Can someone else apply for ETC for a vehicle not under their name?

[McEllie]

Yes, someone other than the vehicle owner can apply for ETC. According to the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Application of Electronic Non-stop Toll Collection on Highways" issued by the Ministry of Transport, the following documents are required: the original valid ID card of the vehicle owner, the original and a copy of the vehicle registration certificate (the page with the most recent annual inspection stamp), and if applying on behalf of someone else, the original valid ID card of the proxy applicant. If applying for ETC through major bank branches, a debit or credit card from the corresponding bank is also required. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a certain amount as a deposit when binding with a debit card. ETC Deduction Principle: Highways have one or more ETC lanes. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle's on-board electronic tag (installed on the windshield) and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at toll stations, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with banks, the system achieves the goal of allowing vehicles to pass toll stations without stopping to pay tolls. This is based on the principle of "pass first, deduct later." Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues. Green and eco-friendly: Promotes low-carbon travel by reducing noise and exhaust emissions since vehicles don't stop at toll stations. Cost-saving: Reduces wear and tear, fuel consumption, and the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes. Users also enjoy varying degrees of toll discounts. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase vehicle throughput by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC faster, more advanced, and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council explicitly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, intercity transportation smart cards should be basically implemented in key city clusters, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC should significantly increase." The plan also set a target of "achieving a 50% ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles by 2020." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage rates for passenger vehicles, future efforts will promote ETC use for trucks and explore deeper integration of ETC systems with smart transportation developments such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. If the vehicle in front stops, maintain a distance of at least 10 meters to prevent automatic sensing and payment for the wrong vehicle, especially if the vehicle ahead has a faulty or no ETC device. The recognition speed for ETC lanes is 20 km/h. Driving too fast may result in failure to read the vehicle's device information and subsequent deduction failure. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or if the ETC electronic tag falls off or becomes loose, may render the tag invalid. In such cases, the device can be taken to the bank where the ETC card was issued or a highway service office for inspection. If the issue is not due to human interference, reactivation may suffice. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance may cause deduction failure. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use manual MTC lanes and pay via cash or card. Windshield thickness may affect sensing, especially for vehicles that have had windshield replacements after accidents or modifications.