How many days does it usually take to get a motor vehicle license plate?
3 Answers
How soon you can get the license plate depends on the method of plate selection. There are three ways to choose a license plate number: self-selection, 10-choose-1, and online selection. If you use the 10-choose-1 method, you can usually get the license plate on the same day; if you use online selection or self-selection, it generally takes 15 working days to receive the license plate. Relevant details are as follows: 1. Temporary license plate expiration: Once the metal plate is issued, the temporary license plate becomes invalid, even if it hasn't expired yet. 2. Paper license plate: Before the official license plate is issued, the traffic management department will provide the vehicle owner with a paper license plate that permits temporary road use. After receiving the official license plate, it must be promptly displayed. Otherwise, if caught by law enforcement, the penalty will be a 200-yuan fine and 12 demerit points.
When I first bought my car, it usually took two or three days to get the license plate, depending on how you handled it. For example, if you went directly to the vehicle management office to apply on-site, some places could get it done the same day or the next day. But if there were a lot of people or during holidays, it might take three to five working days. I recommend asking more questions when applying—the way you choose the license plate also affects the speed: using an existing number is faster; if you pick one online yourself, you might have to wait an extra day or two. In the meantime, don’t rush to drive—use a temporary license plate first, safety comes first. Remember to check that all procedures are complete and don’t miss any materials to avoid rework and wasting time. Overall, big cities like Shanghai might be more efficient, while smaller cities may take longer, but it usually gets done within a week.
If you ask a 4S dealership to handle license plate registration for you, they often claim it will be done in one or two days. But in reality, the process typically takes two to four days on average. Based on my experience, the timeline largely depends on the coordination efficiency between the dealership and the local DMV—it can be faster if everything goes smoothly, but delays are common during peak seasons or if documents are incomplete. While the dealership service saves you hassle, it’s crucial to track the progress closely. It’s best to confirm the estimated timeline on the first day to avoid unexpected delays. During the waiting period, a temporary license plate is a must—never drive without plates to save trouble, as getting caught will lead to penalties. Processing times vary significantly by region: dealerships in major cities like Beijing or Guangzhou tend to be faster, while rural areas are slower. Personally, I’d say three days is a common benchmark.
