What are the regulations on penalties for removing seats in minivans?

[CharlotteLee]

Exempted vehicles cannot retain their exemption status if caught with modifications. According to current regulations in China, new vehicles enjoy a six-year exemption period from inspection. During this period, vehicles do not need to undergo on-site inspections but must obtain an exemption mark. However, any traffic violations must be resolved before the annual inspection. Circumstances under which a vehicle cannot pass the annual inspection: Vehicles with unresolved traffic violation records cannot pass the annual inspection. Owners must check for any traffic violations and resolve them before the inspection to obtain the exemption mark. Registered vehicles undergoing safety technical inspections will fail if the registration details on the vehicle's license do not match the actual condition of the vehicle, or if the required third-party liability compulsory insurance certificate is not provided as stipulated. According to relevant regulations, vehicle owners can apply for an inspection compliance mark from the local vehicle management office up to three months before the expiration of the vehicle's inspection period. During the application process, owners must fill out an application form and submit the vehicle's license, compulsory traffic accident liability insurance certificate, vehicle and vessel tax payment or exemption proof, and the vehicle safety technical inspection compliance certificate.

[StAdriana]

I've been driving a van for ten years, and removing seats is something you really shouldn't mess with. Getting caught by traffic police means a fine of 500 to 1,000 yuan, which is the least of your worries—the real headache is having to reinstall the seats on the spot or within a deadline. If you can't restore them to their original condition, you won't be allowed back on the road. Last month, while helping Old Li transport goods, I got checked—all the rear seats were removed to make space for cargo. I ended up fined 800 yuan and wasted an entire day. The law is clear: unauthorized seat removal counts as illegal modification, with Article 57 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations" as the basis. It's not just about the fine—if you're in an accident with the seats removed, the insurance company will outright deny your claim. Fellow van drivers, remember this: don’t even touch the screws on the rear seats.

[Susie]

Last time I saw the news, a van had its rear seats removed and was stopped, eventually towed and required to pay for seat reinstallation at their own expense. The regulations are clear: removing seats counts as altering the vehicle's structure. If caught, penalties start at 500 yuan under the Road Traffic Safety Law, and fines can double for severe overloading. The worst part is the restoration cost—doing it yourself might not work, so a repair shop could charge 300-500 yuan. That's not counting the time wasted during roadside inspections. My cousin, who runs a milk tea shop and uses a van for deliveries, had two seats removed illegally and was fined on the spot. The traffic police pointed at the empty screw holes and said cargo vans must use the commercial version, warning that modifying family cars like this would lead to trouble sooner or later.

[DelAaliyah]

The repair shop near my home often handles such jobs, mostly restoring seats after owners got fined for removing them. The law states that the number of seats in a van as it leaves the factory is fixed—removing even one counts as illegal modification, and traffic police will fine you at least 500 yuan if caught. Once, I saw an owner argue stubbornly, insisting that removing the rear seats made loading goods easier, only to get an additional 300-yuan fine for illegal cargo transport. The key issue is that the seats are part of the vehicle's structural integrity—removing them means cargo can surge forward during braking, and in case of an accident, insurance won’t cover it. If you really need to transport goods, switch to a cargo-specific vehicle—don’t cut corners and invite bigger trouble.

[OHope]

Anyone in logistics knows that van seats must not be removed. Legally, this is called modifying vehicle technical parameters, and a fine of 500-1,000 yuan is considered light—you’ll also be forced to reinstall the seats. Last year, my colleague removed the middle-row seats for convenience while moving furniture. At a checkpoint, high-definition cameras spotted the empty space, and his vehicle was impounded on the spot. It cost him 600 yuan to restore the seats before release. The key issue is that removing seats disables the seatbelt mechanisms. In an emergency stop, passengers could be thrown out, and the owner would bear full responsibility. I advise everyone not to follow those online seat-removal tutorials—traffic police are cracking down hard, specifically checking seat mounting bolt holes.