Can Old License Plates Be Transferred to a New Car?
3 Answers
Old license plates cannot be directly transferred to a new car. To transfer them to a new car, you need to go to the vehicle management office to complete the transfer of the old vehicle. During the transfer process, you must request to retain the license plates, and the old plates must be surrendered first. After obtaining the new car, go to the vehicle management office to retrieve the old license plates by providing the date of surrender to the staff. Owners who retain old license plates will not receive temporary plates and must display the old plates until the new metal plates are issued, which takes about 15 working days. There are certain conditions for applying to retain old license plates: 1. All accidents and violations involving the owner's original vehicle must be resolved; 2. The old license plates must have been used for at least 3 years; 3. The owner must not apply for retention within 6 months after completing the transfer or registration procedures for the original vehicle.
Speaking of this issue, I just got a new car last month. The old license plate had my lucky number that I'd been using for ten years, and I was really reluctant to part with it. I specifically went to the DMV with the deregistration certificate of the old car and the purchase invoice of the new car. The staff asked me to fill out a transfer application form, and it took about an hour of queuing, costing only a few hundred yuan. After it was done, the license plate was seamlessly transferred to the new car. The key is to make sure the old car has been properly disposed of and isn’t still being driven with the plate. I also heard that after the license plate transfer, the annual inspection dates remain consistent. If you’re in a similar situation, I recommend preparing all the documents in advance and not dragging your feet to avoid delaying your car use. Overall, it’s quite convenient and saves you the hassle of going through the lottery process again.
Generally speaking, old license plates can be transferred to a new car, provided the vehicle is registered under your name. You'll need to deregister the old vehicle first and obtain the relevant certificates, then bring the new car's documents to the DMV to complete the transfer process. This involves filling out forms, paying some fees such as plate fees and taxes, and typically takes about one or two days to process. I recall that there might be slight rule variations in different regions, so it's best to check the official website or call for advice beforehand. Transferring plates allows you to keep your personal number, avoiding the uncertainty of random assignments. Of course, the license plate must be legally valid with no outstanding fines or violation records. I recommend taking it step by step to ensure compliance for a smooth completion.
