Can Temporary License Plates Still Be Used After Official Plates Are Issued?
4 Answers
They can be used within the validity period, but some road traffic regulations impose restrictions on vehicles with temporary license plates. For example, elevated roads in Shanghai have such restrictions. Additional Information: New Traffic Regulations on Temporary License Plate Placement: Starting from January 1, 2011, the temporary license plates for passenger vehicles were increased from 1 to 2, and the installation method was changed from 'placing' to 'pasting' in designated positions. One plate should be pasted on the lower left or right corner of the front windshield inside the vehicle, where it does not obstruct the driver's view, and the other should be pasted on the lower left corner of the rear windshield inside the vehicle. Running a Red Light with Temporary Plates: According to the new traffic regulations, motor vehicles without license plates are not allowed on the road. New vehicles must display either official or temporary license plates to be driven on the road. Starting from January 1, 2013, driving a motor vehicle on the road without displaying a license plate, or intentionally obscuring, damaging, or not installing the license plate as required, will result in a one-time deduction of 12 points.
As a veteran driver with over a decade of experience, I know this well. Once the official license plate arrives, the temporary one becomes invalid and must be replaced immediately. Think about it—the temporary plate is just a transitional measure with a short validity period. By the time you receive the official plate, the temporary one is effectively expired. If you don’t replace it right away and get caught by the police while driving, it’s considered driving without a license plate. You could face a fine of several hundred yuan and even points deducted from your license. Once, I was in a hurry and forgot to switch, and I got pulled over—I had to talk my way out of a ticket. What’s even riskier is that if you get into an accident, insurance claims could become problematic because the vehicle isn’t legally compliant. So my advice is: as soon as the official plate arrives, go straight to your car and replace it—don’t cut corners. Safe driving comes first—it saves both peace of mind and money.
As a new driver who just learned to drive, I take this matter very seriously. When the official license plate arrives, the temporary plate must be discarded and can no longer be used. I remember when I bought my first car and got it registered, I foolishly drove with the temporary plate for a few days until a friend pointed out my mistake. After checking the regulations, I learned that temporary plates are only for the transition period of new cars. Once the official plate takes effect, the temporary plate automatically becomes invalid. If you continue to drive with a temporary plate, the police will consider it a violation upon inspection, resulting in a fine of several hundred yuan and even failing the vehicle inspection. In the event of an accident, liability determination becomes more complicated, and insurance may not cover it. I've developed a habit now: as soon as I receive the official plate via email or text, I immediately pull over and replace it. I advise other new drivers to learn the rules early to avoid unnecessary trouble. Keeping a Phillips screwdriver in the car can save a lot of hassle.
After working in the repair shop for so many years, this is a common question from car owners. Once the official license plate is issued, the temporary plate can no longer be used and must be replaced immediately. Temporary plates are designed to be provisional—the moment you receive your official metal plate, the temporary one becomes invalid. Continuing to drive with the temporary plate is against regulations and may result in fines or vehicle impoundment by the police. Worse yet, connection issues can arise if the old plate isn’t removed, affecting recognition systems. During repairs, we’ve encountered many accident cases where insurance claims were denied due to unswapped plates. Simple advice: Install the new plate yourself as soon as you receive it, and discard or keep the temporary one as a memento. Don’t delay—road safety comes first.
