What are the penalties for an expired temporary license plate on a new car?
2 Answers
New cars must not use temporary license plates for more than 15 days, and owners should promptly apply for official license plates from the vehicle management authority. After expiration, penalties may include vehicle impoundment, a fine of 200 yuan, and a deduction of 12 points. Here is more information about temporary license plates: 1. There are two types of temporary license plates: one with a sky-blue background, black characters, and black borders, which is only valid for driving within the city (local temporary license plate); the other has a brown-yellow background, black characters, and black borders, allowing for intercity travel (non-local temporary license plate). 2. Before the official license plate is issued, only the temporary license plate should be used. Once the official license plate has been issued, even if the temporary license plate is still within its validity period, it cannot be used anymore. If discovered by traffic police, corresponding penalties will be imposed.
Last month I just picked up my new car, but accidentally drove with an expired temporary license plate for two days and got pulled over by traffic police. I was fined 200 RMB and had 3 points deducted from my license. The car was almost towed because the officer said driving without valid plates is very dangerous, especially on highways where insurance might not cover accident damages. Looking back, temporary plates usually only last 15-30 days, and many people delay getting permanent plates too long and forget to replace them - definitely don't follow my example. I recommend setting phone reminders or posting notes in the car, and taking the time to visit the DMV once to get everything sorted properly. Buying a car should be a happy occasion - don't let small oversights cause big troubles.
