Must the ETC be handled by the vehicle owner personally?
2 Answers
It is not necessary for the vehicle owner to handle the ETC personally. According to the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Application Service of Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) on Highways" issued by the Ministry of Transport, the original valid ID card of the vehicle owner, the original and a copy of the vehicle's driving license, and the page of the driving license with the most recent annual inspection stamp are required. If handling on behalf of someone else, the original valid ID card of the agent is also required. If applying for ETC through the business halls of major banks, a debit card or credit card from the corresponding bank must be prepared. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a certain amount of funds as a deposit when binding ETC with a debit card. Documents required for company vehicles: Introduction letter from the vehicle owner (with official seal); Copy of the organization code certificate or business license (with official seal); Original ID card of the agent; Original driving license of the vehicle; Vehicle for which ETC is to be applied. ETC charging principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on the highway. Through the dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle's electronic tag installed on the windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane of the toll station, the computer network technology is used to settle accounts with the bank in the background, achieving the purpose of paying tolls without stopping at the toll station. All of this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line; Green and environmentally friendly: Green and low-carbon, vehicles pass through the toll station without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions and minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs, reduces the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, and lowers wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: The theoretical efficiency of ETC lanes can be increased by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC more updated, faster, and higher-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council clearly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation cards in key urban agglomerations will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will be significantly increased." It also explicitly set the goal in the main indicators of the "13th Five-Year Plan" for comprehensive transportation development that "by 2020, the ETC usage rate of road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and the usage rate of ETC passenger vehicles, the future will also promote the use of ETC for trucks and explore the deep integration of the ETC system with the development directions of smart transportation such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means that more application scenarios will support ETC applications. Precautions for using ETC: The ETC transaction sensing area is 8 meters. When encountering a vehicle in front stopping, to prevent the ETC device of the vehicle in front from malfunctioning or not having an ETC device at all, keep a distance of more than 10 meters from the vehicle in front to avoid automatically sensing and paying for the vehicle in front. The recognition speed for ETC lane passage is 20 km/h. If the speed is too fast, the vehicle device information cannot be read, which will also lead to charging failure. Unauthorized disassembly or movement of the OBU device, detachment or loosening of the ETC electronic tag, etc., will cause the electronic tag to fail. It can be sent to the bank where the ETC card was handled or the highway service hall for testing. If the loosening or detachment is not man-made, it only needs to be reactivated. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance will also lead to charging failure. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to go to the manual MTC lane and use cash or card swiping to pass. Poor sensing due to excessive thickness of the car windshield. Especially for vehicles that have been repaired after an accident and had the windshield replaced, or friends who have modified the front windshield need to pay attention.
I went to the bank in person to apply for ETC a few years ago, but I heard from a friend that it doesn't necessarily have to be done by the owner. If the vehicle owner is unavailable, a family member or friend can handle it on their behalf. They just need to bring the owner's original ID card, the vehicle registration certificate, and a letter of authorization specifying who will handle the procedure. The bank might verify identities, but generally, there are no issues. Once ETC is installed, it’s really convenient for highway travel—no need to queue for toll payments, just scan and pass through the gate. If the owner can’t go in person, remember to contact the service point in advance to check specific requirements. Some bank apps even support online applications, where uploading photos of the documents is enough—super convenient, especially for busy schedules. Personally, I think going in person is more reliable, as signing contracts and other formalities can be settled directly, avoiding potential hassles later.
