Can a temporary license plate apply for ETC?
4 Answers
When applying for ETC, a vehicle registration certificate is required, and temporary license plates may not be eligible for processing. According to the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Application Service of Electronic Non-stop Toll Collection on Expressways" issued by the Ministry of Transport, the original valid ID card of the vehicle owner, the original and copy of the vehicle registration certificate, and the page with the most recent annual inspection stamp on the registration certificate are required. If applying on behalf of someone else, the original valid ID card of the agent is also required. If applying for ETC through major bank branches, a debit card or credit card from the corresponding bank must be prepared. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a portion of the amount as a deposit when binding ETC with a debit card. The definition of temporary license plates: Temporary license plates for vehicles are temporary driving permits issued by the vehicle management authorities before the vehicle is officially registered due to ongoing procedures. Temporary license plates are valid for no more than 15 days, and the owner should promptly apply for official license plates from the vehicle management authority. ETC deduction principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on the expressway. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the on-board electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with the bank, the purpose of paying tolls without stopping at the toll station is achieved. All of this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line; Green and environmentally friendly: Low-carbon, vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions and minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs, reduces the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, and lowers wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: The theoretical efficiency of ETC lanes can be increased by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC updates faster and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council clearly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will be significantly increased." It also set a clear target in the "13th Five-Year Plan" comprehensive transportation development indicators: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and the ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles, the future will also promote the use of ETC for trucks and explore the deep integration of the ETC system with vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-road coordination, and other smart transportation development directions, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications. ETC usage precautions: The ETC transaction sensing area is 8 meters. When encountering a stopped vehicle ahead, to prevent the ETC device of the preceding vehicle from malfunctioning or not having an ETC device at all, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters from the preceding vehicle to avoid automatic sensing and paying for the preceding vehicle. The recognition speed for ETC lane passage is 20 km/h. If the speed is too fast, the vehicle device information cannot be read, and the deduction will fail. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or detachment or loosening of the ETC electronic tag, will cause the electronic tag to fail. It can be sent to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the expressway service office for testing. If the loosening or detachment is not due to human factors, it only needs to be reactivated. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance will also cause the deduction to fail. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pass by cash or card. Excessive thickness of the car windshield may cause poor sensing. This is especially important for vehicles that have had accidents and had their windshields replaced, or for those who have modified their front windshields.
I find this issue often troubles new car owners, so I need to explain it from a regulatory perspective. Temporary license plates for vehicles generally cannot be used to directly apply for an ETC, because the ETC system requires binding to the vehicle's permanent license plate number. Temporary plates are just provisional identifiers and usually become invalid once the official plates are issued. When applying for ETC, the device must be registered to a fixed license plate. The short-term and unstable nature of temporary plates can render the installation ineffective or even cause errors, potentially leading to disputes at highway toll stations due to system recognition issues. I recommend waiting until the official license plates are obtained before installing the ETC—don’t rush for convenience. During the temporary plate period, you can use manual payment methods at highway tolls, which may take a bit more time but are safe and reliable. Remember, installing ETC can save you a lot on toll fees and queuing time, so it’s worth the wait.
As someone who loves tinkering with automotive technology, let me talk about the compatibility between ETC and temporary license plates. ETC devices primarily work by binding to a vehicle's license plate number, while temporary plates use transient numeric codes that can change at any time. This may cause the device to read incorrectly or become unresponsive after installation, such as failing to scan or experiencing data conflicts. I once tried operating on a friend's car, and the system required input of permanent information to activate the device. Technically speaking, the short-term use of temporary plates also makes installation pointless—the device might expire before it's even properly debugged. My advice is to first obtain the official license plate, then apply for ETC through formal channels. Additionally, ETC isn't just for highways; it can also be used for automatic payments at some parking lots. Installing it early saves a lot of hassle. Don't rush for temporary convenience—waiting a few days is more reliable and reduces technical issues.
I also cared about this issue when I first bought my car, so let me share my thoughts. Temporary license plates can't apply for ETC because the vehicle plate isn't finalized yet. ETC device binding requires long-term valid information, and installation requires submitting either the vehicle registration certificate or permanent license plate details beforehand. A friend of mine tried it, but the system rejected it, resulting in a wasted trip. I recommend car owners wait until they get their official license plates before applying at a bank or ETC service point. During the temporary plate period, using a highway toll card for manual payment is fine—it's slightly slower but safe and straightforward. Additionally, ETC offers discounts, such as a 10% reduction on toll fees, which can save a significant amount of money in the long run, making the wait worthwhile. Don't worry about delays—new car procedures are completed quickly.
