Can license plates with the character 'E' go on highways?
4 Answers
License plates with the character 'E' can go on highways. 'E' is the abbreviation for Hubei Province. The license plate codes for various regions in Hubei Province are as follows: E-A is Wuhan, E-B is Huangshi, E-C is Shiyan, E-D is Jingzhou, E-E is Yichang, E-F is Xiangyang, E-G is Ezhou, E-H is Jingmen, E-J is Huanggang, E-K is Xiaogan, E-L is Xianning, E-M is Xiantao, E-N is Qianjiang, E-P is Shennongjia Forestry District, E-Q is Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, E-R is Tianmen, E-S is Suizhou. License plates are used for numbering and information registration of vehicles. Their main function is to identify the region to which the vehicle belongs through the license plate, and also to trace the owner and registration information of the vehicle based on the license plate.
I'm from Hubei Province, and my family has a car with an 'E' license plate that often travels on highways. Actually, the Chinese character at the beginning of the license plate only represents the vehicle's registration location—'E' is the abbreviation for Hubei—and it doesn’t affect highway access. As long as your car has complete documentation, compulsory traffic insurance, and passes the annual inspection, whether it's an 'E' plate or a license plate from another province, you can drive on highways normally. Before every long trip, I check the tires and brake pads, especially in summer when high temperatures increase the risk of blowouts. However, it's important to be aware of local traffic restrictions, such as certain areas in Wuhan that ban yellow-label vehicles, but highways themselves are completely unrestricted.
Our fleet often runs long-distance trips across the country, so seeing Hubei-licensed vehicles on highways is very common. The key factor isn't the license plate origin, but whether the vehicle's condition complies with regulations. For instance, two months ago, a Hubei-A licensed truck in the adjacent lane was pulled over simply for missing reflective stickers. As long as essential equipment like lights, brakes, and fire extinguishers are properly equipped, Hubei-licensed passenger cars can directly take cards and pass through ETC lanes. Of course, extra caution is needed during holiday free-toll periods - last Qingming Festival I witnessed a Hubei-S licensed car rear-end collision, primarily caused by tailgating.
According to traffic regulations, entering the highway with a motor vehicle is completely unrelated to the license plate's origin. Hubei-licensed vehicles only need to meet three conditions: first, the vehicle registration certificate must be valid; second, the compulsory traffic insurance must not be expired; and third, the vehicle must not have any illegal modifications or exceed size limits. Two years ago, my relative's Hubei-F licensed car was stopped at the toll station precisely because he had installed unauthorized xenon headlights, which were deemed non-compliant. A special reminder to new energy vehicle owners: the same rules apply to Hubei-licensed new energy vehicles, but it's best to check the charging port before entering the highway.
