Must the license plate nuts match the local ones?
3 Answers
There is no regulation requiring the use of local-specific screws for car license plates, but non-compliant fastening screws must not be used. It is mandatory to use screws corresponding to the region of the vehicle's license plate. Using screws from another region may result in penalties such as fines and demerit points if caught by traffic police. Below is knowledge about correctly installing license plates according to relevant regulations: 1. The new traffic regulations stipulate that fixed license plate frames can be used, but the inner edge of the frame must be more than 5cm from the edge of the vehicle's license plate number. Additionally, the frame must not bear any logos, text, or decorative patterns that obscure the license plate. 2. When mounting the license plate, specialized fastening devices, i.e., screw caps with the national emblem and official seal, must be used. These must represent the province, autonomous region, municipality, or issuing authority with printed Chinese character codes and letters. Each motor vehicle should be equipped with 8 fixed sealing devices.
Last year when I installed new license plates, I specifically asked the DMV, and they required the use of locally standardized anti-theft nuts. These nuts have a unique anti-removal design that ordinary nuts simply can't unscrew. Not only is the material special, but the nuts are also engraved with the province abbreviation. Traffic police have warned that using ordinary nuts counts as illegal modification, and the vehicle inspection will definitely fail. My friend bought a car in another province and still had to replace the nuts with local ones upon returning. I recommend visiting the DMV to get the specialized accessories before installing license plates, rather than taking shortcuts with generic ones bought from hardware stores.
Last month, I helped my cousin install his license plate, and the nuts he bought online were confiscated by the traffic police. Each province has license plate nuts with unique anti-theft grooves and length specifications. The nuts in our area even have the provincial emblem stamped on them. A friend from the traffic department mentioned that using incorrect nuts counts as obstructing the license plate and could result in points deduction and fines. I've noticed that nuts from different provinces have varying thread angles. Nowadays, many cities are promoting electronic anti-theft nuts that require special tools for removal. Personally, I believe this isn't a trivial matter—it's directly related to a vehicle's legal identity.
