Can I still choose a license plate at the DMV after selecting one online?
4 Answers
You can go to the DMV to choose a license plate after successfully selecting one online. Once the online selection is successful, the selected plate number will be reserved for three working days starting from the next day. You can visit the DMV office to choose a plate after these three working days. Online self-selection rules: If you do not register the plate within three working days, it will automatically become invalid. There are two opportunities for online self-selection. After invalidation, you must wait for the system to refresh the data before you can re-enter the selection process. If you abandon the online self-selection, you can choose a plate number on-site at the DMV. Method for online selection: Log in to the Traffic Management 12123 APP, find the [New Vehicle Plate Selection] option in the [Service Center], and click to enter. In the basic information section, select and confirm the city for plate registration, then click [Confirm Information]. The system will then pop up a service notice dialog box. After reading carefully, click [Read and Agree]. In the vehicle information section, enter relevant details, including the certificate number, vehicle brand, and chassis number, then click [I Confirm the Information is Correct]. The system will pop up a verification code input box. Send an SMS to obtain the verification code, enter it, and click [Confirm]. After confirming the basic vehicle information, proceed to the pre-selection plate stage. Click [Start Selection], then obtain and enter the mobile verification code, and click [Next]. There are two methods for new vehicle plate selection: random selection and self-composed selection. There is no specific order for these two methods, but it is recommended to try random selection first. If you cannot find a satisfactory plate, then proceed with self-composed selection. After completing the selection, the system will prompt you to register at the DMV within the specified time. Otherwise, the selected plate will become invalid, and you will be unable to select a plate online for two years.
I've helped a friend with this before. After selecting a license plate number online, you must confirm it at the DMV within three days, otherwise the selection will be invalid. The DMV staff told me that as long as the final confirmation hasn't been made, the owner can completely abandon the online-selected number and choose a new one on-site. It's recommended to check the real-time number segments at the local DMV before going. Sometimes you might find even better numbers than those available online. If you're not quite satisfied with the online selection, remember to bring all your documents and directly request a re-selection at the counter, but this will count as using one of your selection attempts. Don't delay too long—I've seen someone who was two days late and had to start the whole process over, which was a huge waste of time.
From my experience, you can still go to the DMV to select a license plate after pre-selecting one online, but there are two things to note: First, you must complete the confirmation procedures within 3 working days. Second, giving up the online-selected number counts as using up one of your selection opportunities. Last week when I accompanied a relative to handle the procedures, a batch of new number segments suddenly appeared on the on-site selection machine, including more numbers with '8' than those seen online. The DMV officer reminded us that the online and on-site selections are actually two separate systems, and the final registration is subject to on-site confirmation. Remember to make copies of all your documents before selecting a number, as the queues for photocopying at the DMV can be very long.
For those who have actually gone through the license plate selection process twice, here's the deal: After selecting online, you have a three-day reservation period during which you can visit the DMV to re-select in person. Once, I casually picked one online, only to find a better option at the DMV. I simply asked the staff to reset it, allowing me to use the self-service machine to choose again. However, this will cost you one of your five total selection attempts. My advice? Prepare a backup list of preferred numbers beforehand. The on-site computer selection has a time limit, so when you spot a good number, quickly hit the confirm button—I was so nervous my palms were sweating. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a copy of your residence permit; it’s often overlooked.
