Can a Temporary License Plate for a Passenger Car Be Used Across Provinces?

[VonGia]

Passenger cars with temporary license plates can travel across provinces, provided that a cross-administrative region temporary license plate is applied for. Temporary license plates can be categorized into: Temporary license plates for within administrative regions; Temporary license plates for cross-administrative regions; Temporary license plates for testing purposes; Temporary license plates for special-type motor vehicles. Meaning of Temporary License Plates: Temporary license plates are paper-based motor vehicle license plates that permit temporary road use of motor vehicles, also known as temporary driving license plates. Conditions for Applying for Temporary License Plates: Driving the vehicle from the place of purchase to the place of use; Vehicle transfer, with official license plates surrendered; New vehicles without official license plates in the local area that need to be driven elsewhere for modifications; Purchasing a vehicle locally to be driven elsewhere; Temporary use required before a permanent vehicle registration is fixed.

[ORyder]

I remember being really torn about this issue when I bought my car. Can you drive out of province with a temporary license plate for a new car? The answer depends on the type of temporary plate. Regular temporary plates are only for local use—for example, if you bought your car in Shandong and got a local temporary plate, driving to Jiangsu could get you fined. But if you apply for an inter-provincial temporary plate, there’s no problem at all—it’s valid nationwide. I recommend going straight to the DMV to clarify and specify during the application that you plan to travel out of province; they’ll issue you the right version. Otherwise, driving long distances with a local temporary plate is pretty risky—if you get pulled over by traffic police halfway, not only could you face fines and points, but it could also disrupt your trip. A friend of mine almost did this once but ended up switching plates after consulting. Bottom line: don’t cut corners—check your temporary plate’s validity and type in advance.