How Many Times Can You Get a Temporary License Plate for a Car?

[Noah]

A car can apply for a temporary license plate up to three times. Temporary license plates are only valid within their expiration period. The validity period for temporary license plates within an administrative region is 7 to 15 days. If the official license plate cannot be issued within the period when the temporary license plate is in use, the owner needs to apply for a temporary license plate again. When a vehicle has applied for temporary license plates more than three times, the vehicle will be locked and cannot apply for more. Conditions for applying for a temporary license plate: 1. When driving the vehicle back from the place of purchase to the place of use, you need to apply for a temporary license plate at the vehicle management office in the place of purchase; 2. When transferring the vehicle registration and the official license plate has been surrendered, you need to apply for a temporary license plate at the local vehicle management office to drive back to the local area; 3. If a new car that has not applied for an official license plate in the local area needs to be driven to another location for modification, you need to apply for a temporary license plate locally. After the modification is completed, you need to apply for a temporary license plate at the local vehicle management office to drive back to the original area.

[KennedyLee]

I remember when I bought my car, the first temporary license plate I got was valid for 15 days, and then I applied for two more at the DMV, totaling 45 days. But a friend at the DMV reminded me that temporary plates can only be issued up to three times, and after that, you have to get the official license plate. Once, I almost exceeded the limit because the materials for the official license plate weren’t ready, and I barely managed to get it done two days before the third temporary plate expired. New drivers should pay attention to the difference between intra-provincial temporary plates and inter-provincial temporary plates—the latter allows nationwide travel within 45 days, but never drive without a plate, as traffic cameras will still fine and deduct points if caught.

[HoldenFitz]

Temporary license plates can be applied for up to three times as per regulations, with each validity period lasting 15 days. I've seen many car owners repeatedly renew temporary plates for convenience, only to be required to register their vehicles when the third expiration occurs. Especially for owners driving across regions, note that blue temporary plates are only valid locally, while yellow ones are nationwide but equally strict on the application limit. It's advisable to calculate the timing and prepare materials like invoices and insurance policies one week in advance. After review by the vehicle management office, new temporary plates can be issued on the spot.

[McIvan]

Last time when helping a client with temporary license plates, the DMV clearly stated that new cars have three opportunities to obtain them. Some car owners use temporary plates as a tool to extend their usage, which is actually very dangerous—driving with expired plates will result in a 12-point deduction. Under special circumstances, such as during the pandemic, some cities relaxed the rule to four times, but now it has mostly reverted to the standard three times. Remember to affix the temporary plates on the lower left corner of the front windshield and the lower left corner of the rear windshield, otherwise, you may face a 200 yuan fine if encountered by a strict traffic officer.

[McEzra]

When I was a novice buying a car, the 4S store told me that temporary license plates can be applied for a maximum of three times. After the first 15-day period expired, I promptly renewed it for the second time and also completed the cross-province temporary license plate application. The lesson learned is not to wait until the deadline to handle the procedures, as system failures or queues could cause delays. Additionally, when reselling a used car, the count for temporary license plates resets, which is more convenient for friends who want to test drive.