Is it illegal to remove the rear seats of a van?

[StCayden]

Removing the rear seats of a van is illegal as it violates the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China. Relevant information is as follows: 1. Dimensions: Taking the Wuling Rongguang V 2019 1.5L Utility Model National V ILAR as an example, it is a microvan under SAIC-GM-Wuling. 2. Power: The vehicle is equipped with a 1.5L engine, paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. In terms of body dimensions, the vehicle measures 4415 mm in length, 1665 mm in width, and 1850 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2720 mm. For the suspension system, the front suspension is a MacPherson independent suspension, and the rear suspension is a leaf spring non-independent suspension.

[VanAdriana]

I was fined by the traffic police a while ago for removing the rear seats of my minivan. It turns out this is actually illegal. The officer explained that the number of seats registered on the vehicle's license cannot be arbitrarily modified, and removing seats counts as illegal modification. Think about it - with an empty cargo space in the back, unsecured goods could fly out during sudden braking, creating serious hazards. The authorities are conducting strict roadside checks now - if caught, you'll face penalty points and fines. In severe cases, they might even require you to reinstall the seats before releasing your vehicle, causing both delays and extra expenses. My advice is to keep the seats as they are. If you need to transport goods, renting a small truck would be more cost-effective.

[EmiliaAnn]

Take my advice, don't remove minivan seats. Last year, I removed the third-row seats for convenience to transport building materials, only to fail the annual inspection. The inspector pointed out that unauthorized alteration of the vehicle's structure violates registration regulations and required me to restore it to pass. Later, I learned that even vehicle insurance could be affected, as insurers consider this a risk-increasing modification. Especially when family minivans are converted for cargo transport, claims can become problematic in case of accidents. These vehicles are also prime targets during routine traffic police checks, making the effort not worth the trouble.

[LaReese]

Indeed, it's illegal. The number of seats in a van is registered with the vehicle management department upon leaving the factory, and removing seats is considered illegal modification. I've seen many people remove seats to carry goods, only to have the cargo smash through the windshield during a sharp turn. The law requires that any changes to the vehicle's internal structure must be reported and approved. Not only is removing seats prohibited, but even moving the seats requires an application. If caught, it will be treated as mixed passenger and cargo transportation, with fines starting from 500. It's recommended to consider legal methods like installing a roof rack to increase cargo space.

[Easton]

A few days ago, a car in our neighborhood removed its rear seats to transport renovation waste. While making a turn, two large toolboxes slammed into the driver's seat backrest, nearly causing an accident. Traffic laws explicitly prohibit the unauthorized removal of fixed vehicle seats for three reasons: it alters the original safety design of the vehicle, increasing driving risks; it violates the registered parameters on the vehicle's license; and it can easily lead to overloaded transportation. If you must transport goods, consider removing the seat screws without taking out the frame, allowing quick reinstallation during inspections. However, it's best to avoid this gray area altogether.

[BellaAnn]

The veteran driver in our team said this is absolutely not to be touched. After removing the seats from the van, the center of gravity changes significantly, making it particularly prone to skidding in rainy or snowy weather. Traffic police will directly treat the missing seats as illegal modifications, regardless of whether it's for personal or commercial use. A courier who removed seats for deliveries was caught, and besides the fine, he had to go to a designated repair shop to reinstall them, queuing for two days and suffering even greater business losses. Nowadays, even the annual vehicle inspection checks the original number of seats. Any modifications mean having to remove and reinstall them for every inspection, which is really not worth it.