Can the license plate from the original car be installed on a new car?
2 Answers
Can the license plate from the original car be installed on a new car? The answer is yes, provided that the old car has been transferred. The old car's license plate cannot be used on a used car, only on a new one. After transferring the original vehicle, the license plate is generally retained for six months. As long as a new car is purchased within this six-month period, the old license plate can be mounted on the new car. Situations where transfer is prohibited: 1. Vehicles without compulsory traffic insurance cannot be transferred; 2. Vehicles that have been modified, altered, or had their cargo weight or passenger capacity changed without approval; 3. The applicant cannot act as an agent for the original owner to complete the transfer procedures; 4. Vehicles with unresolved traffic violations or accidents, or those questioned by authorities; 5. Vehicles that have not undergone regular inspections or failed inspections; 6. Smuggled, customs-supervised, or stolen vehicles cannot be transferred; 7. Vehicles under court-ordered freeze or with unresolved mortgages.
When I considered getting a new car, I also thought about simply transferring the old license plate to save trouble. But based on experience, this is basically impossible. Each license plate is registered with specific vehicle details like the engine number and chassis number, acting like a unique ID. Using an old plate on a new car would create a mismatch between the plate information and the actual vehicle, potentially triggering police checks or electronic monitoring alerts. Last time I changed cars, I checked the DMV regulations: license plates cannot be arbitrarily transferred; you must either apply for a new plate or request a plate retention service. For retention, you need to submit an application in advance, prove ownership, and pay a fee; otherwise, getting a new plate can take as little as half an hour. So don’t risk transferring plates—going through the proper procedures is safer and more reliable.
