What are the penalties for license plate cloning of vehicles in 2021?
2 Answers
According to the 2021 'Road Traffic Safety Violation Points System' and Article 96 of the 'Road Traffic Safety Law', any vehicle involved in license plate cloning will be penalized with 12 demerit points, a fine, administrative detention of up to 15 days, and the vehicle will be legally impounded. License plate cloning refers to the act of criminals forging and illegally obtaining the license plates of genuine vehicles by referencing real plates. These cloned plates are often used on stolen vehicles, smuggled vehicles, or refurbished scrapped vehicles. Generally, there are three types of vehicles with cloned plates: 1. Smuggled vehicles from overseas: These vehicles may be imported to evade tariffs, assembled from parts, or of severely substandard quality. Such vehicles cannot obtain legal license plates through legitimate means, and they often have various defects that pose serious risks to the safety of the driver and others on the road. 2. Stolen or scrapped vehicles: These vehicles are registered in exchange departments and cannot obtain legal license plates. Scrapped vehicles are those that are aged or beyond repair, and driving them poses significant dangers to the driver and others. 3. Vehicles with traffic violations or illegal modifications that fail annual inspections: Many vehicles have legitimate license plates, but to evade penalties for traffic violations, they clone others' plates. Vehicles with illegal modifications cannot pass annual inspections, leading to the revocation of their license plates.
I remember the penalties for using fake license plates in 2021 were quite severe. If you were caught using counterfeit plates, the fine typically ranged from 2,000 to 5,000 yuan, with a possible deduction of 12 driver's license points. The vehicle could also be impounded, and you might even face around 15 days of detention. Last year, I saw a news story about a neighbor who used a fake-plated car for long-distance trips. He was caught and fined 4,500 yuan, had his license revoked, and later deeply regretted his actions, saying that buying a suspiciously cheap car caused all the trouble. Fake license plates are not only illegal but also often lead to hit-and-run accidents, harming others' interests. Everyone should always check a car's legitimate source when purchasing and avoid taking risks.