Can the Vehicle Annual Inspection Sticker Be Omitted?
2 Answers
No, vehicles on the road must display the annual inspection sticker. According to the "Road Traffic Safety Law," all vehicles operating on public roads are required to affix the current year's inspection label in a clearly visible position on the upper right corner of the front windshield. Motor vehicles that fail to display the annual inspection compliance sticker as required will be penalized with 1 demerit point and a fine of 50 RMB. Vehicles on the road must display both the annual inspection and compulsory traffic insurance stickers; failure to do so may result in demerit points and fines if discovered by traffic police. Vehicle annual inspection refers to the mandatory testing required for all vehicles that have obtained official license plates and registration certificates. It is equivalent to an annual physical examination for vehicles conducted according to the "Technical Conditions for Motor Vehicle Operation Safety," aimed at promptly eliminating potential safety hazards, encouraging enhanced vehicle maintenance, and reducing the occurrence of traffic accidents—commonly referred to as vehicle inspection. According to relevant laws and regulations, traffic police currently only penalize vehicles that incorrectly display the annual inspection and insurance stickers. Both stickers must be affixed to the upper right corner of the vehicle as stipulated. The motor vehicle inspection compliance sticker and insurance sticker should be placed on the upper right corner of the front windshield. Any spray-painting, stickers, or body advertisements on the vehicle must not compromise driving safety.
Now let's talk about the vehicle annual inspection sticker. Not displaying it is absolutely not an option—it's clearly required by traffic regulations. Previously, the annual inspection decal had to be affixed to the upper right corner of the windshield for easy police inspection. Although some regions started implementing electronic stickers last year, the policy hasn't been fully rolled out nationwide. If you're caught without displaying the physical sticker, traffic police will impound your vehicle and issue a fine. What's worse, in case of an accident, insurance companies may deny claims citing the vehicle's uninspected status. A friend of mine learned this the hard way last year when he forgot to display the sticker—a minor fender bender resulted in over a month's delay in claim settlement. So don't cut corners—either properly display the sticker or verify that your local area has implemented the electronic sticker policy.
