What are the conditions for individuals to participate in Shanghai license plate auctions?
4 Answers
Shanghai license plate auction conditions for individuals are: local household registration, or holding a local residence permit with continuous social insurance or personal income tax payments in the city for at least 3 years prior to application; not holding a passenger car quota certificate; not owning a motor vehicle registered with a passenger car quota; holding a valid motor vehicle driver's license; no relevant road traffic violation records within 1 year prior to application; other conditions proposed by joint meetings and approved by the municipal government. Here are important notes about license plate auctions: 1. If the quota certificate exceeds its validity period, the holder cannot use it for motor vehicle registration procedures. The holder may consign the passenger car quota to a qualified auction institution for auction within 2 years after the expiration. If the holder fails to consign for auction within this period, they lose the right to consign for auction, except for legal reasons preventing the exercise of this right. 2. After consigning for auction, the holder cannot apply to participate in passenger car quota auctions again for 3 years. 3. Shanghai new energy vehicle indicators can be directly applied for and obtained for free without participating in auctions.
I finally managed to win a Shanghai license plate auction last year. Let me share the personal requirements for bidding. If you have a Shanghai household registration, it’s much easier—you basically meet the basic eligibility. Without a local hukou, you’ll need a Shanghai residence permit valid for at least three years and proof of continuous three-year social security payments—don’t let it lapse, or all your effort goes to waste. You must also hold a valid driver’s license and have no Shanghai-plated cars registered under your name. Before applying, you’ll need to deposit around 100,000 RMB as a security bond, which can be used for the bidding fee. The auction is held monthly, with prices ranging from 80,000 to 120,000 RMB, and competition is fierce. I got lucky and won on my first try, but many people have to bid multiple times. Credit history is also crucial—banks or authorities will check your record, and only those with a clean history qualify. I recommend preparing copies of your ID and residence permit in advance. The whole process is time-consuming and demanding, so patience is key.
I've discussed this topic with several friends. As someone from outside Shanghai working there, he shared the conditions for obtaining a Shanghai license plate: Non-Shanghai residents must have three consecutive years of residence permit and social security records, both are mandatory. The driver's license must be valid, and there should be no Shanghai-plated car registered under the applicant's name. After paying a 100,000 yuan deposit, you can participate in the monthly auction, where the average winning rate isn't high, and prices often exceed 90,000 yuan. He waited over half a year to win, spending 95,000 yuan. Although the cost is high, having a Shanghai plate avoids daily traffic restrictions, which is crucial for commuting. He advises young people to save more money and pay attention to maintaining continuous social security payments.
Our family just bought a new car and first figured out the license plate auction conditions: mainly, having a Shanghai household registration allows direct application. Without household registration, three years of residence permit plus continuous social insurance payments will suffice. You also need a motor vehicle driver's license, and one person can only have one Shanghai license plate under their name. After paying the 100,000 yuan deposit, we didn't win the auction on the first try and are still in line. For family use, a Shanghai license plate is much more convenient, reducing traffic restriction hassles.
