What is the mandatory scrapping period for vehicles?
2 Answers
Non-commercial vehicles and commercial vehicles have different scrapping periods, as detailed below: Scrapping regulations for non-commercial vehicles: For household 5-seat cars and 7-seat SUVs, as well as non-commercial small and mini vehicles, there is no usage period limit. When the normal mileage reaches 600,000 kilometers, the state will guide for scrapping. Apart from the above-mentioned vehicles, small and mini non-commercial passenger vehicles, large non-commercial cars, and wheeled special machinery vehicles also have no usage period limit. Common scrapping regulations for commercial vehicles: Small and mini taxi passenger vehicles have a scrapping period of 8 years, medium-sized taxi passenger vehicles 10 years, and large taxi passenger vehicles 12 years. Public transport passenger vehicles have a scrapping period of 13 years, other small and mini commercial passenger vehicles 10 years, and large and medium-sized commercial passenger vehicles 15 years. Mini commercial trucks have a scrapping period of 8 years, light and large commercial trucks 10 years. The vehicle scrapping process is as follows: The vehicle owner applying for scrapping and renewal fills out a "Motor Vehicle Change, Transfer, Modification, Suspension, Scrapping Approval Application Form" and stamps the owner's seal. The registration office accepts the application and issues a "Vehicle Scrapping Notice" for vehicles that have reached the scrapping period. For vehicles that have not reached the scrapping period, the motor vehicle inspection office will determine if they meet the scrapping standards and issue a "Vehicle Scrapping Notice". The vehicle owner chooses a qualified recycling company to dismantle the vehicle with the "Notice". The recycling company dismantles the vehicle and takes photos after verifying the "Notice". The engine must be separated from the vehicle, the engine block must be broken, and the frame (chassis) must be cut. The vehicle owner submits the "Change Form", "XX Province Renewal Vehicle Technical Appraisal Form", "Scrapped Vehicle Recycling Certificate", and vehicle dismantling photos to the motor vehicle inspection office for verification and signature. The license plate is recycled, and the scrapping registration is processed according to regulations. Special notes: According to Article 30 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations", if the vehicle cannot be driven back to the registration location due to damage, the owner can sell the scrapped vehicle to a local motor vehicle recycling company. Commercial vehicles converted to non-commercial vehicles must be scrapped according to the original commercial vehicle's scrapping period. According to Article 43 of the "Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations", after completing the transfer or cancellation of motor vehicle registration, the original owner can apply to use the original license plate number for a new vehicle registration at the vehicle management office. The application must meet the following conditions: (1) The application is made within six months after the transfer or cancellation registration; (2) The owner has owned the original vehicle for more than three years.
As a veteran driver with over a decade of experience, I'm quite concerned about vehicle scrappage policies. Nowadays, private cars no longer have mandatory scrappage periods—unlike in the past when vehicles had to be scrapped after 15 years. However, the government has set a recommended scrappage standard: when a vehicle's mileage reaches 600,000 kilometers, the DMV will suggest scrapping it, but it's not compulsory. For example, my neighbor's Volkswagen has clocked nearly 400,000 kilometers and still passes annual inspections without issues. Of course, commercial vehicles like taxis are a different story—taxis must be scrapped after 8 years, large buses after 15 years, and trucks around 15 years as well. With proper maintenance, private cars can easily last 20 to 30 years.
