Do new cars need to display insurance and annual inspection stickers?
2 Answers
In 2021, insurance stickers and annual inspection stickers no longer need to be displayed on vehicles. Since June 2020, China has implemented electronic annual inspection labels nationwide, replacing physical inspection stickers with electronic inspection certificates. If stopped by traffic police, drivers can present the electronic inspection certificate via the 'Traffic Management 12123' app. According to the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, motor vehicles must carry a driver's license, vehicle registration certificate, and display annual inspection and compliance stickers when driven on roads. After 2021, the annual inspection sticker has been replaced by an electronic inspection certificate, and the insurance sticker has been replaced by an electronic insurance policy. Electronic Motor Vehicle Inspection Label: The electronic motor vehicle inspection label is issued by the traffic management authorities through the national unified internet traffic safety service platform and the 'Traffic Management 12123' mobile app. It provides electronic certificate services for vehicle owners, drivers, and related industries and management departments. Electronic Auto Insurance Policy: An electronic auto insurance policy is an electronic document issued by insurance companies to policyholders in the form of data messages, proving the existence of a motor vehicle insurance contract. It includes both commercial auto insurance and compulsory traffic insurance electronic policies. The electronic compulsory traffic insurance label has the same legal effect as traditional paper policies. All compulsory insurance labels have been converted to electronic format. After purchasing insurance, vehicle owners no longer need to collect physical policy documents from the insurance company.
Last year when I just got my new car, I was also quite confused about this issue, so I went to the 4S store and asked the salesperson in detail. They told me that as soon as a new car is licensed, it must purchase compulsory insurance (traffic insurance) and possibly additional commercial insurance, only then can you obtain the insurance label to prove it's legal to drive on the road. As for the annual inspection sticker, new cars are exempt from inspection for the first 6 years, but still need the annual inspection label as a record. Nowadays, many cities are promoting electronic management, such as the Traffic Management 12123 APP, where you can directly check electronic labels without sticking them on the windshield, avoiding issues like obstructing vision or accumulating dust. If you're in the countryside or some older districts, you might still need to stick the paper label to prevent oversight during traffic police checks, but the overall trend is moving towards digitalization to simplify life. As a new car owner, I think it's quite easy to understand the vehicle regulations without much hassle. I suggest handling insurance and annual inspection immediately after buying the car, don't wait until an accident or fine happens to remember to deal with it, safety comes first. Also, pay attention to APP updates when driving to avoid expiration.
