Is it permissible not to display the annual inspection and insurance decals on a vehicle?
3 Answers
It is permissible not to display the vehicle insurance and annual inspection decals. Below is a partial introduction regarding automobile insurance: Components: Automobile insurance generally consists of two parts: basic insurance and additional insurance. Basic insurance is further divided into vehicle damage insurance and third-party liability insurance. Coverage details: Vehicle damage insurance provides compensation for damages to one's own vehicle; third-party liability insurance offers compensation for damages to entities outside one's own vehicle, such as pedestrians and public property struck, or the other party's vehicle; passenger liability insurance covers personal and property losses within one's own vehicle; theft insurance provides compensation in case the vehicle is stolen; and the no-deductible clause ensures 100% compensation in the event of an accident.
My neighbor learned this the hard way last month! He's an experienced ride-hailing driver who thought digitalization meant no need for physical stickers anymore. As a result, he got fined 200 yuan on an interprovincial highway. The traffic police clearly stated: Current laws require the annual inspection sticker and insurance sticker to be displayed on the upper right corner of the windshield - electronic certificates are only supplementary. Enforcement may vary slightly across regions, but unless you're specifically in an area where it's officially announced as optional, it's better to play it safe and stick them on properly. Don't risk fines for aesthetics - peeling them off takes seconds, while one penalty could cost you enough to buy hundreds of static cling films. Leave some space near the rearview mirror specifically for these stickers.
Just helped my nephew who just got his driver's license deal with this last week. Nowadays, many young people think having an electronic insurance policy and annual inspection screenshots on their phones is enough, but in most areas, physical stickers are still required. Especially when driving long distances, traffic police in other regions may not have their equipment connected to the network, making paper stickers your pass. It's recommended that new drivers develop the habit of using static cling stickers to attach new decals immediately upon receipt—avoid using glue directly on the windshield, or you'll regret it when replacing them next year. By the way, starting from 2023, some cities are piloting electronic decals as replacements, but the pilot areas cover less than one-third of the country.
