Can Temporary License Plates Be Discarded Directly After Vehicle Registration?
3 Answers
After registering your vehicle, temporary license plates can be discarded directly. If new license plates have been issued, the temporary plates can no longer be used. New vehicles must not use temporary license plates for more than 7 days, and owners should promptly apply for official license plates from the vehicle management authority. Failure to do so may result in penalties such as vehicle impoundment, fines, and a 12-point deduction from the driver's license. When applying for temporary license plates, the following documents must be submitted as required, along with the completed 'Temporary Vehicle Registration Form': Proof of identity for both the vehicle owner and the agent; proof of vehicle origin; for domestically produced vehicles, the whole vehicle factory certificate, and for imported vehicles, the import certificate; vehicle identification number (VIN) and engine number imprints. After reviewing the above documents and conducting a safety and technical performance inspection of the vehicle, the vehicle management office will issue temporary license plates, specifying the validity period and permitted travel areas. The validity period for local temporary plates is 7 days. If official plates cannot be issued due to production delays, temporary plates can be reapplied for. Local temporary plates can be issued up to three times, allowing for a total usage period of 21 days. During this time, the vehicle can only be driven within the city and must not leave the municipal area, otherwise, it will be treated as an unlicensed vehicle.
As a seasoned driver with years of experience, I can share some insights. After getting your permanent license plates, I don't recommend immediately discarding the temporary ones, as some places may require you to keep them as documentation proof, such as for registration records or insurance verification. Last time I helped a friend with a new car, I remember that once he received the official plates, the temporary ones became invalid, but we cut out the license plate number and expiration date before disposing of them to prevent the risk of personal information theft. By the way, if your temporary plate is the sticker type, make sure to remove it without leaving adhesive marks to avoid damaging the car window; for the hard card type, shredding it is a safer approach. In short, take extra care when handling temporary plates, and keeping your car interior tidy after getting the official plates is also important—don't let them obstruct your view or attract thieves' attention. It only takes a few minutes to handle properly.
As a new car owner, I was eager to throw away the temporary license plate after getting my official one, finding it annoying and space-consuming. However, after hearing a colleague's advice, I realized simply discarding it might not be appropriate, as the information on the temporary plate could sometimes be used for future repairs or document verification. Later, I checked online and found that in most cases, it's acceptable to cut out the key parts before disposal—for example, using scissors to shred the plate number. That experience taught me that while temporary plates serve no practical purpose after official registration, proper disposal protects privacy and prevents misuse if found by others. Remember to check your car after registration to ensure all temporary plates are removed, avoiding any confusion with reflective effects while driving—a handy tip for beginners.
