What does driving within the temporary license plate area mean?

[McLandon]

It means the driving area is restricted to the city where the vehicle was purchased, with a validity period of 7-15 days. Here are the relevant details: 1. Temporary license plate: It is a short-term plate used to allow the vehicle to legally move on the road before obtaining the official license plate; within its validity period, it has the same legal effect as the official license plate. Once the vehicle obtains the official license plate, the temporary license plate becomes invalid. 2. Precautions: Using a temporary license plate beyond the designated area or after its expiration will now be penalized. High-resolution electronic cameras can now clearly capture temporary license plates, and the increasing use of anti-counterfeiting measures has made temporary license plates more standardized. We hope all car owners can use temporary license plates properly and safely and conveniently use their vehicles before obtaining the official license plate.

[LeMichael]

The temporary license plate area refers to the driving range indicated on the paper temporary license plate you received. When I picked up my car, I specifically researched this, and there are two scenarios. One is called an intra-administrative temporary license plate, which has a light blue background and can only be used within the city where it was issued. For example, if you got it in Shanghai, you can't drive to Suzhou. The other type is an inter-administrative temporary license plate with a brown background, which allows you to drive nationwide, suitable for purchasing a car in one location and driving it back to your hometown. The key is to check the restricted area text printed on the back of the temporary license plate. Once, I saw a neighbor in my community drive their car beyond the restricted area and got penalized with 12 points. It's advisable not to use a temporary license plate on highways, especially since the validity period is usually only 15 to 30 days. Driving with an expired temporary license plate is considered driving without a license.

[MacHannah]

Last time when accompanying a friend to apply for a temporary license plate, I specifically asked the staff at the vehicle management office. The essence of driving within the temporary license area is geographical restrictions. For example, if you choose to use it only within the city when applying, the temporary license will be printed with the administrative area of the city. Exceeding the city boundary is considered a violation. The staff mentioned that 90% of car owners overlook two details: the temporary license plate must be affixed both at the front and rear, specifically at the lower right corner of the front windshield and the lower left corner of the rear window. Otherwise, traffic police can impose a fine of 200 yuan. Additionally, vehicles with temporary license plates cannot be used for commercial operations. For instance, using your own temporary license plate vehicle to transport goods during a move could result in the vehicle being impounded if caught. It is recommended to directly apply for a cross-province temporary license plate when registering, which costs a few dozen yuan more but saves a lot of hassle.

[BrodyDella]

I learned this the hard way. When I first bought the car, the salesperson only told me the temporary license plate was valid for three months, but I got pulled over by traffic police in a neighboring province during the third week. The officer explained there are two types of temporary plates: regional restricted and nationwide. Mine was the locally restricted version. Three key points to note: 1) Temporary plates issued by 4S stores are usually regional versions; 2) You must replace temporary plates with official ones before expiration; 3) Vehicles with temporary plates cannot carry cargo or operate ride-hailing services like Didi. New regulations now also require temporary-plate vehicles to have commercial third-party liability insurance. I recently saw news about someone using an expired temporary plate - their car was impounded immediately, and they got detained.