How soon must a new car be licensed?
3 Answers
There is no time limit for licensing a new car. Here are the relevant details: 1. Temporary license plate: A new car must obtain a temporary license plate or be legally licensed before it can be driven on the road. If the vehicle has not been registered after acquisition and needs to be driven temporarily within the administrative jurisdiction, a temporary license plate with a validity period of no more than 15 days will be issued; if it needs to be driven temporarily across administrative jurisdictions, a temporary license plate with a validity period of no more than 30 days will be issued. 2. Purchase tax deadline: The purchase tax for a new car has a two-month deadline. If this period is exceeded, a late fee will be charged. The vehicle can only be licensed after the purchase tax is paid. After 60 days, a penalty will be imposed, calculated at 0.05% of the purchase tax amount. Therefore, it is recommended to license the new car within two months.
I remember the 4S store salesperson specifically reminded me when I bought the car that new vehicles must complete the registration procedures within 30 days of pickup. Last time when helping a relative pick up a car, we encountered a case where he waited until the 28th day to go to the DMV, and due to a system malfunction, it was delayed for two days, almost exceeding the deadline. Actually, the countdown starts from the day the invoice is issued, and the temporary license plate can only be used for a maximum of 15 days as a buffer period. Don't think that using a temporary license plate means you can delay indefinitely. The consequences of exceeding the deadline are quite severe - my colleague was fined and had points deducted by traffic police, and what's more troublesome is that car insurance will also be affected. It's recommended that new car owners immediately contact the insurance company to arrange compulsory traffic insurance after picking up the car, and schedule the vehicle inspection as soon as all materials are ready.
Last week, I accompanied a friend to the DMV to complete the new car registration. The law requires registration within 30 days, and this deadline is strictly enforced—driving with an expired temporary plate counts as unlicensed driving. Remember to bring key documents like the original invoice, vehicle certification, and ID card. Many cities now allow online document uploads for pre-approval. I found that around 2 PM is the least crowded time at the DMV, saving more time compared to the morning rush. A tip for license plate selection: online pre-selection reserves your choice for three days, offering several times more options than random on-site selection. Also, a reminder for those buying cars out of state—cross-province registration requires extra attention to emission standards, so check local policies in advance.
