Can the ETC still be used if the car is changed but the license plate is not?
3 Answers
If the car is changed but the license plate is not, the ETC cannot continue to be used. If you want to continue using it, you need to go to the ETC service point to re-enter the vehicle information and owner information to reactivate it. Once the ETC system is removed, it becomes invalid and cannot be used. There is an anti-tamper button on the back of the ETC, which is designed to prevent one ETC system from being used alternately between multiple vehicles. ETC is the abbreviation for Electronic Toll Collection system, which can be used on highways and at gas stations. There is a solar panel on the back of the ETC system, and when installing it, you must ensure that the solar panel can be exposed to sunlight; otherwise, the ETC system may run out of power and stop working.
When I changed cars last year, I kept the original license plate and thought the ETC could be directly transferred. However, I was stopped on the highway. Upon inquiry, I learned that the ETC device is bound to the original car's VIN and OBU. Even if the license plate is the same, the system detects a mismatch in vehicle information, causing the deduction to fail. I immediately contacted the bank that issued the ETC, and they required me to bring the new car's registration certificate to a service outlet to reactivate the device. It took me the whole afternoon to sort it out. My advice is not to use the ETC directly after changing cars. Instead, call customer service in advance to clarify the process to avoid issues on the road that could disrupt your trip. In daily driving, these small details are easily overlooked, but they can be resolved quickly and without extra cost—just bring the necessary documents. Remember, safety comes first; don’t force it.
Back when I was into car modifications, I studied the ETC system. It primarily relies on OBU devices using RFID technology to identify license plate and vehicle model information, which is then transmitted to the toll collection system. If you've changed cars but kept the same license plate, since the ETC is tied to the original vehicle's electronic tags like engine number or VIN code, the new car's data won't match, potentially causing the system to misjudge or reject the signal. To continue using it, first confirm if the ETC device can still be installed in the new car—some models have different antenna positions, which can affect communication. Then contact your service provider to update the registration details; they'll usually help you with remote setup or require an on-site rebinding. The whole process isn't too complicated and can be resolved in about half an hour. Don't slack off on this, or you might get incorrect charges or penalty notices.
