Can Old License Plates Be Used on New Cars?
2 Answers
Old license plates cannot be used on new cars, but the old plate number can be retained for use on a new car. There is a difference between the two. If a car is sold, the license plate will be reclaimed by the vehicle management office, but the plate number will be reserved for one year. If a new car is purchased within that year, you need to visit the vehicle management office to have a new plate made, which will still bear the old number. Relevant information about license plates is as follows: 1. Introduction: License plates, commonly known as vehicle tags, refer to the plates affixed to the front and rear of a vehicle, displaying the vehicle's registration number, registration region, and other related information. 2. Function: License plates serve as a numbering and information registration system for vehicles. Their primary purpose is to identify the vehicle's region of registration, and they can also be used to look up the vehicle's owner and registration details.
I'm a veteran driver with decades of experience and have changed cars several times. Whether an old license plate can be transferred to a new car depends on local policies. In our area, as long as the old car's plate is registered under private ownership, hasn't been involved in any accidents, the vehicle status is normal, and the new car meets registration requirements, you can apply for a transfer. The process is simple: first deregister the old car's plate, then prepare your ID card and registration certificate to fill out a form at the DMV. Approval usually takes a few days. However, some regions don't allow license plate numbers to be freely transferred, so it's important to check the latest regulations. The benefits of transferring a plate include saving on the cost of reapplying for public security vehicle insurance and preserving the sentimental value of the original plate. In case the car is scrapped or sold, handling it in advance avoids complications. In short, don't try to remove and install the plate yourself—always follow the official procedures for safety.