Does ETC Require the Vehicle Owner's Driving License?

[MacReagan]

Yes, the vehicle owner's driving license is required to apply for ETC. According to the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Application of Electronic Non-stop Toll Collection on Highways" issued by the Ministry of Transport, the original valid ID card of the vehicle owner, the original and a copy of the vehicle's driving license (the page with the most recent annual inspection stamp) are required. If applying on behalf of someone else, the original valid ID card of the agent is also needed. If applying for ETC through major bank branches, a debit card or credit card from the corresponding bank must be prepared. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a portion of the amount as a deposit when binding with a debit card. Additionally, the current year's vehicle insurance policy is required. For corporate applications, the agent's ID card (or driver's license), the company's organization code certificate (or business license), and the company seal are necessary. ETC Deduction Principles: There will be one or more ETC lanes on highways. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane of the toll station, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with the bank, the purpose of paying tolls without stopping at the toll station is achieved. All of this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line; Green and eco-friendly: Low-carbon, as vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions, thereby minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs by decreasing the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, lowering wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: The theoretical efficiency of ETC lanes can be increased by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC updates faster and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council explicitly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation smart cards in key urban clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will be significantly increased." It also set a clear target in the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development indicators: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles should reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and increasing the ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles, the future will also promote the use of ETC for trucks and explore the deep integration of the ETC system with smart transportation development directions such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing area is 8 meters. When encountering a stationary vehicle ahead, to prevent the vehicle's ETC device from malfunctioning or not having an ETC device at all, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters to avoid automatic sensing and paying for the vehicle ahead. The recognition speed for ETC lane passage is 20 km/h. If the speed is too fast, the vehicle's device information cannot be read, leading to failed deductions. Unauthorized disassembly or movement of the OBU device, or detachment or loosening of the ETC electronic tag, will render the electronic tag invalid. It can be sent to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the highway service office for testing. If the loosening or detachment is not man-made, reactivation is sufficient. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance can also lead to failed deductions. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pass by cash or card. If the vehicle's windshield is too thick, it may