Is it necessary to pay taxes before selecting a personalized license plate for a new car?
2 Answers
A new car cannot be registered or have its license plate selected without paying taxes. Function of license plates: The license plate provides information about the vehicle's registered region, and it can be used to identify the vehicle's owner and registration details. Introduction to license plates: A vehicle license plate is a plate attached to the front and rear of a motor vehicle, typically made of aluminum, plastic, or sticker material. It displays the vehicle's registration number, registration region, and other basic information. The shape is predominantly rectangular in countries like the U.S. and Japan, or long and narrow in regions like Europe and Mainland China. Vehicle license plates are also referred to as vehicle registration plates or simply license plates.
I bought a new car some time ago, and I remember that paying the full purchase tax is a mandatory step before you can choose your own license plate number. According to the DMV regulations, only after paying the tax and obtaining the receipt can you proceed to the plate selection stage. Otherwise, attempting to select a plate directly will be denied. The tax payment can usually be done online or at the tax office counter, which is quick and convenient. After that, you can either randomly draw a number at the DMV or use a mobile app to choose your favorite plate number. In the entire process, paying the tax acts like a threshold, ensuring all procedures are legal and complete—don’t rush to skip it. Prepare your car purchase invoice, ID card, and other documents in advance to avoid unnecessary delays from back-and-forth trips.
