What are the penalties for an expired temporary license plate?
2 Answers
Temporary license plate expired penalties are as follows: According to the "Road Traffic Law," a fine of 200 yuan and 12 demerit points will be imposed. Here is the relevant information: 1. Vehicles must display license plates: Motor vehicles driven on public roads must display valid license plates. Temporary plates must be renewed before expiration or replaced with permanent plates. Expired temporary plates are invalid and considered as driving without plates, which will be severely penalized. 2. Reapplying for temporary plates: Vehicles that have not obtained permanent plates after the temporary plates expire can reapply for temporary plates. For the second application, the owner's ID and a copy of the compulsory traffic accident liability insurance must be photocopied on the same sheet, and the previously used temporary plates must be surrendered.
I heard driving with an expired temporary license plate can be quite troublesome. A friend of mine learned this the hard way. There are two types of temporary plates: 15-day validity for within the jurisdiction and 30-day for cross-jurisdiction. If caught driving with an expired one, it's treated as driving without a license plate. A 200-yuan fine is the least of your worries—the worst part is losing 12 points and having your vehicle impounded, requiring a tow truck. Even worse, your new commercial insurance might not cover any accidents, and you'll have to spend time at the DMV to get a formal plate. It's best to start the formal registration process three days before your temporary plate expires—you can check the progress on your phone to avoid last-minute chaos. If you do accidentally let it expire, the safest move is to call a designated driver or hire a flatbed tow truck to take it to the DMV—never risk driving it yourself.
