Can I apply for a temporary license plate if my license plate is lost in another location?
2 Answers
No, you need to go to the place where the license plate was issued to handle it. You can apply for a temporary license plate at the local vehicle management office if you meet one of the following conditions: 1. When driving the vehicle back 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 the vehicle is transferred and the official license plate has been surrendered: you need to apply for a temporary license plate at the local vehicle management office to drive back to your home location; 3. When a new vehicle that has not yet obtained an official license plate in the local area needs to be driven to another location for modification: you need to apply for a temporary license plate locally, and after the modification is completed, apply for a temporary license plate at the local vehicle management office to drive back to the original area; 4. When a vehicle purchased locally needs to be driven to another location: you need to apply for a temporary license plate locally to drive to the other location; the same applies vice versa; 5. When the vehicle registration is not yet fixed and a temporary trial is needed.
Yes, you can definitely apply for a temporary license plate if your vehicle plate is lost in another city. I personally experienced this last year. I was on a business trip to Shanghai and parked my car in front of the hotel, only to find the plate missing the next day – it was quite a panic. I immediately went to the local traffic management bureau, showed my ID and vehicle registration certificate, and the staff quickly issued me a temporary plate valid for 15 days. During that period, I could still drive normally, avoiding the big trouble of driving without a plate and getting fined. They told me that the temporary plate is mainly to give you enough time to return to the registration location to reapply for a formal plate, and the whole process took less than half a day. If you encounter this situation in another city, I suggest you quickly check the location of the local vehicle management office, bring all the necessary documents, and handle it promptly to avoid delays affecting safety. After all, losing a plate is a big deal, and the temporary solution is quite humane – just remember not to drive too fast and be careful about traffic violations.
