Is it possible not to display the electronic license plate?

[Alexandra]

Electronic license plates do not need to be displayed. Here are the relevant details: 1. Implementation time of the exemption policy: On June 20, 2020, paper inspection stickers for motor vehicles were abolished nationwide, and all paper inspection stickers were replaced with electronic inspection stickers. The function of the electronic inspection sticker is the same as that of the paper sticker, so now there is no need to display any paper stickers on the interior or exterior of the vehicle. 2. Usage method: After successful application, you can download the electronic certificate to your mobile phone in advance when you need to present it, or print it out directly and stick it on the car window or place it in a readily accessible location inside the car. Of course, you can also directly access the Traffic Management 12123 mobile app to present it offline.

[DelElizabeth]

Having driven for over 20 years, I know all too well the importance of license plates. Electronic plates may sound advanced, but they're fundamentally different from traditional metal plates—they're essentially just electronic credentials. Just because they're visible on the traffic management app 12123 doesn't mean they can replace metal plates. The law clearly states that vehicles on the road must display clearly visible plates at both front and rear. Last year, my neighbor bought a new car and was misled by the salesperson into thinking electronic temporary plates didn't need to be displayed. On the third day, they were fined 200 yuan and penalized 3 points. The traffic police made it clear that electronic plates are only transitional credentials for paperwork and that formal plates must be displayed when driving. Don't be fooled—when it's time to display plates, just do it properly.

[DiElla]

For us ordinary car owners, what we want is convenience, but we really can't be lazy when it comes to electronic license plates. Although electronic temporary plates are very convenient now, saving us the trouble of queuing at the DMV, their validity period is usually only 15 days. Last year, when I was registering my new car, I asked in detail, and the DMV said that electronic credentials are only temporary proof of identity and do not mean you don't need to hang the metal plate. What's even more troublesome is that if you're caught by an electronic eye without a license plate, the system won't recognize the vehicle information, and it will directly count as driving without a license plate, resulting in a 12-point penalty. I suggest that when applying for an electronic license plate, be sure to ask about the progress of the metal plate production and install it immediately upon receipt for peace of mind.

[AllisonDella]

From a legal perspective, displaying license plates on motor vehicles is a mandatory requirement for road use. Electronic license plates are merely a convenience measure introduced by the Ministry of Public Security, essentially falling under the category of temporary plates, primarily addressing the issue of easily forgetting to carry paper temporary plates. However, the key point lies in Article 11 of the Road Traffic Safety Law, which stipulates that vehicles must be equipped with uniformly sized license plates at both the front and rear. Last year, there was a case in our area where a driver was using an electronic temporary plate without displaying the metal plate, resulting in the vehicle being impounded by traffic police. Therefore, regardless of technological advancements, the identification function of physical license plates remains irreplaceable.

[IslaDella]

From a safety perspective, license plates serve as a vehicle's ID card. The biggest risk of not displaying a physical license plate lies in emergency situations. Last year, a hit-and-run case involved a vehicle without metal plates. Although surveillance cameras captured the temporary electronic plate information, the investigation process was significantly slower. In daily scenarios, if a vehicle parks illegally without physical plates, traffic police cannot immediately identify the vehicle on-site and may directly tow it. We recommend new car owners to obtain physical license plates immediately upon vehicle pickup and not rely solely on temporary electronic plates. If an electronic plate expires without being replaced by a formal one, the most severe penalty could be treating it as driving without license plates.

[StPreston]

I think the convenience of electronic license plates is often misunderstood. It mainly allows you to avoid carrying temporary paper plates and getting fined for forgetting them. However, the vehicle itself still needs to fully display metal license plates, especially when traveling long distances on highways, as inspection standards vary by province. Once when I traveled to another city, I saw local traffic police deducting 12 points directly from vehicles without metal plates. Nowadays, new car deliveries come with a 7-day temporary plate period, and it's highly recommended to install the metal plates during this time. Electronic documents are just supplementary backups.