How to Determine National IV and National V Vehicles?
3 Answers
Methods to determine National IV and National V vehicles are as follows: 1. For vehicles that have already received the environmental inspection qualification mark, the emission standard can be checked on the original or duplicate of the environmental inspection qualification mark. 2. You can also log in to the Motor Vehicle Environmental Protection Website and enter the vehicle model and engine model in the New Vehicle Compliance Query System to check the vehicle's emission standard. 3. Extension: National IV and National V are tailpipe emission standards. The National V standard is equivalent to the EU's Euro V standard, which imposes stricter limits on nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and suspended particles emitted by motor vehicles.
Last time I helped a friend pick a car, we were stuck on how to distinguish between China IV and China V emission standards. Here are some tips. The most straightforward way is to check the vehicle registration certificate—it has an emission standard section, usually marked as ‘China IV’ or ‘China V’; my friend’s certificate clearly stated ‘China V’. Alternatively, you can check the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), located under the windshield or on the door frame. The 10th digit of the VIN is a letter or number indicating the year—for example, ‘G’ stands for 2016 (mostly China IV), ‘H’ for 2017 (mostly China V). If you can’t remember, just take a photo and search for a decoding tool online. There’s also an environmental label under the hood, usually on a small plate, which specifies the exact standard. Why does it matter? In big cities, there are driving restrictions. For instance, in my city, China IV vehicles are banned on certain roads, while China V cars can drive freely. After checking, we felt much more at ease, avoiding potential fines. My advice: when buying a car, use a mobile app to check official data—it saves a lot of hassle.
Having worked in auto repair for several years, diagnosing vehicles was a routine task. There are several practical methods to determine if a car meets China IV or China V emission standards: First, check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the car body—the 10th digit indicates the manufacturing year. For example, cars before 2016 are usually China IV, while those after 2017 are upgraded to China V. Next, pop the hood and look for a metal plate or small label stating 'Complies with China Phase V' or similar, which confirms China V. If no label is found, plug in an OBD scanner to read the vehicle's system data, where the emission level can be seen. During repairs, it's common to find owners neglecting these checks, leading to annual inspection failures. A reminder: some older cars may lose their labels after modifications—it’s advisable to visit a 4S shop for a replacement or verify via an online traffic management app to avoid wasted trips. Simply put, regular checks are better than dealing with issues later, especially in used car transactions.
