What are the inconveniences of having an out-of-town license plate?
2 Answers
There are inconveniences such as annual inspections for out-of-town license plates. Below is an introduction to the inconveniences of having an out-of-town license plate: 1. Insurance processing: (1) The first drawback is the hassle with claims. Although insurance companies promise nationwide claims, there is a competitive relationship between two branches, which may lead to delays or reluctance in processing claims. (2) The second drawback is the trouble with paying vehicle and vessel tax. Out-of-town insurance companies cannot act as agents for collecting vehicle and vessel tax; it must be paid locally. 2. Replacing annual inspections, etc.: If the vehicle license or plate is lost, it can only be replaced at the vehicle's registration location. A vehicle missing its license plate does not have the legal right to be on the road, and driving without it may result in penalties such as a 12-point deduction. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly go to the out-of-town location to replace it. Regarding annual inspections, they are more troublesome since getting an inspection done out-of-town is not as convenient as doing it locally. For out-of-town license plates, during the annual inspection, one must first go to the vehicle's registration location to handle the power of attorney and other related procedures before conducting the annual inspection locally.
Driving with an out-of-town license plate in the city is most frustrating due to traffic restrictions. I work in a big city but my car is registered in my hometown. During rush hours, non-local plates are outright banned, forcing me to take detours or alternative routes—sometimes requiring me to leave half an hour earlier. Another headache is parking at popular tourist spots: local plates get discounted or free parking, while my out-of-town plate means paying full price, adding dozens of yuan per trip. Even worse are traffic tickets—once I accidentally violated a rule at a scenic spot intersection, and the ticket had to be mailed back to my hometown for processing, a tedious back-and-forth hassle. Annual vehicle inspections also require returning to the registration location, costing me a half-day leave and too much time. These issues make daily commutes incredibly inconvenient, so I recommend prioritizing a local license plate when buying a car to save trouble.
