Can I use the old license plate on a new car?
2 Answers
You can use the old license plate on a new car, but there are conditions, as follows: 1. The license plate must be under the same vehicle owner's name, meaning the owner of both vehicles must be the same person; 2. The vehicles must be registered in the same location; 3. The license plates must be of the same type, meaning yellow plates can only be replaced with yellow plates, blue plates with blue plates, and green plates with green plates; 4. The vehicle must be for non-commercial use, meaning only household vehicles can be swapped, while vehicles like taxis cannot; 5. For those who have already completed a swap, they must wait one year before applying for another swap or to retain the original license plate number.
I just bought a new car and wondered if I could simply use the license plate from my old car to save some hassle. Upon checking, I found out that license plates are tied to the vehicle and cannot be directly transferred. To reuse the old plate, certain conditions must be met, such as the old car being sold, scrapped, or transferred out for at least a year. Then, you need to apply to the DMV to retain the original plate. The process requires preparing documents like your ID, car purchase invoice, proof of old car deregistration, and the registration certificate. The cost is minimal, just a few dozen yuan, but it might take one or two weeks to process. In big cities where license plate lotteries are tough, keeping a memorable plate is worth it—better than trying your luck with a new draw. The key point is that you can’t swap plates on your own, as it violates traffic laws and could lead to fines if caught. Plan ahead to avoid hiccups during the paperwork process.
