How Many Years Until Private and Commercial Vehicles Are Scrapped?
2 Answers
For 5-seat family cars and 7-seat SUVs, as well as other small and micro non-commercial vehicles, there is no mandatory retirement age. However, when the mileage reaches 600,000 kilometers, the government will recommend scrapping. In addition to the above-mentioned vehicles, small and micro non-commercial passenger cars, large non-commercial cars, and wheeled special machinery vehicles also have no usage time limit. Commercial vehicles have mandatory retirement periods as follows: Small and micro taxi passenger cars have a retirement period of 8 years, medium-sized taxi passenger cars 10 years, and large taxi passenger cars 12 years. Public transport passenger cars have a retirement period of 13 years, other small and micro commercial passenger cars 10 years, and large and medium commercial passenger cars 15 years. Micro commercial trucks have a retirement period of 8 years, while light and large commercial trucks have a retirement period of 10 years. The vehicle scrapping process is as follows: The vehicle owner must fill out and submit an "Application Form for Vehicle Modification, Transfer, Alteration, Suspension, or Scrapping," stamped with the owner's seal. The registration office will process the application and issue a "Vehicle Scrapping Notice" for vehicles that have reached the retirement age. For vehicles that have not reached the retirement age but meet scrapping standards after inspection, a "Vehicle Scrapping Notice" will also be issued. The owner must then choose a qualified recycling company to dismantle the vehicle. The recycling company will dismantle the vehicle and take photos after verifying the notice. The engine must be separated from the vehicle, the engine block must be broken, and the chassis must be cut. The owner must submit the "Modification Form," "XX Province Vehicle Technology Appraisal Form," "Scrapped Vehicle Recycling Certificate," and dismantling photos to the inspection office for verification and approval to complete the scrapping registration. Special Notes: According to Article 30 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations," if a vehicle cannot be driven back to its registered location due to damage, the owner may sell it to a local recycling company for scrapping. If a commercial vehicle is converted to non-commercial use, it must still be scrapped according to its original commercial vehicle retirement period. According to Article 43 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations," after completing a vehicle transfer or deregistration, the original owner may apply to reuse the original license plate number when registering a new vehicle, provided that: (1) the application is submitted within six months of the transfer or deregistration, and (2) the owner has held the original vehicle for at least three years.
As a car enthusiast who has driven many vehicles, I can share that there are no mandatory age limits for private car scrappage in China. Essentially, you can keep driving indefinitely, but it's recommended to consider scrapping after 600,000 kilometers or 15 years of service due to increased safety risks from worn components. Commercial vehicles operate under different rules—taxis and ride-hailing cars must be retired after 8 years regardless of mileage, a policy designed to prevent fatigue-related accidents. Other vehicles like freight trucks may have a 10-year limit. Safety is the key concern; delaying scrappage compromises road safety. I advise owners to conduct annual inspections rather than waiting until problems arise.
