What Stickers Should Be Affixed on the Car Window?
3 Answers
Car windows need to display the Motor Vehicle Inspection Sticker, Compulsory Insurance Sticker, and Environmental Inspection Sticker. Here are the details: 1. The Motor Vehicle Inspection Sticker is square and is affixed to the car window only after the vehicle passes its annual inspection. The sticker color cycles annually among yellow, green, and blue. The front of the sticker shows the next inspection year and the 12 months, while the back displays the vehicle's inspection number, license plate number, and additional notes. 2. The Environmental Inspection Sticker is square and is specifically for vehicles that pass environmental inspections. After 2017, the Environmental Inspection Sticker was merged with the Motor Vehicle Inspection Sticker and is no longer used separately. 3. The Compulsory Insurance Sticker is oval and follows a three-color rotation standard. It is issued after the vehicle pays for compulsory traffic insurance, which is valid for one year. The front of the sticker is similar to the Motor Vehicle Inspection Sticker, while the back includes the policy number, vehicle license plate number, insurance period, insurer, service phone number, and additional notes.
I also struggled with this issue in the first year of owning my car. The annual inspection sticker and compulsory traffic insurance sticker must be displayed on the upper right corner of the windshield. I remember when I went to the inspection station last time, the staff specifically reminded me not to place them crookedly and suggested using static cling stickers for easy replacement without damaging the glass. The environmental protection sticker is no longer required here as it was discontinued three years ago. However, for commercial vehicles, an additional operating permit sticker is needed. Recently, I noticed many places are promoting electronic stickers. For example, car owners in Shenzhen can simply show electronic certificates via mobile apps. But if driving across provinces, I recommend still displaying paper versions—once when I traveled to a neighboring province, I was checked for the paper insurance certificate and almost got fined. Also, avoid placing other random items on the windshield as obstructing the view can lead to fines. I once saw someone getting penalized for placing a parking contact card next to the stickers.
We veteran drivers are used to sticking two labels on the upper right corner of the windshield: the annual inspection sticker and the insurance sticker. In earlier years, we also had to display an emissions sticker, but that requirement was abolished nationwide after 2017, making things much simpler. Pay attention to the placement - sticking it too close to the center can obstruct driving visibility and may earn you a warning from traffic police. I usually buy specialized static cling stickers from the DMV when collecting my labels, as they're much easier to remove and replace than sticking directly on the glass. Nowadays, young people prefer electronic labels, and our county-level city started piloting this last year - you can check them through the Traffic Management 12123 app on your phone. However, for long-distance trips, I still recommend displaying the paper versions as policies vary across provinces. Last month when I drove to Shanxi, I was asked to show the physical insurance certificate. Also remember that the labels mustn't be folded or damaged - they'll be considered invalid if so, and you'll face fines if caught. New car owners should note that the first inspection sticker needs to be displayed after two years - don't let it expire.
