Can a Temporary Vehicle License Plate Be Used on Highways?
2 Answers
Can a Temporary Vehicle License Plate Be Used on Highways? A temporary vehicle license plate can be used on highways. Since a temporary license plate is the only legal credential for driving on the road before the official license plate is issued, as long as the vehicle is equipped with a temporary plate, it can travel normally on both highways and low-speed roads. When entering a highway toll station, you only need to take the manual lane to collect a card. After exiting the highway, return the card to the staff and pay the toll. The pass card contains an electronic chip that calculates the time, distance, and toll standards for the highway journey. You can apply for a temporary license plate from the local vehicle management office under any of the following conditions: 1. When driving the vehicle from the place of purchase to the place of use, you need to apply for a temporary license plate at the vehicle management office in the place of purchase. 2. When transferring vehicle registration and after paying for the official license plate, you need to apply for a temporary license plate at the local vehicle management office to drive back to your locality. 3. For a new vehicle in the local area that has not yet obtained an official license plate but needs to be driven to another location for modifications, you must apply for a temporary license plate locally. After modifications are completed, apply for a temporary license plate at the local office to drive back to the original area. 4. For vehicle owners who have not yet fixed their vehicle registration and need to test drive temporarily.
Last year, right after buying my new car, I used temporary license plates to drive on the highway from Shanghai to Hangzhou without any issues. Let me tell you, there are two types of temporary plates: local ones are blue and restricted to the city, while inter-regional ones are yellow and allow highway travel. When I picked up my car at the dealership, I applied for an inter-regional temporary plate valid for 15 days. The staff reminded me to place it at the bottom right corner of the windshield without obstructing the view. During the three-hour highway drive, toll booth staff could clearly see it, and everything went smoothly. As long as the plate is valid, there’s no need to worry about police checks—I kept the purchase invoice as backup. The key is ensuring it doesn’t expire and planning your trip carefully, especially for long distances, to avoid issues midway. Overall, using temporary plates on highways is common; new drivers shouldn’t stress—just follow the rules.
