Is entering the license plate number alone sufficient for checking vehicle violations?
3 Answers
No. Simply entering the license plate number is insufficient for checking violations, as violation records are considered personal information. To prevent unauthorized access, in addition to the license plate number, you must also input the engine number or vehicle identification number (VIN), both of which can be found on the vehicle's registration certificate. Additional relevant information is as follows: After a violation: It is recommended that vehicle owners wait at least three days before checking. Violation photos require manual review by traffic police and subsequent information upload and release. According to relevant regulations, the review of violations captured by electronic monitoring systems must be completed within ten days, and the data should be uploaded to the database within three working days for vehicle owners to access. Note: If no violation is found after ten days, the likelihood of a violation is minimal. If the electronic eye does capture a violation, the mobile phone number registered with the vehicle management office will receive a notification. Vehicle owners only need to follow the instructions in the SMS notification to address the matter promptly.
Checking vehicle violations usually isn't as simple as just entering the license plate number. While the plate number serves as the starting point, it's common practice in my driving experience to also input the last six digits of the VIN or the engine number. For instance, when I last used the local traffic police app, entering just the plate number triggered a system error - it required supplementary VIN information before successfully displaying the violation records. This verification exists because license plates can have duplicates (different vehicles might share identical plate numbers), so the system relies on VIN or engine numbers to accurately identify your specific vehicle. For security, I always recommend preparing the complete details from your vehicle registration certificate beforehand rather than memorizing just the plate number. This ensures smoother queries and prevents others from accidentally checking your vehicle's status. If such information gets leaked, it could pose significant risks.
Having driven for many years, I've checked numerous traffic violation records, and it's definitely not something that can be done with just a license plate number. When actually using platforms to query, such as WeChat mini-programs or the official traffic management website, it often requires entering the last few digits of the vehicle identification number (VIN) along with the vehicle's make and model. I remember one time trying to save effort by only entering the license plate, and the system prompted missing information, causing a half-day delay. Now I've learned my lesson and always keep my documents in the car, double-checking before making inquiries. This design is to avoid incorrect queries, as the same license plate could be registered in different locations. Privacy is also a concern, so be careful not to casually enter key data online.
