How Long Can a Temporary License Plate for a New Car Be Used?
2 Answers
New car temporary license plates can be used for 30 days. There are two common types of temporary license plates: one with black characters and black borders on a sky-blue background, limited to driving within the city, known as a local temporary license plate; the other with black characters and black borders on a brown and yellow background, which can be used for inter-city driving, known as an out-of-town temporary license plate. The correct way to affix a temporary license plate is: place it on the lower left or right corner of the front windshield without obstructing the driver's view. If there are two temporary license plates, one should be affixed to the front windshield, and the other should be placed on the lower left corner of the rear windshield. If there is no space on the rear windshield, the other temporary license plate should still be carried in the vehicle.
I just bought a new car last month, and I remember the temporary license plate provided by the 4S store was valid for 15 days, which felt quite tight. The salesperson reminded me to be careful not to violate any traffic rules on the way home, as temporary plates are more likely to be checked by traffic police. I want to remind everyone not to wait until the last day to apply for the official plate; my neighbor went to the DMV on the 14th day, only to find long queues and almost missed the deadline. If you don’t drive beyond the expiry date, it’s fine, but if caught on the road, the fine can be over 200 yuan. I recommend asking the dealership clearly about the duration when buying a new car—some places might offer 20 or 30 days, depending on the situation. In short, temporary plates are just a transitional window to help you complete the formalities, so act quickly to avoid complications and the kind of anxiety my family experienced during our first time.
