Can Qingdao still issue Lu B license plates?
2 Answers
Qingdao can no longer issue Lu B license plates. Below are the relevant details about vehicle registration: Preparation of required documents: purchase invoice, vehicle certification, ID card or organization code certificate and its copy for invoice issuance, compulsory insurance policy, tax payment certificate, temporary residence permit for non-locals, payment of vehicle purchase tax, submission of materials (copy of ID card or organization code certificate for invoice issuance, copy of vehicle certification, purchase invoice). Notes: take photos, grind the code, print the motor vehicle parameter table, the original certification will indicate whether it needs to go through the inspection line; external inspection, go through the inspection line if required, otherwise get the serial number; file submission, take photos of the number, pay the fee, 225 for going through the inspection line, 125 for not going through; license plate issuance, attach the environmental card and receive the driving license and vehicle registration certificate.
Last year when I bought a new car for myself in Qingdao, the license plate I got was still the Lu B type—the blue plate with 'Lu B' at the front. That's the standard regional code for Qingdao, and it hasn't changed for many years. On the day I selected the number, I went to the local DMV with my ID and vehicle invoice, waited in line for a bit, and the staff directly gave me a bunch of options starting with Lu B. I picked a number that looked good, and got the plate the same day. Actually, China's license plate system is quite stable—'Lu' stands for Shandong, and 'B' is fixed for Qingdao. The local DMV confirmed that Lu B plates are perfectly fine. My advice to new car owners is to go early and make sure you have all the documents to avoid any hassle. When driving around, most cars on the street start with Lu B, making it easy to spot local Qingdao plates, which feels quite familiar.
