How long after a car lottery quota expires can I reapply for the lottery?

[Jodie]

According to Article 44 of the detailed rules: The validity period of the quota is 6 months. Individuals or organizations should use the quota within its validity period. Failure to use it before expiration will be regarded as forfeiting the quota. If a quota obtained through the lottery system is not used before expiration, the applicant will be prohibited from applying for additional quotas for two years starting from the day after the expiration date. Article 16: Unsuccessful individual application codes remain valid for 6 months. During this period, they are automatically carried over to the next quota allocation. If you wish to continue applying after this period, you must confirm your application on the designated website or at government service windows before the validity period ends. Upon approval, the validity period will be extended by another 6 months. Failure to confirm before the expiration will be regarded as voluntarily withdrawing the application, and you will need to reapply to participate in quota allocation. The application process for additional quotas is as follows: submit an application to obtain an application code; after passing the eligibility review, confirm the application code as valid; for regular passenger car quotas, use the valid code to participate in the lottery or bidding. For hybrid or electric vehicle quotas, the valid code directly allocates the quota. Each individual can only obtain one application code, and each valid application code can only correspond to one type of quota and one allocation method per allocation.

[HarmonyDella]

I recently encountered the issue of an expired license plate lottery quota, which felt like letting a cooked duck fly away. Regulations vary by city—here in Beijing, you can reapply and continue participating in the lottery the following month, but other cities may impose waiting periods. For example, Shenzhen requires a three-month wait before reapplying. I recommend not waiting until the last minute to purchase a car, as quotas typically have a 12-month validity period. The reapplication process is straightforward and can be done on the government website by uploading your ID and application materials. However, reapplying might mean facing longer wait times, with Beijing's winning rate being less than 1%. So, act promptly once you secure a quota to avoid the agony of going through the lottery process again like I did.

[MacGiselle]

My friends who missed their license plate lottery deadlines were quite anxious, but the solution isn't as complicated as imagined. From what I understand, expired quotas automatically become invalid, but the reapplication process is straightforward. In most cities, you can participate in the lottery again the month after reapplying, though there are exceptions. I recommend immediately logging into the city's passenger vehicle regulation website to proceed; reapplying doesn't require additional fees. The key is to verify local policies—for example, Hangzhou requires waiting a full quarter before reapplying. Nowadays, system reviews are quick, and with complete documents, it can be done in two or three days. The crucial point is to really pay attention to validity periods; setting phone reminders is safer, as requeuing might take even longer than before.

[LeBrynlee]

The expiration of car lottery quotas is indeed frustrating, with the core issue lying in regional policy differences. Based on my research of city data: Beijing and Guangzhou immediately invalidate expired quotas but allow reapplication the following month, while Shanghai requires a two-month requalification process. Reapplication requires original documents like residence permits and social security records. Many car owners tend to overlook validity periods—it's advisable to start car purchasing within six months of obtaining the quota. After the system automatically cancels expired quotas, application channels remain open year-round without rush periods. However, note that some cities impose credit penalties for winning the lottery twice consecutively without purchasing a vehicle.