What does a temporary license plate vehicle mean?
2 Answers
A temporary license plate vehicle refers to a provisional vehicle travel permit issued by the public security vehicle management department before the car is officially registered. Below is relevant information about temporary license plates: 1. Types of temporary plates: There are two types of temporary plates. One is with a sky-blue background, black characters, and black borders, valid for 15 days; the other is with a brown-yellow background, black characters, and black borders, valid for 30 days. 2. Placement of temporary plates: If there is one temporary plate, it should be placed at the lower left or right corner of the front windshield, ideally not obstructing the driver's view. If there are two temporary plates, one should be placed on the front windshield, and the other should be placed at the lower left corner of the rear windshield inside the car.
I just bought a new car, and the 4S dealership introduced me to the concept of a temporary license plate vehicle. It means that before the new car gets its permanent license plate, you can drive it on the road with a temporary paper license. I was super excited when I got it—that plate was stuck on the front windshield, valid for about 15 days, and the 4S dealership handled it for me. During this period, I could drive it normally to work or home, but there were a few things to keep in mind: you can’t take long trips across provincial borders, or you’ll risk being stopped by traffic police and fined 200 RMB; also, you have to make it to the DMV for inspection and to get the official metal plate before it expires, otherwise it’ll count as driving without a license, leading to points deducted and heavier fines. Personally, those two weeks of driving felt great, but I noticed a lot of people speeding and getting pulled over—probably because new drivers were too excited. The temporary license plate is a convenient buffer period, helping new car owners transition to the formal plate stage. I’d recommend preparing the car purchase invoice and a copy of your ID in advance to avoid any last-minute hassle when applying.
