Do 7-seater vehicles still require lettering in 2021?
2 Answers
Whether 7-seater vehicles require lettering in 2021 depends on the nature of the vehicle. Generally, non-commercial household 7-seaters are not mandated to have lettering, while commercial 7-seaters must have it. Below are the relevant details about lettering: Purpose: For travel safety and the safety of passengers, the aim is to remind drivers to load passengers according to regulations, enhance public supervision of van transportation, raise awareness of traffic safety among the public, and consciously resist illegal activities such as overloading to reduce road safety hazards. Consequences of not having lettering: According to relevant regulations, commercial motor vehicles must have mandatory lettering. Vehicles without lettering are not allowed on the road by traffic police. If caught, the driver may face fines and penalty points.
I remember back in 2021 when driving my 7-seater family MPV, the spray-painting situation was totally different. As a driver with over a decade of experience, we used to have those large characters indicating passenger capacity sprayed on the doors. It was always frustrating after annual inspections, not to mention the damage to the car paint. But after the new regulations came into effect at the end of 2017, most family-use 7-seater vehicles no longer required spray-painting, and this policy continued through 2021—unless your vehicle was for commercial use, like taxis or passenger transport services. Mine was just a regular family car, so the 2021 inspection went smoothly. The staff simply checked the "non-commercial" designation on the vehicle registration and let it pass. It saved a lot of hassle and kept the exterior cleaner. If you're worried, just make sure to keep your registration in good condition and avoid altering passenger records, and you’ll be fine. This really improved the driving experience by eliminating those annoying little details.
