What is the difference between Shanghai A and Shanghai F license plates?
4 Answers
There is no difference between Shanghai A and Shanghai F license plates; they simply represent different issuance periods. The sequence follows Shanghai A, then Shanghai B, Shanghai D, Shanghai E, and so on as each prefix is exhausted. Currently, only Shanghai C license plates are special, designated for suburban areas and not permitted to enter the city center. License plates refer to the vehicle registration plates, which are metal or plastic plates attached to the front and rear of a vehicle. They display the vehicle's registration number, registration region, and other basic information. Through the license plate, one can identify the province, city, or county to which the vehicle belongs, and the vehicle management office can trace the vehicle's owner based on the plate.
As the old saying goes, Hu-A is the veteran segment of Shanghai license plates, issued earlier with many decade-old cars on the road still bearing it. However, the current Hu-F is also a legitimate downtown plate, no different from Hu-A—both require over 90,000 yuan in the auction and can access the inner and outer rings. The Hu-F letter combo just looks newer, like my family’s newly bought electric car directly assigned a Hu-F plate with a modern mix of numbers and letters. But in essence, they have fully equal rights—don’t believe rumors that Hu-A has special privileges.
When I got my Shanghai license plate last year at the vehicle management office, the staff pointed at the screen and told me, 'Hu A and Hu F only differ in their serial numbers.' Nowadays, newly issued plates are mostly Hu G and Hu H, with Hu F considered mid-range, let alone the older Hu A. But does the letter combination really matter? As long as it's not the suburban Hu C plate, all others can freely drive in the city. The only difference might be that Hu A owners often face teasing like 'Isn't it time to scrap this car?' while Hu F plates appear a bit younger.
Shanghai A and Shanghai F plates are essentially the same, both being siblings under Shanghai urban license plates. If we must pinpoint a difference, Shanghai A indeed has a longer history—it was the first batch of private car plates in the 1990s, like my uncle’s Santana from twenty years ago which bore a Shanghai A plate. Nowadays, Shanghai F is the rising star, with newer number segments issued more frequently and a higher proportion of letter combinations. However, what truly matters is the second letter—plates from Shanghai A·A to Shanghai F·Z all receive equal treatment. Don’t fall for plate dealers’ claims that Shanghai A plates can fetch higher prices; it’s all psychological tactics.
