Is it illegal to remove seats from a minivan?
2 Answers
It is illegal to remove seats from a minivan without authorization. The details are as follows: 1. Legal regulations: According to the "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China," "No unit or individual may assemble a motor vehicle or alter the registered structure, construction, or characteristics of a motor vehicle without authorization." 2. Penalty basis: Article 57 of the "Regulations on the Registration of Motor Vehicles" stipulates that "unauthorized alteration of the appearance of a motor vehicle or its registered technical data shall be ordered by the traffic management department of the public security organ to restore it to its original state, and a warning or a fine of not more than 500 yuan shall be imposed."
I once removed the seats from my van to create more space, but was caught by traffic police and fined 200 yuan with 3 penalty points deducted. This is definitely illegal because every seat in the vehicle undergoes safety testing when it leaves the factory. Removing them alters the center of gravity and increases the risk of rollover. The law prohibits illegal structural modifications, including reducing the number of seats. The seating capacity stated on the registration certificate cannot be arbitrarily changed, otherwise it may affect insurance claims. My advice is to never remove the seats. If you really need to transport goods, apply for a modification at the vehicle management office or rent a dedicated cargo truck. Safety first—don’t take risks that could harm yourself and others.
