Does Car Color Change Require Registration?

[DiAaliyah]

Whether a car color change requires registration depends on whether the altered color area exceeds 30%. According to Article 6 of Chapter 2 of the "Road Traffic Safety Law", if the color change area of a motor vehicle does not exceed 30%, no registration change is required. Conversely, if it exceeds 30%, registration is necessary, and it must be completed within 10 days after the color change. Precautions for vehicle color change: Before changing the color of a motor vehicle, it is necessary to consult the vehicle management office where the vehicle is registered to confirm whether the region permits color changes. If the region does not support this practice, registration cannot be processed after the color change, and the vehicle must be restored to its original color. Documents required for applying to change the body color of a motor vehicle: "Motor Vehicle Change Registration Application Form". Identity proofs and copies of the motor vehicle owner and agent. Motor vehicle registration certificate. Motor vehicle driving license. Clearance of all previous fines. Additionally, according to Article 10 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations", owners are no longer required to apply in advance to the vehicle management office. They can first change the vehicle color, install body kits, replace the engine, etc., and then apply for change registration with the vehicle management office. Furthermore, registered motor vehicles must apply for change registration with the local vehicle management office under the following circumstances: Change of body color. Replacement of the engine. Replacement of the body or frame. Whole vehicle replacement due to quality issues. Change of use nature, such as commercial vehicles converted to non-commercial use or vice versa. Change of the motor vehicle owner's residence in or out of the jurisdiction of the vehicle management office. Moreover, according to Article 15 of the "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China": Police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and engineering rescue vehicles must be painted with designated patterns and equipped with alarms and signal lights as required. Other motor vehicles are prohibited from using similar patterns, alarms, or signal lights specific to these vehicles.

[JoannaDella]

Last time I got my car wrapped in electro-optic metallic gray, I made a special trip to the DMV. Let me tell you, the new regulation states that any full-vehicle color change exceeding 30% must be registered. Just bring your ID card, vehicle license, and green book (vehicle registration certificate), and pay a 10-yuan processing fee to get it done. Don't think it's troublesome—my neighbor's mint-green Audi got held up for three months during annual inspection because they didn't register it, and the cost of removing the wrap and repainting was enough to wrap the car twice. Remember to complete the registration within ten days after the modification, don't wait until traffic police pull you over to regret it.

[DiHenry]

Those who are into car modifications understand the importance of filing for color changes. Last year, a buddy from my club got pulled over on the highway for not declaring his matte wrap. Nowadays, you can actually book an appointment via 12123, but keep in mind: the wrap must come with an official electronic warranty, or the DMV won’t accept it. After wrapping, get a standard 45-degree photo taken by a broker first—otherwise, failing the on-site photo check can be a hassle. Wheel color changes don’t need filing, but even small dual-tone modifications on mirrors or roofs require registration.

[DelCameron]

Running an auto repair shop for twenty years, I've seen too many cases of illegal color modifications. According to regulations, even just repainting the hood without reporting can result in a 500-yuan fine, let alone the entire vehicle. Actually, filing for the modification is quite hassle-free: after the change, just bring the vehicle registration certificate and driving license to the DMV. They'll verify the color code of your vehicle—for example, matte black needs to be registered as black with special texture. Remember to keep the invoice; last time, a young guy bought wrap film online without a receipt and wasted two hours waiting in vain. Avoid choosing color schemes exclusive to police cars or ambulances—they'll definitely reject your application.