Can a Temporary License Plate for a Passenger Car Be Used Across Provinces?
3 Answers
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.
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.
As someone who has worked in car dealerships for years, I've seen this situation countless times. Whether a temporary license plate can be used across provinces depends entirely on its type. Local temporary plates are restricted to use within the province only - crossing provincial borders with them is illegal and can invite trouble. Cross-province temporary plates, however, allow nationwide travel. I advise car owners to carefully check the markings on temporary plates, which usually specify 'limited to local use' or 'valid nationwide'. If you're planning a road trip, say from Beijing to Shanghai, it's best to apply for the cross-province version upfront. Don't cut corners by using the wrong type, otherwise getting stopped mid-journey could mean not just fines but also travel delays. Temporary plates have very short validity periods, typically just days to weeks, so handle these formalities well before any long-distance travel plans.
