How to Deal with Driving an Unlicensed Vehicle on the Road?
3 Answers
"Driving an unlicensed vehicle on the road should result in the detention of the motor vehicle, a deduction of 12 points, and a fine. New vehicles can be driven on the road if they have temporary license plates. There are two types of temporary license plates: one with a sky-blue background, black characters, and black borders, which is only valid for driving within the city (local temporary license plate); the other has a brown-yellow background, black characters, and black borders, and can be used for cross-city driving (non-local temporary license plate). After the official license plate is issued, even if the temporary license plate is still within its validity period, it cannot be used anymore. When driving a motor vehicle on the road, the vehicle must display the license plate, inspection qualification mark, and insurance mark, and carry the vehicle registration certificate. The license plate must be displayed clearly and completely as required, without intentional covering or damage; no unit or individual is allowed to confiscate or detain the license plate."
Last time I drove without license plates and got caught by traffic police on the spot. After checking my documents, the officer fined me 200 yuan and warned that my car could be towed with a 500-yuan towing fee. I immediately pulled over to handle it, went to the DMV to replace the plates, waited in long lines all day, and missed work with significant losses. Later, my insurance company told me that if an accident had occurred, all claims would have been denied, with full liability on me. New drivers often make this mistake—the solution is to stop immediately, cooperate, pay the fine, and schedule plate registration without delay. For new cars, you can apply for temporary plates in advance for emergency use, but they must be used within the validity period. Safe driving is paramount—don’t play with fire.
Driving without license plates carries extremely high risks, with fines ranging from 100 to 500 being common, and possible point deductions. I've seen a friend who drove without plates end up without insurance coverage, having to pay out of pocket after an accident—a real headache. If caught, don't argue; provide your documents, accept the ticket, and get the plates fixed immediately. It's advisable to buy a temporary moving permit for short-term use to avoid trouble. Remember, avoid driving without plates during the day when checks are strict, and it's even more dangerous at night with dim lighting. Driving unregistered increases liability in rear-end collisions or hit-and-run cases—life is far more important than convenience. Planning ahead for DMV procedures is the right way to go.
