Can License Plates Be Sold?

[DamianAnn]

License plates cannot be sold. Buying or selling license plates is an illegal activity. License plates can only be scrapped or applied for retention. The first character of a license plate is a Chinese character, representing the provincial-level administrative region where the vehicle is registered, which is the abbreviation of provinces, municipalities directly under the central government, or autonomous regions. The second character is an English letter, representing the prefecture-level administrative region where the vehicle is registered, usually the letter code for prefecture-level cities, regions, autonomous prefectures, or leagues. Types of vehicle license plates include: 1. White represents military or police plates; 2. Blue represents ordinary small vehicles with fewer than 7 seats; 3. Yellow represents ordinary large vehicles; 4. Black represents foreign enterprise plates.

[BarrettAnn]

A while ago, my relative wanted to buy a car and specifically asked about this. License plates really can't be bought or sold, just like ID cards can't be transferred. Policy regulations state that license plates follow the vehicle and cannot be traded separately. When you look at used car transfers, the old license plate is automatically canceled or returned to the vehicle management office, and the new owner has to go through the lottery or auction process again. Some cities have license plate leasing, which may seem legal but carries huge risks—insurance won't cover accidents in such cases. My neighbor leased a Shanghai license plate last year, but the owner suddenly deregistered the vehicle, turning his car into an unlicensed one overnight. Honestly, the most reliable way is to apply for a license plate through official channels—it might be more expensive, but it’s hassle-free!

[McMaya]

With 20 years of experience in car repairs, I've seen too many cases of illegal license plate dealings. Some people spend a fortune on fancy license plate numbers, only to find out that the DMV system doesn't recognize them. License plates are essentially state-issued traffic permits, bound to the VIN for management. Current policies in all cities dictate that license plates automatically become invalid when a car is sold; they can only be retained when purchasing a new vehicle. My advice is to avoid license plate transactions when buying or selling cars, especially those agency services advertised on Douyin. If you really want a special plate, consider participating in a license plate auction. Here, the most expensive Yue B plates have been auctioned for over 200,000 yuan!

[JackMarie]

Just chatted with a ride-hailing driver about this last week. Chinese license plates come in four colors: blue, yellow, green, and white - none can be bought or sold. For example, if you win a Beijing plate lottery, you can apply to keep the original number when changing cars, but the plate itself can't be transferred to others. Heard about plate inheritance cases? It's only allowed for immediate family members who own vehicles and meet local emission standards. Many cities explicitly prohibit plate leasing, with fines up to 100,000 yuan if caught. Personally, I'd say license plates are like phone numbers - you can use them but don't own them.

[DiMelanie]

A friend who just got a Hangzhou license plate through the lottery asked me if it could be resold. After checking the regulations: Article 52 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations" clearly states that license plates must be transferred with the vehicle or canceled. During the actual transfer process, the original license plate is either returned to the system or retained for six months. Those who claim they can facilitate license plate transactions are mostly scams—last year, a criminal gang in Shenzhen was busted for forging license plate records. Want to transfer both the car and the license plate together? You also need to meet the environmental requirements of the destination area—for example, National V emission standard vehicles can hardly be transferred in the Pearl River Delta region.

[LeahLee]

I remember helping a colleague with license plate issues last year. Now there's a nationwide rule that license plates follow the owner, but only for personal use. For example, Guangzhou has strict conditions for plate retention: must be used for at least one year, apply for retention period promptly, and purchase a new car within six months. Want to sell a car with its plate? It only has value in cities with license plate auctions, and the vehicle condition must be good. Once I encountered a mortgaged car with a Guangdong A plate when buying vehicles, only to find it was a cloned plate. Reminder: never engage in second-hand plate transactions - minor cases result in fines, serious cases lead to license revocation!