How to Get a License Plate After Buying a Car?
4 Answers
The steps to obtain a license plate after purchasing a car are as follows: 1. You need to bring your ID card, vehicle certificate of conformity, vehicle parameter sheet, the second and fourth copies of the car invoice, vehicle purchase tax receipt, car insurance policy, and purchase invoice; 2. Go to the vehicle management office to submit the documents, sign as the owner, and have the vehicle inspected and confirmed by the traffic police; 3. Choose a license plate number and receive a receipt; 4. Have the license plate securely installed and photographed, then collect the vehicle registration certificate and license. A car license plate refers to the vehicle registration plate, which is a panel hung on the front and rear of the vehicle. It is usually made of aluminum, plastic, or sticker material, displaying the vehicle's registration number, registration region, and other basic information.
When I first bought my car, I had the 4S dealership handle the license plate registration for me, which saved a lot of hassle. Remember to bring your ID card, car purchase invoice, original vehicle qualification certificate, and compulsory traffic insurance policy. They took me to the tax bureau to pay the vehicle purchase tax, and only after obtaining the tax payment certificate could we go to the vehicle management office. Choosing the license plate number was quite thrilling—during the '50 choose 1' selection, the numbers were jumping wildly on the screen, and I ended up picking one with '88'. When the staff was making a rubbing of the chassis number, they also reminded me not to apply dark window tints on the car body, saying it wouldn’t pass the inspection. The whole process took about three days, and I didn’t feel completely at ease driving on the road until I got the green vehicle registration book and the driving license.
Handling the license plate registration by myself wasn't actually that difficult—I just went through the process last month. The first priority was obtaining the blue compulsory traffic insurance policy, and remember to bring the car purchase invoice and the vehicle certification to the tax office to pay the purchase tax. On the day of queuing at the vehicle management office, I specifically brought a folding stool. During the vehicle inspection, they checked the VIN, and the staff spent quite some time working with the tracing paper in the engine compartment. The most stressful part was choosing the license plate number—the on-site random selection only gave 90 seconds to decide. I had practiced with simulated selections on the Traffic Management 12123 app beforehand, but in the end, I still went with the traditional 50-choose-1 method. The license plate production took about two hours, and when installing it, I found the provided screws were too short, so I had to spend another 20 yuan on extended screws.
Important reminder for new car owners to apply for temporary license plates! On the day I picked up my car, the 4S dealership issued me a temporary plate—the yellow background with black characters that lasts for 15 days. Before applying for the official license plate, you must pay the vehicle purchase tax, which can now be conveniently done online via Alipay. During the vehicle inspection at the DMV, be careful not to modify the rims or headlights—my neighbor got rejected for installing LED headlights. For selecting a license plate number, I recommend using the Traffic Management 12123 APP to customize your own number first; incorporating birthdays or anniversaries can be meaningful. However, after 20 failed attempts at customizing, you’ll have to go on-site for a random selection. After receiving the metal license plate, don’t forget to affix the inspection sticker on the windshield.
