Can China 5 vehicles still be transferred after the implementation of China 6?

[LaAnderson]

China 5 vehicles can still be transferred after the implementation of China 6. After the implementation of the China 6 emission standard, there is no impact on the transfer of local China 5 used vehicles, which means that for regions where the China 6 emission standard has been implemented, used vehicles that do not meet the China 6 emission standard can still be transferred normally. The China 6 Motor Vehicle Pollutant Emission Standard refers to the standard formulated to implement the Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China and the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China, to prevent and control the pollution of the environment by the exhaust of compression-ignition and gas-fueled spark-ignition engine vehicles, to protect the ecological environment, and to safeguard human health. The China 5 Motor Vehicle Pollutant Emission Standard is referred to as the China 5 standard, and the emission control level of the China 5 standard is equivalent to the fifth-stage emission standard currently implemented in Europe.

[SanWalter]

I recently dealt with the transfer of a China 5 vehicle, and the current situation varies by location. In most cities, after the implementation of China 6 standards, transferring a China 5 vehicle locally is still not a problem. For example, here in Shandong, buying and selling China 5 vehicles between owners can still go through the procedures. However, cross-province transfers are more complicated, especially if you're trying to move the vehicle into cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen that enforce China 6 standards—the environmental review will likely fail. Last year, I tried to transfer my China 5 SUV to Beijing, but it got stuck at the emissions standard checkpoint. I recommend checking the specific requirements of the destination city before selling, or simply finding a local buyer to avoid hassle. There are still many China 5 vehicles circulating in the used car market, but they're priced 20-30% lower than China 6 vehicles.

[EvangelineDella]

Those who have paid attention to the issue of transferring China 5 vehicles should know that it mainly depends on the region where the vehicle is being transferred. In-province transfers are usually unaffected. My friend just transferred a China 5 car to a relative in Jiangsu last month, and the DMV completed it in half an hour. However, extra caution is needed for cross-regional transfers, especially if the recipient is in a region that has implemented China 6 emission standards—the environmental department will enforce strict emission checks. I remember when Hangzhou fully implemented China 6 last year, many out-of-town China 5 vehicles couldn’t be transferred. Fortunately, you can now check the specific policies of local DMVs online, and calling ahead to confirm is the safest approach. If you plan to keep the car long-term, local transactions are completely fine.

[RoseFitz]

Emission policies indeed impact vehicle circulation. After the implementation of China VI standards, local transfers of China V vehicles are generally permitted, while cross-regional transfers face strict restrictions. Enforcement standards vary across cities—environmentally progressive regions like Hainan banned cross-regional registration of China V vehicles as early as 2020. In practice, an environmental compliance checklist must be submitted before vehicle registration, and applications are directly rejected if the engine model doesn't meet requirements. Some economic zones like the Yangtze River Delta allow internal circulation, but cross-regional transfers still require China VI compliance. It's advisable to check the latest announcements from the destination DMV before transactions, as some regions may have transitional clauses that can be leveraged.