Can Vehicle License Plates Be Transferred?
2 Answers
Vehicle license plates cannot be transferred. The original license plate can only be transferred to the owner's new vehicle information. Even if the license plate number is transferred to another vehicle, the license plate number will still belong to the original owner for six months. After six months, the license plate will enter the license plate resource pool. License plates, commonly known as car plates, are panels hung on the front and rear of a vehicle. They are usually made of aluminum, iron, plastic, or paper, and display the vehicle's registration number, registration region, or other relevant information. License plates serve as a numbering and information registration system for vehicles. Their main function is to identify the region to which the vehicle belongs, and they can also be used to look up the vehicle's owner and registration information.
I recently sold my old car and only then realized that the license plate couldn't be directly transferred to the buyer. The plate is actually registered with the vehicle, but the owner has an option: during the sale, the original owner can apply to the DMV to retain that plate for their next car; the new owner must apply for a new plate. The whole process requires bringing the vehicle certificate and ID to complete the transfer, plus paying some fees. I remember spending half a day queuing, which was quite annoying. The key was forgetting to check if the plate number was correctly entered into the system—almost caused issues. It's advisable to check local traffic regulations online before selling a car, as rules vary significantly by province. Some places even have time limits on plate retention, and mishandling can affect getting a new car on the road. Getting this sorted out properly saves a lot of hassle.
