How Many Colors Are Allowed for Car Color Changes?
3 Answers
Car color changes are limited to 3 colors, and certain colors such as fire engine red, engineering emergency yellow, and the white-over-blue combination used for national administrative law enforcement vehicles are prohibited. Below are the relevant details for car color changes: 1. Required documents for car color change application: 'Motor Vehicle Change Registration/Record Application Form'; original and photocopy of the vehicle owner's ID; original 'Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate'; original 'Motor Vehicle License'; payment of all fines before the color change. 2. Restricted areas for car color changes: The body color must not be identical or similar to that of special-purpose vehicles; vinyl wrap color changes must not exceed 1/3 of the vehicle's surface area; no more than three colors are allowed on the vehicle body.
Last year, I had my car repainted in a bright blue color, which really made it stand out. Actually, there are no numerical limits on car color changes—you can choose any color you like, such as red, black, or silver, just as freely as picking clothes. However, certain special colors must be avoided, like the blue-and-white striped patterns used on police cars or military camouflage green—these are strictly prohibited because they can be misleading. After the repaint, I visited the DMV to fill out a form and register the change, which was quick and easy. Otherwise, I might have faced trouble if stopped on the road. During regular maintenance, it’s important to check the adhesion of the wrap or paint to prevent color peeling, which could affect safety. Overall, the process isn’t difficult—just follow the rules, and the more colors you choose, the more personality your car will show.
As a small-scale expert helping with car repainting at an auto repair shop, I've seen many car owners choose a variety of colors, from understated gray to shiny gold—all shades have been used. The law doesn't specify a limit on the number of colors you can change to; there's no upper cap. The issue lies in certain restricted types, like replicas of police car blue-and-white, fire truck red, or military green camouflage—these are absolutely off-limits, as using them would be considered a violation. The reason is simple: it could cause confusion on the streets. Nowadays, vinyl wrapping is popular due to its low replacement cost and eco-friendliness, and I often use it to help clients test new colors. Remember, after repainting, you must apply for a color change registration at the vehicle management office within ten days, bringing your ID and vehicle license. Don't skip this step—otherwise, issues during annual inspections could lead to extra costs for fixes, and it's not worth delaying.
