Do license plates need to be canceled after selling a car?
2 Answers
If the car has already been sold, the license plate cannot be canceled separately. Since license plates cannot be transferred domestically, the original license plate will be reclaimed during the transfer process, and the new owner will need to register for a new plate themselves. Therefore, there is no need to worry about the license plate being misused after the car is sold. Below is more information about license plate cancellation: Required documents: You need to bring the original and a copy of your valid ID card, the vehicle registration certificate, both front and rear license plates, and apply for cancellation at the vehicle registration office where the car was registered. Conditions to be met: Two conditions must be met for license plate cancellation: first, the vehicle must be a scrapped vehicle or nearing the end of its service life, and second, the ownership of the vehicle must have changed.
I've sold several cars and find this issue quite common. Actually, the license plate itself doesn't need to be specifically cancelled, because when you sell the car, the plate will be transferred to the new owner along with the vehicle ownership. The key is to complete the formal transfer procedures. I remember when I sold my first car, I thought a simple transaction would suffice. As a result, the transfer wasn't processed for a week, and when the new owner committed a traffic violation, the police still came after me, bringing a pile of tickets and troubles. So, I strongly recommend going to the DMV immediately after the transaction to complete the vehicle transfer registration. Bring your ID, vehicle title, and purchase contract, with both parties present, and it can be done quickly. Once completed, the license plate naturally belongs to the new owner, and the responsibility is transferred. If you particularly like the plate and want to keep it, such as a lucky number, apply to retain it before selling the car. But under normal circumstances, there's no need to worry about cancellation. In short, do the transfer properly, and everything will be safe. Don't be lazy like I was back then.
