle inspection, and selecting a license plate number must be completed. Among these, purchasing insurance can be done simultaneously with the car purchase. Handling the purchase tax usually takes half a day, while vehicle inspection and license plate selection take about half a day each. Therefore, if the owner is in a hurry, these procedures can be completed in one day, or at most within about 2 working days.
Just picked up my new car and the excitement hasn’t worn off yet, but I must tell you—driving without a license plate for even a single day is a no-go, let alone seven. When I went to the DMV for a temporary plate recently, the staff emphasized that even the drive home from the dealership requires one. There are two types of temporary plates: the blue-striped one is valid for 15 days within the city, while the yellow-striped one allows cross-province travel for 30 days. My neighbor ignored this, drove his new car unplated, and got pulled over—resulting in a 12-point deduction, a 200-yuan fine, and his car impounded. Nowadays, new car registrations are all digitally linked, leaving no loopholes to exploit. Remember to either have the dealership arrange a temporary plate before pickup or visit the DMV yourself—don’t gamble with your license.
