Should motor vehicles display license plates when driven on the road as required?

[NevaehLee]

Motor vehicles driven on the road should display license plates as required, and the displayed license plates should be kept clean and tidy, and should not be obscured or soiled. According to Article 11 of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, when driving a motor vehicle on the road, the vehicle must display the motor vehicle license plate, place the inspection qualification mark and insurance mark, and carry the motor vehicle driving license with the vehicle. The motor vehicle license plate should be displayed clearly and completely as required, and should not be intentionally obscured or soiled. No unit or individual may confiscate or detain motor vehicle license plates.

[Kyle]

I remember last year my neighbor's newly purchased car was pulled over by traffic police at Renmin Road intersection just because the temporary license plate had expired and the metal plates weren't installed in time. Not only was he fined 200 yuan, but also got 12 points deducted from his driver's license! This taught me that whether it's a new or old car, both front and rear license plates must be properly mounted. Especially some friends who like to stick cartoon patterns on license plate frames or use camouflage covers for long-distance trips - these all count as intentional license plate obstruction, and getting caught means an automatic 12-point deduction. Nowadays with surveillance cameras being so sensitive, an unlicensed car won't make it 500 meters before being flagged. And if you're in an accident, insurance companies can refuse compensation immediately when they see you're driving without plates.

[Samantha]

Here's a true story: Last week, my buddy got pulled over riding his unlicensed motorcycle. When they impounded it, he argued, 'I just bought it and was heading to the DMV.' But Article 11 of the Traffic Law is crystal clear—any motor vehicle, from factory to scrap, must display a complete, legible license plate when on the road. Even construction vehicles with temporary 'Test' plates must position them at designated spots on the windshield. Cops showed me stats: unlicensed vehicles are 8 times more likely to flee accident scenes. So now, if I spot a plate-less car, I immediately dial 122 to report it. License plates are like a vehicle's ID card—would you let someone without ID roam the streets freely?

[StManuel]

Must hang the license plate! Two years ago, my cousin was driving his new unlicensed car to get it registered when he rear-ended another vehicle halfway. The insurance company outright refused to cover it, and he had to pay over 30,000 yuan out of pocket for repairs. License plates are the only identifier for traffic police to recognize vehicles, and even temporary plates must be properly affixed to the front and rear windshields as required. Recently, there was news about a driver who used a binder to flip up his license plate to evade highway tolls, and in the end, he was penalized for 'forging or altering license plates,' resulting in the direct revocation of his driver's license. Remember, even if your license plate is covered in mud and not cleaned in time, getting caught will cost you 9 points on your license.

[DeNicole]

Forget about formal metal license plates, I've even seen people getting fined for improperly displaying temporary plates. Last year when I helped my sister pick up her new car, the salesperson repeatedly emphasized: the paper temporary plate must be smoothly affixed with transparent tape to the lower left corner of the front windshield and the upper left corner of the rear window. A friend from the traffic police department said they encounter expired temporary plates, handwritten ones, or even fake temporary plates every day. The new regulations are even stricter now - intentionally not displaying plates or defacing them will result in 12 demerit points plus vehicle impoundment. Remember, even if your license plate gets bent in a collision, you must apply for a replacement at the DMV within 24 hours.