What to Do If Caught Without the Vehicle License?
2 Answers
"Forgot to bring the license" is different from "driving without a license." The traffic police will not detain the person involved but will temporarily impound the vehicle. "Not carrying" is not the same as "no license," but both are traffic violations, only the penalties differ. If the driver provides the driving license and there are no other violations during the drive, they will be given a warning or fined, and the vehicle will be promptly returned. If the driver provides the driving license but has committed other violations while driving, they will be penalized based on the nature of the violations and the failure to carry the license, and the vehicle will be promptly returned.
That time I forgot to bring my vehicle license and got pulled over by traffic police. They made me pull over, said driving without it was illegal, and fined me 50 yuan with 1 penalty point. Luckily, I quickly remembered I had the traffic police app on my phone, opened the electronic version to show them, and they only fined me without deducting points. Without any proof, the car could’ve been impounded, causing more hassle. Later, I still had to find time to visit the traffic police station to complete procedures, wasting time. I suggest drivers develop the habit of checking documents before setting off or link electronic documents to the app—most cities recognize them now. If caught, don’t panic or argue; calmly explain and cooperate, and they usually won’t hassle honest people. Such small things are easy to overlook, but one hassle teaches a lesson. Keep the vehicle license in a fixed spot in the car or take a photo as backup to avoid repeated trouble.