Is the Environmental Protection Label Still Required?

[DiEloise]

Environmental protection labels are no longer required. Below is a partial introduction to emission standards: 1. Definition: These are national regulations that set limits on the concentration or total amount of pollutants discharged into the environment by artificial pollution sources. General pollutant emission standards specify the allowable discharge amounts for various pollutants that are widespread or particularly harmful within a certain area (nationwide or regional), applicable to all industries. Some general emission standards specify allowable discharge amounts based on different discharge directions (e.g., water pollutants discharged into sewers, rivers, lakes, or seas). 2. Overview: Emission standards refer to the harmful gases discharged from vehicle exhaust, including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, soot, etc. 3. Reason: On July 25, 2016, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Public Security, and the National Certification and Accreditation Administration jointly issued the "Notice on Further Standardizing Emission Inspections and Strengthening Environmental Supervision and Management of Motor Vehicles" (National Environmental Regulation Atmosphere [2016] No. 2), which clearly states that "environmental protection departments will no longer issue motor vehicle environmental protection inspection compliance labels."

[SophiaDella]

Just helped a friend with this issue a few days ago. Now electronic labels are implemented nationwide, so the paper environmental protection sticker no longer needs to be affixed to the windshield. However, the electronic certificate should be accessible through the traffic management app. My friend who runs an auto repair shop mentioned they still occasionally encounter car owners being fined for unawareness of the new regulations. In fact, traffic police can retrieve electronic data by scanning the license plate with their devices. Remember, during the annual inspection, the environmental protection test is still conducted as usual, and the passing information is directly uploaded to the system, which is quite convenient. But it's advisable to keep a screenshot of the electronic label on your phone as a backup in case of poor signal when checking records. Also, don’t rush to remove the old sticker; just deal with it when naturally replacing the windshield due to aging.

[GiaMarie]

As a new energy vehicle owner, I can clearly tell you that the environmental protection sticker is no longer mandatory! When I changed my car last year, the staff specifically reminded me that all inspection data is now synchronized online. However, it is recommended to keep the environmental protection compliance certificate issued during the annual inspection. In case you encounter a strict traffic police officer from another region checking your car, it's convenient to have an electronic copy saved on your phone. In fact, digitalization has made things more convenient. There's no need to clutter the windshield with various stickers that affect visibility, but regular inspections must not be missed. The environmental protection department released data last year showing that the compliance rate for inspections actually increased by 8% after the new regulations were implemented.

[LeIsabela]

This issue was just addressed three months ago. Nowadays, vehicle environmental inspection data is directly uploaded online, so there's indeed no need to stick paper labels on the windshield anymore—electronic certificates can be checked via the Traffic Management 12123 app. However, implementation details vary by region; my cousin in a small western city got fined once. Practical advice: During the new regulation transition period, it's best to keep a printed copy in the glove box as backup, especially for long trips. Also, make sure no old adhesive marks remain on the windshield—I once saw someone mistakenly penalized for obstructed vision due to residual sticker traces.

[SanArcher]

Looking at the process from vehicle inspection stations makes this clearer. In fact, environmental protection testing is still mandatory every year, but the passing information is now entered in real-time into the nationwide online platform. Traffic police enforcement terminals have been upgraded to scan license plates and retrieve electronic tags. However, it's recommended that car owners keep the environmental protection certificate provided by the inspection station, as some used car trading platforms still require paper documents for ownership transfer. Note: if there are traces of peeled-off old labels on the windshield, you might be asked to clean them during the next annual inspection—don't ask how I know.