Can temporary license plates be used on highways and for cross-province travel?
2 Answers
Temporary license plates can be used on highways and for cross-province travel. Temporary license plates with blue background, black characters, and black borders are limited to driving within the city and are referred to as local temporary license plates. They cannot be used for travel outside the local area and are valid for no more than 15 days. Temporary license plates with brown-yellow background, black characters, and black borders can be used for cross-province travel and are referred to as non-local temporary license plates, valid for no more than 30 days. Temporary license plates are temporary vehicle travel certificates issued by the public security vehicle management department for newly purchased vehicles before formal registration. The owner should paste two temporary license plates simultaneously: one in the upper right corner of the front windshield inside the vehicle, in a position that does not obstruct the driver's view and is not covered by the compulsory traffic insurance label, and the other in the upper left corner of the rear windshield inside the vehicle.
I remember when I first picked up my new car, I was also confused about temporary license plates. There are two types of temporary plates: the blue background with black characters is for local use only and can only be driven within the issuing city; the brown-yellow background with black characters is the nationwide temporary plate that allows cross-province travel. Driving on highways is completely fine, but the key is which type of temporary plate you have. Last month, my colleague drove his new car with a blue temporary plate to a neighboring province and was stopped by traffic police, resulting in a direct 12-point deduction. So don’t cut corners—if you’re crossing provinces, you must get the nationwide temporary plate. Highway toll stations will let you pass normally, but remember to affix the temporary plate to the lower left corner of the front windshield and the rear of the car. Don’t use the plastic holder provided by the 4S店, or it might blow away in strong winds.
