What are the new regulations for private cars after 15 years?
2 Answers
The new regulation for vehicles over 15 years old is that the inspection cycle is every six months. For vehicles over 10 years: For private cars over 10 years old, the original inspection cycle is still followed, i.e., 10-15 years, inspected once a year; over 15 years, inspected every six months. On the basis of exempting non-operational small and mini passenger vehicles with 6 seats or less from inspection within 6 years, the exemption now also includes non-operational small and mini passenger vehicles with 7 to 9 seats (excluding minivans) within 6 years. Under 10 years: For non-operational small and mini passenger vehicles (excluding minivans) over 6 years but under 10 years, the inspection frequency is adjusted from once a year to once every two years. If a vehicle is involved in a fatal traffic accident or is illegally modified and penalized according to law, it will still follow the original inspection cycle to ensure the vehicle's safety performance. Inspection content includes: whether the vehicle has a user manual, certificate of conformity (inspection certificate for imported vehicles), and whether the factory inspection marks on the vehicle body are complete; measuring the external and internal dimensions, wheelbase, and axle track of the vehicle. Specific measurement items include vehicle length, width, height, cargo compartment height and area, wheelbase, axle track, etc.; each item is checked according to technical inspection standards. Upon passing the inspection, fill out the "Initial Inspection and Alteration Registration Form for Motor Vehicles" and record the curb weight, load capacity, passenger capacity, and driver's cabin seating capacity as specified by the manufacturer. For non-operational passenger cars, the previous mandatory scrapping age was 15 years, but this did not align well with the actual usage of motor vehicles in China. Therefore, China issued new private car scrapping regulations, eliminating the mandatory scrapping age and replacing it with a guideline for scrapping when the mileage reaches 600,000 kilometers.
I found that private cars over 15 years old face increasingly troublesome regulations. Previously, an annual inspection was sufficient, but now it's required every six months with more stringent checks, including emissions and brakes—fail any, and the car gets scrapped. Maintenance costs keep rising, with parts hard to find and expensive. I heard recent policy tightening aims at environmental protection, phasing out old vehicles to reduce pollution. But for budget-conscious people like me, buying a new car is costly, so early financial planning is essential. Safety risks are also significant—experts warn old cars are prone to failures, especially on highways. Once past the 15-year mark, hassles double, making it better to consider replacement or selling used sooner.
