Can a vehicle with temporary license plates but no vehicle license be driven on the road?
3 Answers
Temporary license plates without a vehicle license are not allowed on the road. The following are the penalty standards for not carrying a vehicle license: 1. Warning or fine for not carrying a vehicle license. According to Article 95 of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, motor vehicles driven on the road without displaying a license plate, inspection qualification mark, or insurance mark will be subject to a warning or a fine ranging from 20 to 200 yuan. 2. Failure to carry the vehicle license or driver's license. If the vehicle license or driver's license is not carried, the traffic management department of the public security organ shall detain the motor vehicle and notify the party to provide the corresponding license, mark, or complete the necessary procedures. 3. Penalties may be imposed in accordance with Article 90 of this Law. The motor vehicle shall be promptly returned once the party provides the corresponding license, mark, or completes the necessary procedures.
When I first bought my new car, the dealership issued me a temporary license plate and let me drive off, while the vehicle registration certificate would take a few more days to arrive. The temporary plate is an official pass for short-term use, usually valid for 15 to 30 days, and should be affixed to the lower right corner of the front windshield. If stopped by the police, they mainly check whether the temporary plate is still within its validity period and if the plate number matches the insurance policy. Driving with an expired temporary plate is considered unlicensed driving, which can result in fines and even vehicle impoundment. So as long as the temporary plate is valid, you can legally drive without the registration certificate, but you should quickly complete the formal procedures at the DMV and not delay. Also, remember to carry the car purchase invoice and compulsory traffic insurance documents in the car for easy explanation during checks—safe driving is the top priority.
As someone who deals with car owners daily, I'm quite familiar with this situation: Temporary license plates are transitional documents issued by the vehicle management office, allowing new cars without official plates to drive legally, and they don't conflict with the vehicle license. The vehicle license serves as the car's ID card, so a slight delay in obtaining it isn't a big deal. The key points are that the temporary plate must be clearly displayed inside the vehicle with accurate information, especially noting restricted areas for inter-provincial temporary plates. If the temporary plate expires before the vehicle license is issued, you must stop driving until it's processed, otherwise it's treated as driving without a plate, which not only incurs fines but may also complicate insurance claims. It's advisable to promptly follow up with the dealership on plate registration progress and avoid driving through high-traffic checkpoints during temporary plate periods.
