Does the vehicle owner need to be present to apply for ETC?
3 Answers
No, non-owners can also apply for ETC. According to the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Application of Electronic Non-stop Toll Collection Services on Expressways" issued by the Ministry of Transport, the original valid ID card of the vehicle owner, the original and photocopy of the vehicle license, and the page of the vehicle license with the most recent annual inspection stamp are required. If applying on behalf of others, the original valid ID card of the agent is also required. If applying for ETC through major bank branches, a debit or credit card from the corresponding bank is also needed. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a certain amount as a deposit when binding ETC with a debit card. Additionally, the current year's vehicle insurance policy is required. For corporate applications, the agent's ID (or driver's license), the company's organization code certificate (or business license), and the company seal are necessary. The ETC billing principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on the expressway. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle-mounted electronic tag installed on the windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, computer networking technology is used for backend settlement with the bank, achieving the purpose of paying tolls without stopping at the toll station. 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 and minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs by decreasing the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, reducing wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: Theoretically, ETC lanes can increase vehicle throughput by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC faster, more advanced, 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, intercity transportation cards will be basically interoperable in key city clusters, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will significantly increase." It also set a 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, efforts will be made to promote ETC usage for trucks and explore deeper integration of ETC systems with vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination, and other smart transportation developments, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC usage. ETC usage precautions: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. If the vehicle in front stops, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters to prevent automatic sensing and paying for the vehicle in front, in case the vehicle ahead has a faulty ETC device or none at all. The ETC lane recognition speed is 20 km/h. If the speed is too fast, the vehicle device information cannot be read, leading to failed billing. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or if the ETC electronic tag falls off or becomes loose, will render the electronic tag invalid. It can be taken to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the expressway service office for inspection. If the loosening or detachment is not due to human interference, reactivation is sufficient. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance will also cause billing failure. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pay with cash or card. If the car windshield is too thick, it may cause...
Last year after buying my own car, I went to apply for an ETC. At that time, I personally visited the ETC service point with my ID card and vehicle license, because the ETC needs to be linked to personal information and the license plate number to ensure genuine ownership. If you authorize someone else to handle it, you need to prepare a power of attorney in advance, otherwise it might be rejected. The whole process was quite fast—just filling out a form and installing the OBU device, taking less than half an hour in total. Using ETC is really convenient—no need to queue at toll stations, and there's a 10% discount. I recommend applying for it early. My friend tried applying online, which was also convenient but required self-installation of the device. Remember to check the device's battery regularly to avoid running out of power midway and affecting your trip.
Having worked in an auto repair shop for many years, I've seen many car owners handling ETC applications. Generally, the vehicle owner is required to be present in person, bringing documents to prove vehicle ownership to prevent fraudulent use. Even if delegating a friend to handle it, a written authorization document is necessary. The process is simple: first register at a bank or ETC service point, where staff will help install the device and perform a quick debugging. ETC is an electronic toll collection system that automatically deducts fees, saving time and being far more efficient than cash. However, be careful not to use someone else's identity to apply, as disputes can be troublesome. In daily use, maintaining normal device signal is key; regularly clean the small box on the windshield to avoid obstructing the view. The benefits go beyond discounts; it also records trips and makes management fees more transparent.
