How many ETCs can one vehicle apply for at most?

[DelRuth]

A vehicle can only apply for one ETC. According to the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Application Service of Electronic Non-stop Toll Collection on Expressways" issued by the Ministry of Transport, the application for ETC is related to the vehicle's driving license. If you own multiple vehicles, you can use different driving licenses to apply for ETCs. Documents required for ETC application: The original valid ID card of the vehicle owner, the original and a copy of the vehicle's driving license (the page with the most recent annual inspection stamp should be provided). If applying on behalf of someone else, 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 needed. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a certain amount as a deposit when binding with debit cards. The current year's vehicle insurance policy is also required. For corporate applications, the agent's ID card (or driver's license), the organization's code certificate (or business license), and the official seal are needed. ETC deduction principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on the expressway. Through the dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle's electronic tag installed on the windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, and using computer networking technology for background settlement with the bank, the purpose of paying tolls without stopping at the toll station is achieved. 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 environmentally friendly: Low-carbon, vehicles pass the toll station without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions, and minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs, reduces the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, lowering wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: The theoretical efficiency of ETC lanes can be increased by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC updates faster and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council clearly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will be significantly increased," and explicitly proposed in the main indicators of the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development that "by 2020, the ETC usage rate of road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and the usage rate of ETC passenger vehicles, the future will also promote the use of ETC for trucks and explore the deep integration of the ETC system with smart transportation development directions such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications. ETC usage precautions: The ETC transaction sensing area is 8 meters. When encountering a vehicle in front stopping, to prevent the ETC device of the front vehicle from malfunctioning or not having an ETC device at all, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters from the front vehicle to avoid automatic sensing and paying for the front vehicle. The recognition speed for ETC lane passage is 20 km/h. If the speed is too fast, the vehicle device information cannot be read, leading to deduction failure. Unauthorized disassembly or movement of the OBU device, or detachment or loosening of the ETC electronic tag, will cause the electronic tag to fail. It can be sent to the bank where the ETC card was applied for or the expressway service office for testing. Non-human loosening or detachment only requires reactivation. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance will also cause deduction failure. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pass by cash or card. Poor sensing due to overly thick car windshields. Especially for vehicles that have had accidents and replaced windshields, or those who have modified front windshields, need to pay attention.

[Ted]

I've been driving for decades and remember when ETC first came out. People were worried whether having multiple ETC devices would be more convenient, but in reality, a vehicle can only have one ETC device at most. The reason is simple: the ETC system charges based on the binding of license plates and onboard tags, with one license plate corresponding to one tag. If multiple devices are installed, the system could get confused—for example, simultaneous readings might lead to duplicate charges or interference between devices. Technically, this design prioritizes security and efficiency, reducing the risk of malfunctions. For instance, when highway cameras scan, multiple tags might be misread, causing incorrect billing—either overcharging or fines. It's recommended that car owners obtain just one ETC device from an official bank or ETC service center and regularly check the tag's status and battery to avoid the hassle of reapplying if it fails. If you sell your car, you can transfer the ETC to a new vehicle with the proper documents—don’t hoard devices, as it wastes money and effort. In short, safe driving is far more important than having an extra tag, and developing good habits saves a lot of trouble.

[RobertLee]

As a young car owner, I use ETC every day—it's convenient and fast, but there's a strict rule: only one ETC tag per vehicle. Why? ETC wireless communication works like phone pairing; binding multiple devices to the same license plate would cause conflicts—the system was designed to prevent duplicate registrations, avoiding misreads during highway scans. Ever tried applying for a second one? The system outright rejects it because backend data conflicts could cause issues, even preventing activation. I think this is a good policy—it simplifies management and avoids hassles like renewal confusion or loss. Just keep your tag clean and charged to avoid sudden failures on the road. For multiple cars or family use, each vehicle can have its own ETC to share costs efficiently. But stacking multiple tags on one car? Unnecessary. Always get yours from an official provider—don’t risk cheap fakes that could slow you down.

[SanJulia]

I work in automotive repair and have dealt with many ETC issues. A vehicle can only have one ETC device at most. The core principle is one-to-one pairing between the vehicle and the tag—bound by the license plate number, the system only recognizes the primary tag; multiple tags will conflict, causing electromagnetic interference or read failures. Common issues include signal confusion leading to toll booth misjudgments, resulting in additional charges or passage delays. In practice, if a customer forcibly installs a second tag, it usually fails immediately or reports an error; I recommend checking the original tag's status, replacing the battery, or cleaning off dust. If it's damaged, go to a service center to get a replacement—don’t stack them. From a safety perspective, adding more devices may affect the stability of the vehicle’s electrical system. Simple maintenance can extend its lifespan and avoid trouble.