What is the process for transferring old license plates to a new car?
3 Answers
The process for transferring old license plates to a new car is: 1. Go to the vehicle management office to complete the transfer of the old car. During the transfer, request to retain the license plate, and the old plate must be surrendered first. 2. After obtaining the new car, bring your ID card and the new vehicle registration certificate to the vehicle management office to pay the license plate production fee, and inform the staff of the date for retaining the license plate. The license plate number consists of 7 characters: the first character is the abbreviation of the province, the second character is the abbreviation of the city, and the third to seventh characters are a combination of numbers and letters. The functions of a license plate number: 1. To number and register information for each vehicle; 2. To identify the region to which the vehicle belongs; 3. To trace the owner and registration information of the vehicle based on the license plate.
I just went through this process last month to retain my original license plate for a new car, and the whole procedure was quite straightforward. First, go to the DMV to apply for plate retention, bringing your ID card, old vehicle registration, new car purchase invoice, and insurance policy. After filling out and submitting a form, the staff will review it, and you’ll usually receive a notification in two or three days. Then, drive your new car for an inspection to ensure the vehicle information matches the documents, pay a fee of around 100 RMB, and you can get the new plate to install yourself. The entire process takes about a week. I recommend booking a DMV appointment online in advance to skip the queues. If your old plate number is easy to remember, retaining it is cost-effective—no need to draw a new number and avoid waste. Remember to photocopy all your documents as backups; the DMV can get chaotic when crowded. Get all your paperwork done in one go—don’t be like me the first time, forgetting things and having to make two trips. Bring a friend to help during the car inspection, especially if you’re a novice, to avoid confusion.
Last time I kept my old license plate when changing to a new car, the process was simple but required attention to detail. First, make an online reservation for license plate retention service, upload your ID card, vehicle registration, and new car documents. After approval, bring the original documents to the DMV counter to complete the procedure, with an on-site fee of about 150 yuan. Wait for notification to inspect the new car, which needs to be driven to a designated location for checks on lights and frame. If everything is fine, you'll receive the plate to install yourself. Don't rush the process—missing documents can delay things by a few days. I recommend acting immediately after buying the new car; retaining the old plate can save you over 200 yuan in replacement fees, and the familiar number has sentimental value and is easier to recognize. Check the new car's tires and brakes while doing maintenance to avoid trouble. Fees are transparent with no extra costs, and the whole process can be completed within a week, with weekends being more convenient.
