Can vehicle transfer be done during holidays?
4 Answers
It is possible to process on Saturday mornings that are not statutory holidays, but not on Saturday afternoons or Sundays. This is because vehicle inspection is required, and the vehicle management office system is not open on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, making inspection impossible. On statutory holidays, the vehicle management office is closed, so transfer cannot be processed. The documents required from the original owner for a used car transfer include: the registration certificate, driving license, and ID card. The buyer needs to provide an ID card, and if they are from another city, a residence permit or temporary residence certificate is also required. Vehicle transfer first requires a vehicle evaluation. The evaluation fee is generally 1%-2% of the evaluated car price, and other fees include license plate and driving license costs. The original commercial insurance of the car can be canceled (compulsory insurance cannot be canceled), or the insurance can be transferred to the buyer at the insurance company. Precautions when buying a used car: Incomplete procedures. Complete procedures for a used car include: vehicle registration certificate (or original purchase invoice), driving license, vehicle purchase tax payment certificate, road maintenance fee procedures, and compulsory insurance. If the vehicle registration certificate or driving license is missing, or if there are arrears in compulsory insurance or road maintenance fees, it will bring endless trouble to the buyer. Therefore, when purchasing a car, if the seller cannot provide complete procedures, consumers should be especially vigilant. Tampering with the odometer. Most consumers like to judge the condition of a car by the odometer, and sellers often take advantage of this psychology to tamper with the odometer. In fact, the odometer is not just a record of usage intensity but also a recorder of the maintenance and replacement of other parts of the vehicle. If buyers perform maintenance based on the tampered odometer reading, it will bring a series of potential safety hazards. New paint covering "external injuries." When consumers choose a used car, if the car has been repainted and there are signs of repair around the front face, rear, and A, B, C pillars, the car is very likely to have been involved in a major traffic accident. "Tuning the heart" to raise the price. Many consumers often pay too much attention to the "heart" of the car when buying a car and neglect the health of the car body. Used car sellers take advantage of this psychology by replacing engine parts to make the vehicle's "heart" appear younger, thereby raising the price.
I once encountered this issue. Last year during the National Day holiday, I wanted to transfer my vehicle ownership. When I rushed to the DMV, I found the gate tightly locked. Upon asking, I learned that government departments are closed during holidays. For ownership transfer, you need to bring documents like your ID card and registration certificate, and there's an on-site vehicle inspection and signature process where staff must supervise the entire procedure. There's absolutely no way to get it done during holidays. I recommend planning ahead and taking half or a full day off on a weekday to get it sorted, avoiding wasted time. If it's urgent, you can first book an appointment for local DMV service hours via WeChat or Alipay, choosing an off-peak slot to go without long queues, saving both time and effort. Some places open on regular weekends, but they're basically closed during festivals—don't make a wasted trip and squander precious time off. In short, ownership transfer is serious business; handling it on a weekday is the most reliable approach.
From my experience, vehicle ownership transfer during holidays is absolutely impossible. The DMV is a state-mandated institution that closes completely during major holidays like Spring Festival and Dragon Boat Festival. They occasionally open on weekends but with incomplete services. The transfer process requires verification of owner information, certificate printing, and manual system operations by staff - none of which can be done when employees are on holiday. Both buyer and seller should arrange to visit together on a workday, or hire an agency (though they also only operate on workdays). Selling a car without completing the transfer carries significant risks, such as accident liabilities or traffic violation disputes still being tied to the original owner. As a car enthusiast, I often remind friends to complete transfers promptly. Always check DMV operating hours and make appointments beforehand to speed up the process. In short, don't count on handling this during holidays - take care of it properly on a workday.
Vehicle transfer is definitely not possible during holidays as the DMV is closed. I once tried to handle it during the Mid-Autumn Festival and ended up making a wasted trip, only to realize that all procedures, including submitting documents and vehicle inspection signatures, must be processed on weekdays. If delayed, you could be held responsible if the buyer encounters any issues while driving a car still registered under your name, so it's best to take time off work to handle it.
