Can ETC be transferred to another vehicle?

[VonLouis]

ETC cannot be used if the vehicle information it is bound to does not match. Different vehicle types have different highway toll fees. According to the "Rules for the Use of Non-Stop Fast Pass Systems," when applying for ETC, the ETC card and OBU device are already bound to the vehicle, and the relevant vehicle information is imported, creating a one-to-one correspondence. If you switch to a new vehicle with a new license plate, you need to cancel the original ETC and reapply for the new vehicle. If it's a new vehicle with the old license plate, you can simply update the vehicle information at an offline service center. ETC is an electronic toll collection system that operates without stopping. ETC lanes are designated for vehicles equipped with ETC onboard devices and use electronic tolling. The electronic toll collection system is an automated toll system for highways or bridges. ETC billing principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on the highway. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, computer networking technology is used to conduct background settlement with the bank, achieving the goal of vehicles paying tolls without stopping at highway or bridge toll stations. All of this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line; Green and eco-friendly: Low-carbon, as vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions and minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs by reducing the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, lowering wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: Theoretically, ETC lanes can improve vehicle passing efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC faster, more advanced, and higher-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council explicitly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will significantly increase." It also set a target in the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development indicators: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles should reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and increasing the ETC adoption rate for passenger vehicles, future efforts will also promote ETC usage for trucks and explore deeper integration of the ETC system with smart transportation development directions such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC usage. ETC usage precautions: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. If the vehicle in front stops, to prevent the vehicle ahead from having a faulty ETC device or no ETC device at all, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters to avoid automatic sensing and paying for the vehicle ahead. The recognition speed for ETC lanes is 20 km/h. If the vehicle speed is too fast, the system cannot read the vehicle device information, leading to failed billing. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or detachment or loosening of the ETC electronic tag, will cause the electronic tag to fail. It can be sent to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the highway service office for inspection. If the detachment or loosening is not due to human interference, reactivation is sufficient. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance can also lead to failed billing. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pay with cash or card. If the vehicle's windshield is too thick, it may cause poor sensing. This is especially important for vehicles that have had their windshields replaced after accidents or for those who have modified their front windshields.

[VonJack]

I completely understand this issue! When I changed my car last year, I also thought about this. At that time, I specifically went to the bank's ETC service point, and the staff said this thing is tightly bound to the license plate, just like your phone's SIM card can't be directly inserted into someone else's phone. Unless you cancel it at the original registration point and reapply, the device will definitely report an error if you remove it and install it on a new car. Moreover, some new car models have windshields with built-in metal coatings, which can affect signal reception if the old device is attached. The most troublesome part is that many discounts are tied to the bank card registered for the first time, and careless removal and installation might even cause you to lose the 5% discount on highway tolls. I suggest handling it directly at the bank with your ID and vehicle license before changing cars, to avoid the embarrassment of being stopped at the toll station.

[JosephAnn]

The ETC device definitely cannot be directly transferred to another vehicle. My colleague learned this the hard way—he removed the suction cup from the old device and installed it on his new car, only to find that toll stations couldn’t recognize it at all. Later, he discovered that the device stores the original vehicle’s engine number and license plate information, which are linked to the toll station system. To switch vehicles, you must follow the official procedure: first, bring your ID card to the original service provider to deregister the device, then wait three days for the unbinding period to end. When reapplying for the new vehicle, remember to bring the vehicle registration certificate and bank card. Some banks even allow you to exchange the old device to save over 100 yuan in processing fees, but only if the device remains unopened. Nowadays, applying through the WeChat ETC Assistant is more convenient—no need to visit a bank, as activation can be done on the spot.

[MaximusDella]

It depends on the situation of your vehicle replacement. For intra-family vehicle transfers, many provinces allow modifications through mini-programs like "ETC Assistant", but you'll need to upload photos of both the old and new vehicle registration certificates. For used car transactions, it's more complicated - you must first visit the original bank branch to remove and terminate the device, otherwise any outstanding toll fees from the previous owner might become your responsibility during the transfer. I helped a friend with this process last year and found the anti-tamper switch on the back of the device most troublesome - it automatically locks if peeled off the windshield, requiring professional equipment to reset. Nowadays many new cars come with factory-installed ETC devices, so I recommend using the OEM unit for convenience.