What are the consequences of not displaying the annual inspection sticker?
4 Answers
Failure to display the annual inspection sticker and other required decals will result in a fine and a deduction of one point. Below are the requirements for displaying vehicle annual inspection stickers: 1. Display location: According to Article 13 of the "Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law," the annual inspection compliance sticker, compulsory traffic insurance sticker, and green environmental protection sticker must be affixed to the upper right corner of the vehicle's front windshield. 2. Punching requirement for the inspection sticker: Punching the annual inspection sticker was an early method to identify the vehicle's inspection date. Along the edge of the upper part of the sticker, there are 1 to 12 punchable positions representing the 12 months. For example, if the inspection date is in June, a hole will be punched at the number 6.
Last time I forgot to display the annual inspection sticker and got fined. That day, I encountered a traffic police spot check on the road, and the officer directly issued a ticket saying it counted as failing to display the required label, deducting 1 point and fining me 200 yuan. Actually, the fine wasn’t the biggest hassle—the real trouble was the time and effort it took to deal with it. I had to make a special trip to the traffic police station to pay the fine, and if delayed too long, late fees would pile up. Now I’ve developed a habit: as soon as I get the inspection sticker, I stick it on the top right corner of the windshield. Some places are promoting electronic labels now, but they haven’t been implemented here yet. In case of an accident, the police first check the inspection status—if the sticker isn’t displayed, you’ll have to explain at length, which might even affect insurance claims.
Many people underestimate the risks of driving without displaying the annual inspection sticker. Firstly, traffic regulations clearly require it to be affixed in a visible position on the windshield - failure to do so constitutes a violation. If caught by traffic police, penalties range from warnings to fines (my friend was fined 300 yuan last year). More practically, during accidents, insurers may suspect you skipped inspection if they see no sticker, potentially complicating claims. Some cities' traffic cameras in restricted zones automatically ticket vehicles missing inspection decals. Don't rely solely on digital copies stored on phones either - most regions haven't fully adopted electronic recognition systems yet.
After buying a new car last year, I didn't take it seriously and thought the annual inspection sticker was optional. As a result, I was stopped twice within three months on the road. The traffic police said the first offense would be a warning, but repeated offenses would result in fines and demerit points. Later, I learned that cars without stickers face additional scrutiny during annual inspections, and the DMV might suspect intentional avoidance of inspection. During vehicle transfers, buyers seeing no annual inspection sticker on the windshield often negotiate for lower prices. Although new regulations allow showing electronic stickers via the Traffic Management 12123 app, physical stickers are still much more convenient for handling accidents in practice.
