Is it no longer necessary to display the auto insurance decal?
2 Answers
Except for regions where the paper decal for compulsory traffic insurance has been abolished, other areas still require the display of the compulsory traffic insurance decal. Penalties for not displaying the vehicle insurance decal: According to Article 40 of the Compulsory Traffic Accident Liability Insurance Regulations, vehicles on the road must display the insurance decal. Otherwise, traffic authorities have the right to impound the vehicle, impose a fine, and deduct one point from the driver's license. The vehicle will only be released after the insurance decal is displayed. Penalties for driving without compulsory traffic insurance: According to the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, if a vehicle is driven on the road without compulsory traffic insurance, traffic authorities will temporarily impound the vehicle, impose a fine of twice the amount of the compulsory traffic insurance premium, and require immediate payment of the compulsory traffic insurance before the vehicle can be released.
I heard about this policy change. Previously, you had to put a small insurance sticker on the windshield when driving, but now many places no longer require it, mainly due to digitalization replacing the physical sticker. Take China for example, since 2020, the mandatory sticker requirement has been abolished, and you can simply show it via a mobile app or electronic proof. When I recently renewed my car insurance, the insurer directly told me I didn’t need to buy the sticker anymore, saving a lot of hassle, and I no longer have to worry about it fading or being hard to remove and staining the glass. For daily driving, I just keep a QR code screenshot in WeChat—if the traffic police need to check, they can scan it, and it’s done. This not only reduces waste and is more eco-friendly but also simplifies the process, making driving much less stressful. However, I recommend regularly checking for app updates to avoid expired proof and potential fines.
