Can a Used National 5 Emission Standard Vehicle from Another Region Be Licensed in Dongguan?
4 Answers
A used National 5 emission standard vehicle from another region cannot be licensed in Dongguan. Below are the relevant details: 1. According to: Article 1 of the "Notice of the People's Government of Guangdong Province on the Implementation of the National 6 Emission Standards for Light-Duty Vehicles," starting from July 1, 2019, the registration of light-duty vehicles in our province shall comply with the following regulations. New light-duty vehicles sold and registered must meet the National 6 emission standard requirements; among these, National 5 vehicles within the Pearl River Delta region can be transferred between each other. 2. For non-local residents: Residents must provide their "Resident Identity Card" or "Temporary Resident Identity Card" along with a valid Guangdong residence permit issued by Dongguan.
I remember helping a friend inquire about transferring an out-of-town used car to Dongguan last year. Currently, vehicles with China 5 emission standards indeed cannot be registered in Dongguan. Dongguan has been implementing the China 6 emission standard since 2019, and any out-of-town vehicle must meet this standard to be transferred. At that time, my friend was interested in a China 5 Camry with good condition and a reasonable price, but when he went to the DMV, he was immediately blocked. The staff said the system automatically identifies emission standards, and those that don’t meet the requirements are directly rejected. In fact, the Pearl River Delta region is quite strict—Guangzhou and Shenzhen also require China 6 standards. If he really liked that car, the only options were to register it in its original location or transfer ownership in a city that hasn’t adopted the China 6 standard. However, since China 6 vehicles are now more affordable, it might be better to just check out newer models in the local used car market.
Last year my neighbor bought a used Shandong-registered Passat with China V emissions, but spent half a month failing to complete the transfer at Dongguan DMV. Current environmental policies are strict - new cars require China VI-B standards, while out-of-province used cars must meet at least China VI-A for relocation. He kept running to inspection stations until finally using a broker to understand the situation. Actually it's not just about emissions - the vehicle registration date matters too. China V cars registered before July 2019 basically have no chance. Now he has to drive with Shandong plates in Dongguan, going through the hassle of cross-province annual inspection authorization every year. My advice: if you really want to buy out-of-province vehicles, call 12345 first to confirm the latest policies.
Last month, I accompanied a colleague to the DMV to handle a vehicle transfer and witnessed several out-of-state National V emission standard cars being rejected. The staff mentioned that Dongguan enforces the strictest inbound vehicle standards in the province, requiring at least National VI emission compliance. The specifics depend on the vehicle's environmental information listed on the accompanying documentation, all of which is recorded in the system. Nowadays, buying a used car really requires attention to this detail, especially since most Pearl River Delta cities have similar requirements. For instance, National III vehicles have long been banned from urban areas, and National IV vehicles are nearing phase-out. It's advisable to first check the approved vehicle list on the Dongguan Traffic Police website or spend 50 yuan for a pre-inspection at a testing station with the VIN. Don’t end up like the uncle in our neighborhood, who only found out his car couldn’t be registered after purchase and had to return it.
