Is It Illegal to Change Car Emblems?
2 Answers
Changing car emblems is considered illegal and may result in a warning or fine. Additional information about car emblems is as follows: Introduction: Car emblems refer to the logos of various automotive brands, which often serve as representations of car manufacturers. Car emblems include: the vehicle's trademark or manufacturer's logo, product labels, engine model and serial number, vehicle model and serial number, as well as the vehicle identification number (VIN). Purpose: Their function is to facilitate identification of the vehicle's "identity" by sellers, users, maintenance personnel, and traffic management authorities. According to national regulations, these emblems must be inspected during new vehicle registration and annual inspections.
As a car owner who regularly follows traffic regulations, I believe changing car brand logos requires caution. In China, according to the Road Traffic Safety Law, modifications to a vehicle's appearance, such as replacing brand logos, are considered illegal if they affect the matching of registration information on the vehicle license. I once heard from a friend at a car meet that he replaced his logo with a counterfeit luxury car emblem and was stopped by traffic police, who deemed it as vehicle tampering and fined him. Regarding trademarks, original manufacturer logos are protected by copyright, and unauthorized replacement with other brands may lead to infringement issues. For example, putting a BMW logo on an ordinary car could result in legal action. Insurance is another concern—if an accident occurs and the insurer finds the appearance inconsistent, they might deny the claim. Therefore, for safety and cost-saving reasons, it's best to keep the original logo or consult professional institutions before making any changes.
