Is it mandatory to purchase a car after winning the license plate lottery?
2 Answers
According to current relevant policy regulations, the validity period of a license plate quota obtained through the lottery is 6 months. After winning the lottery, vehicle registration must be completed within six months; otherwise, the quota will be deemed automatically invalid. Regulations vary by region: For example, in Guangzhou, the current validity period for a license plate quota is 12 months, with no option to apply for an extension. Failure to purchase a car and complete registration before the quota expires is considered a forfeiture of the quota, and the individual will be barred from participating in the lottery for 2 years. Solutions for those who win the lottery but do not wish to purchase a car: Although the license plate obtained through the lottery cannot be gifted, it can be temporarily used by relatives or friends who wish to purchase a car but have not won the lottery themselves.
I recently won the car license plate lottery, but buying a car isn’t necessarily a must. After winning, there’s usually a deadline—for example, in Beijing, you must register and purchase a car within a year, or the quota becomes invalid. But I know a friend who won the lottery, then ended up relocating for work and didn’t buy a car, wasting the opportunity. Honestly, winning the lottery is hard—the odds are extremely low—so it’s important to carefully consider your actual needs. Urban travel is much more convenient now, with subways, buses, and shared bikes. If you really need a car, renting a shared one is quite economical. If you force yourself to buy, you’ll have to bear costs like the license plate fee, maintenance, and insurance, and if you rarely use it, it’s just wasted money. I’d suggest evaluating your lifestyle—if your commute is short or your company provides shuttle services, not buying a car might be the smarter choice. Don’t act impulsively just because of that quota.
