Can Temporary License Plates Still Be Used After Obtaining Official Plates?
4 Answers
After a new vehicle receives its official license plates, the temporary plates become invalid regardless of whether they have expired or not. Temporary license plates can be applied for at the local vehicle management office under any of the following conditions: 1. When driving the vehicle from the place of purchase to the place of use, temporary plates must be applied for at the vehicle management office in the place of purchase. 2. When transferring vehicle registration and after surrendering the official plates, temporary plates must be applied for at the local vehicle management office to drive the vehicle back to the original location. 3. For new vehicles in the local area that have not yet obtained official plates and need to be driven to another location for modifications, temporary plates must be applied for locally. After modifications are completed, temporary plates must be applied for at the modification location to drive the vehicle back to the original area. 4. When purchasing a vehicle locally and needing to drive it to another location, temporary plates must be applied for locally to drive to the other location; the same applies in reverse. 5. When the vehicle registration is not yet fixed and temporary use is required.
I've studied vehicle regulations and can definitively tell you that you cannot continue using temporary license plates. Once the official license plates are issued, that paper temporary plate automatically becomes invalid. Driving with it displayed would be considered illegal. I've seen cases where owners were fined 3,000 yuan plus penalty points, especially in strictly enforced major cities. The reason is simple: the system will show conflicting dual plate registration, and when police pull you over to verify, there's absolutely no room for argument. To avoid trouble, I recommend replacing temporary plates immediately upon receiving metal plates, ensuring old adhesive plates are completely removed without traces. Develop good habits - don't hoard expired temporary plates in your trunk, and regularly organize your vehicle documents for maximum compliance.
I've been repairing cars for over 20 years and seen this kind of thing too often—people think they can keep using temporary plates until they expire, only to suffer serious consequences. Last year, I helped a friend deal with a case where he got his permanent plates just two days prior, yet was still driving with temporary plates when Shenzhen traffic police stopped him and deducted 9 points. The regulations are crystal clear: temporary plates are for new cars during the transition period. Once you receive the permanent plates, their purpose is fulfilled. My advice is to replace them immediately. Otherwise, if you're pulled over, you could face anything from fines to having your vehicle impounded. What's even more troublesome is that insurance companies might use this as a reason to deny claims for accident damages. Don't risk it just to save on installation fees—tightening a few screws yourself is simple enough.
As an average young car owner who recently went through this process, here's my advice: The temporary license plate becomes invalid immediately on the day the DMV issues the metal plates. Never use them interchangeably. From personal experience, installing new plates takes just 10 minutes - you only need a specialized screwdriver set costing a few yuan from Taobao. Remember to completely remove old plates and clean off all adhesive residue, or you might be mistaken for displaying dual plates. Safety-wise, this is especially crucial - for instance, driving at night without proper plates could complicate liability determination in rear-end collisions. Replace them early for peace of mind, and it's a good opportunity to check if your anti-theft screws are tight enough.
