How soon can you get license plates after buying a car?
2 Answers
New car buyers can complete the license plate registration process within 3 hours after purchase. However, if the registration has not been completed, temporary license plates can be applied for. New car license plate regulations: There are time limits for new car license plate registration. The first limit is the quota restriction, and the second is the temporary plate restriction. 1. Quota restriction: In areas with license plate restrictions, the validity period of the car purchase quota is generally 6 months or 12 months. If the validity period is exceeded, license plates cannot be registered. 2. Temporary plate restriction: Temporary plates have a validity period. For example, in Guangzhou, temporary plates can only be obtained three times, with each validity period being 15 days. After expiration, it is illegal to drive on the road, so permanent license plates must be obtained within the validity period of the temporary plates.
After buying the car, I immediately looked into the license plate registration process. The salesperson said it could be done the same day if all materials like the invoice, certificate of conformity, and insurance policy were ready. When handling it myself, I first purchased compulsory traffic insurance to ensure it was effective, then headed straight to the DMV with my ID card and copies. However, there was a long queue that day, and I spent the whole morning waiting for the vehicle inspection and plate selection. I didn’t get the plates until the afternoon. The whole process took about five hours and was quite exhausting. I recommend avoiding the beginning of the month or going early on a weekday to save time. Temporary plates have a short validity period, and driving without plates carries a high risk of fines, so it’s best to handle it as soon as possible. There are significant differences between cities—small towns are faster, while places like Beijing are slower. Pre-selecting a plate number online can save some hassle, but choosing on-site lets you test the feel. When buying insurance for a new car, make sure it’s effective the same day; otherwise, it could delay things by a day. My friend had to wait two extra days because of missing documents and reprinting delays.
