Can You Have a Vehicle License Without a Car?
2 Answers
You cannot have a vehicle license without a car. A motor vehicle license is issued only after the vehicle is registered. Materials required for obtaining a vehicle license include: Owner's identity proof: For mainland residents, provide the mainland "Resident ID Card" (including residence or temporary residence certificate) or "Household Registration Book" or military (including armed police) identity proof; for residents of Hong Kong, Macau Special Administrative Regions, and Taiwan, provide entry identity proof and residence proof; for foreigners, provide entry identity proof and residence proof. Vehicle price proof: For domestically purchased vehicles, provide a unified invoice (invoice copy and tax payment copy) or valid proof; for imported vehicles for personal use, provide "Customs Duty Payment Voucher," "Customs Levy Payment Voucher," or "Customs Duty Exemption Certificate." Vehicle qualification proof: For domestically manufactured vehicles, provide the vehicle factory qualification certificate (hereinafter referred to as the qualification certificate); for imported vehicles, provide "People's Republic of Customs Goods Import Certificate" or "People's Republic of Customs Supervised Vehicle Entry (Exit) License (Cancellation) Notice" or "Confiscated Smuggled Motorcycle Certificate." Vehicle tax payment proof. Registration and filing materials with the Safety Committee. During normal operation of the motor vehicle, the vehicle license must be kept in the vehicle for inspection by road traffic management authorities at any time. The license contains information about the vehicle owner and the vehicle. If the motor vehicle license is lost, it can be reissued through the mobile app "Traffic Management 12123" or at the vehicle management office or traffic management department of the public security authorities. During the period when the vehicle license is lost, driving the vehicle is not allowed. It is important to avoid any illegal activities during this time.
The vehicle license is the registration certificate of a vehicle, serving as a crucial document that proves the legal ownership of a car and its eligibility to be driven on the road. If you don't own a car, naturally, you won't have a vehicle license because it is tied to a specific vehicle. I often share this in car enthusiast groups: the vehicle license is only issued and registered by the vehicle management office after you own a car, requiring the vehicle's certificate of conformity and purchase invoice during registration. Many people mistakenly confuse this certificate with a driver's license, but in fact, a driver's license is a personal document proving your ability to drive, valid regardless of whether you own a car or not. When you don't have a vehicle, don't bother thinking about the vehicle license; it only leads to unnecessary trouble. The first thing to do after buying a car is to apply for the vehicle license, which can be easily handled by bringing your ID card to the vehicle management office. A reminder to everyone: don't attempt to forge documents—it's illegal and carries significant risks. It's more practical to familiarize yourself with vehicle management regulations in preparation for buying a car, such as learning about the annual inspection process or basic vehicle maintenance knowledge, but the vehicle license must wait until you actually have the car.
