Can I apply for ETC if the car is not under my name?

[VonClara]

It is possible to apply for ETC even if you are not the car owner. According to the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Application of Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) Services on Highways" issued by the Ministry of Transport, you will need the original valid ID card of the car owner, the original and a copy of the vehicle registration certificate (the page with the latest annual inspection stamp), and if you are applying on behalf of someone else, you will also need the original valid ID card of the agent. If applying for ETC through major bank branches, you will also need to prepare a debit or credit card from the corresponding bank. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a portion of the amount as a deposit when binding ETC with a debit card. ETC Deduction Principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on highways. 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 of the toll station, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with the bank, the vehicle can pass through the toll station without stopping to pay the toll. All of this is based on the principle of "pass first, deduct 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. Users can also enjoy a 5% discount on toll fees. Improved efficiency: The theoretical efficiency of ETC lanes can be increased by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC faster, more advanced, and more high-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, intercity transportation cards will be basically interoperable in key city clusters, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will significantly increase." It also set a target in the main indicators of the "13th Five-Year Plan" for comprehensive transportation development: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and increasing the ETC adoption rate among passenger vehicles, efforts will be made to promote ETC usage for trucks and explore deep integration of ETC systems with smart transportation directions such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination. This will provide comprehensive travel services for car owners, meaning more application scenarios will support ETC. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. If the vehicle in front stops, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters to prevent automatic sensing and payment for the vehicle in front, in case its ETC device is faulty or nonexistent. The recognition speed for ETC lanes is 20 km/h. Driving too fast may result in failure to read the vehicle's device information and subsequent deduction failure. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or if the ETC electronic tag falls off or becomes loose, may render the electronic tag invalid. You can take it to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the highway service office for inspection. If the loosening or detachment is not due to human factors, reactivation may suffice. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance may cause deduction failure. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pay with cash or by swiping a card. Thick windshields may cause poor sensing, especially for vehicles that have had their windshields replaced after accidents or those with modified front windshields.