Do I Need to Drive the Vehicle Back for License Plate Registration After Transferring a Used Car?
3 Answers
Yes, the vehicle needs to be driven back for license plate registration after transferring a used car. Article 19, Paragraph 1 of the Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations stipulates: When applying for a transfer registration, the motor vehicle owner shall fill out an application form, submit the vehicle for inspection, and provide the required certificates and documents. This regulation clearly states that for motor vehicle transfer registration, i.e., transfer of ownership, the vehicle must be 'submitted for inspection.' Since the vehicle needs to be submitted for inspection, it naturally means driving the vehicle to the vehicle management office. Therefore, the vehicle to be transferred must be driven there. Notes for Cross-Region Transfer: 1. The original sealed vehicle file must be available. 2. A transaction invoice is required. 3. Compliance with local vehicle registration policies (same for both new and used vehicles).
Last year, I handled a used car purchased from another city, and indeed, there’s no need to drive it back to the original location for license plate registration after the transfer. Now, electronic transfer of vehicle registration is implemented nationwide. Just apply for an electronic file transfer via the 12123 Traffic Management APP, and you’ll receive a notification within three days. I directly inspected the car and selected the license plate number at the local DMV without even needing a temporary plate, saving thousands in transport fees. A special reminder: bring the green vehicle registration book, the new owner’s ID card, and the compulsory traffic insurance policy. Some places may also check the vehicle’s emission standards. Buying a car from another location is becoming increasingly convenient, and hiring a reliable agent to track the entire process is even more hassle-free, as they’re familiar with policy differences across regions. It’s advisable to visit the DMV early in the morning to avoid peak queues, and you can get the new license plate installed within two hours.
The key to this issue depends on the car purchase method, whether it's an offline transaction or picking up the car from another location. If it's a local transaction where you receive the vehicle dossier, you can directly go to the new vehicle management office for inspection and license plate registration, making it completely unnecessary to return to the vehicle's registered location. However, if the car was driven back from another city and the dossier might still be in its original location, then the original owner needs to assist in retrieving the records from there. There's now a favorable policy called electronic transfer of vehicle registration, which allows direct online processing between many cities. When handling this, remember to prepare the three essential documents: the vehicle registration certificate, transfer invoice, and the new owner's ID. I've assisted friends with this process twice, and rules vary slightly between cities. It's safest to call the original vehicle management office in advance to inquire, avoiding unnecessary trips.
