Can the Old Logo of the Same Car Model Be Changed to the New Logo?
2 Answers
It is not allowed to replace the old car logo with a new one. Unauthorized logo replacement is illegal and will fail the annual vehicle inspection. Changing the car logo violates the "Motor Vehicle Management Regulations," as the logo must match the vehicle model and cannot be altered. If discovered, penalties will be imposed according to national regulations on motor vehicle safety technical conditions. Anyone who manufactures, sells, or uses trademarks without permission infringes on the trademark holder's exclusive rights, violating the Trademark Law. Therefore, even though logo replacement is a personal act by the car owner, it remains illegal. The "Automobile External Identification Management Measures" issued by the National Development and Reform Commission have officially come into effect. From now on, whether it's a domestic brand or a joint-venture brand, only vehicles with Chinese logos are permitted to drive on Chinese roads. Replacing the logo, especially changing the original Chinese logo to an English one, clearly violates the relevant regulations.
This matter should be viewed in two steps. First, it depends on whether the traffic police recognize it, and second, whether the vehicle management office checks it. The traffic law explicitly prohibits unauthorized modification of car logos, including swapping between new and old models of the same brand. Last year, my buddy who just bought a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class changed it to an AMG logo, and it got stuck during the annual inspection—it took three removals to pass. If you really want to modify it, remember to keep the original parts so you can swap them back on the spot if checked. Some old models changing to new logos may involve mismatched front bumper sizes, requiring the grille to be replaced as well, costing an extra three to five thousand.
